98 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



musquitoes showed themselves for the first 

 time, and one swallow made its appearance. 

 We were the more gratified with these in- 

 dications of summer, that St. Germain was 

 enabled to commence the repair of the ca- 

 noes, and before night had completed the 

 two which had received the least injury. 

 Augustus killed two deer to-day. 



On the 10th the dip of the magnetic 

 needle being observed, showed a decrease 

 of 22' 44" since last autumn. The repairs 

 of the third canoe were finished this even- 

 ing. 



The snow was now confined to the bases 

 of the hills, and our Indian hunter told us 

 the season was early. The operations of 

 nature, however, seemed to us very tardy. 

 We were eager to be gone, and dreaded 

 the lapse of summer, before the Indians 

 would allow it had begun. 



On the 11th the geese and ducks had 

 left the vicinity of Fort Enterprise, and 

 proceeded to the northward. Some young 

 ravens and whiskey-johns made their ap- 

 pearance at this time. 



