£64 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



berry-bearing plants were found in this 

 part, the surface of the earth being thinly 

 covered in the moister places with a few 

 grasses and on the drier spots with lichens. 



Having walked twelve miles and a half, 

 we encamped at seven P.M., and distributed 

 our last piece of pemmican and a little 

 arrow-root for supper, which afforded but 

 a scanty meal. This evening was warm, 

 but dark clouds overspread the sky. Our 

 men now began to find their burdens very 

 oppressive, and were much fatigued by this 

 day's march, but did not complain. One 

 of them was lame from an inflammation in 

 the knee. Heavy rain commenced at mid- 

 night, and continued without intermission 

 until five in the morning, when it was suc- 

 ceeded by snow on the wind changing to 

 north-west, which soon increased to a vio- 

 lent gale. As we had nothing to eat, and 

 were destitute of the means of making a 

 fire, we remained in our beds all the day ; 

 but the covering of our blankets was in- 

 sufficient to prevent us from feeling the 

 severity of the frost, and suffering inconve- 



