262 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



a musk-ox and a deer, which St. Germain 

 and Augustus had killed. The day was 

 extremely cold, the thermometer varying 

 between 34° and 36°. In the afternoon a 

 heavy fall of snow took place, on the wind 

 changing from north-west to south-west. 

 We found no wood at the encampment, but 

 made a fire of moss to cook the supper, 

 and crept under our blankets for warmth. 

 At sunrise the thermometer was at 31°, 

 and the wind fresh from north-west; but 

 the weather became mild in the course of 

 the forenoon, and the snow disappeared 

 from the gravel. The afternoon was re- 

 markably fine, and the thermometer rose to 

 50°. One of the hunters killed a musk-ox. 

 The hills in this part are lower, and more 

 round-backed than those we passed yester- 

 day, exhibiting but little naked rock ; they 

 were covered with lichens. 



Having ascertained from the summit of 

 the highest hill near the tents that the river 

 continued to preserve a west course, and 

 fearing that by pursuing it further we might 

 lose much time, and unnecessarily walk over 



