OF THE POLAR SEA* 99 



On the 12th Winter River was nearly 

 cleared of ice, and on the 13 th the men re- 

 turned, having left Dr. Richardson on the 

 borders of Point Lake. Dr. Richardson 

 informed me by letter that the snow was 

 deeper in many parts near his encampment 

 than it had been at any time last winter 

 near Fort Enterprise, and that the ice on 

 Point Lake had scarcely begun to decay. 

 Although the voyagers were much fatigued 

 on their arrival, and had eaten nothing 

 for the last twenty-four hours, they were 

 very cheerful, and expressed a desire to 

 start with the remainder of the stores next 

 morning. The Dog-rib woman, who had 

 lingered about the house since the 6th of 

 June, took alarm at the approach of our 

 men, thinking, perhaps, that they were ac- 

 companied by Indians, and ran off. She 

 was now provided with a hatchet, kettle, 

 and fire-steel, and would probably go at 

 once to Fort Providence, in the expectation 

 of meeting with some of her countrymen 

 before the end of summer. 



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