104 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



along expeditiously by the dogs, and the 

 rest of the party had to walk very quick to 

 keep pace with them, which occasioned 

 many severe falls. By the time we had 

 reached the end of the lake, the wind had 

 increased to a perfect gale, and the at- 

 mosphere was so cold that we could not 

 proceed further with the canoes without the 

 risk of breaking the bark, and seriously in- 

 juring them ; we therefore crossed Winter 

 River in them, and put up in a well-sheltered 

 place on a ridge of sand hills ; but as the 

 stock of provision was scanty, we deter- 

 mined on proceeding as quick as possible, 

 and leaving the canoe party under the charge 

 of Mr. W entzel. We parted from them in 

 the afternoon, and first directed our course 

 towards a range of hills, where we expected 

 to find Antonio Fontano, who had separated 

 from us in the morning. In crossing to- 

 wards these hills I fell through the ice into 

 the lake, with my bundle on my shoulders, 

 but was soon extricated without any injury; 

 and Mr. Back, who left us to go in search 

 of the straggler, met with a similar accident 



