8 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



end of two miles regained our hunters, who 

 were halting on the borders of a lake amidst 

 a clump of stunted willows. This lake 

 stretched to the westward as far as we 

 could see, and its waters were discharged 

 by a rapid stream, one hundred and fifty 

 yards wide. Being entirely ignorant where 

 we might be led by pursuing the course of 

 the lake, and dreading the idea of going a 

 mile unnecessarily out of the way, we de- 

 termined on crossing the river if possible ; 

 and the canoe was gummed for the purpose, 

 the willows furnishing us with fire. But 

 we had to await the return of Junius before 

 we could make the traverse. In the mean 

 time we gathered a little tripe de roche, and 

 breakfasted upon it and a few partridges 

 that were killed in the morning. St. Germain 

 and Adam were sent upon some recent 

 tracks of deer. Junius arrived in the after- 

 noon and informed us that he had seen a 

 large herd of musk-oxen on the banks of 

 Cracroft's River, and had wounded one of 

 them, but it escaped. He brought about 

 four pounds of meat, the remains of a deer 



