OF THE POLAR SEA. 263 



a great deal of ground, I determined on 

 quitting its banks the next day, and making 

 as directly as we could for Point Lake. We 

 accordingly followed the river on the 3d, 

 only to the place where the musk-ox had 

 been killed last evening, and after the meat 

 was procured crossed the river in our two 

 canoes lashed together. We now emerged 

 from the valley of the river, and entered 

 a level, but very barren, country, varied 

 only by small lakes and marshes, the ground 

 being covered with small stones. Many 

 old tracks of rein-deer were seen in the 

 clayey soil, and some more recent traces of 

 the musk-ox. We encamped on the borders 

 of Wright's River, which flows to the east- 

 ward, the direct distance walked tb-day 

 being ten miles and three-quarters. The 

 next morning was very fine, and, as the day 

 advanced, the weather became quite warm. 

 We set out at six A.M., and, having forded 

 the river, walked over a perfectly level 

 country, interspersed with small lakes, 

 which communicated with each other, by 

 streams running in various directions. No 



