6 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



tion of sleeping upon our socks and shoes 

 to prevent them from freezing. This plan 

 Was afterwards adopted throughout the 

 journey. 



At half-past five in the morning we pro- 

 ceeded ; and after walking about two miles, 

 came to Cracroft's River, flowing to the 

 westward, with a very rapid current over a 

 rocky channel. We had much difficulty in 

 crossing this, the canoe being useless, not 

 only from the bottom of the channel being 

 obstructed by large stones, but also from 

 its requiring gumming, an operation which, 

 owing to the want of wood and the frost, 

 we were unable to perform. However, 

 after following the course of the river some 

 distance we effected a passage by means 

 of a range of large rocks that crossed a 

 rapid. As the current was strong, and 

 many of the rocks were covered with water 

 to the depth of two or three feet, the men 

 were exposed to much danger in carrying 

 their heavy burdens across, and several of 

 them actually slipped into the stream, but 

 were immediately rescued by the others. 



