STORM ON LAKE WINNIPEG. 



477 



south side of the neck of the great promontory. The 

 Indians were nearly destitute of provisions, and followed 

 us to the island, where they fortunately got a plentiful 

 supply of eggs and young gulls ; but having little ammu- 

 nition, they brought down only a few old ones, although 

 they hovered in countless numbers over the island, scream- 

 ing at the wholesale destruction of their young brood. 



August 2hth. — The storm raged all night, and this 

 morning we found ourselves surrounded by a foaming 

 sea on a low island of sand about 100 yards in length, 

 and so narrow that the spray from the breakers dashed 

 completely over it. The gale blew hard from the east 

 till about noon, when it began to subside ; I then deter- 

 mined upon starting on our course, but, seeing a thunder- 

 storm approaching, decided upon taking dinner before 

 making the attempt. It was well that we did so, because 

 just as we were hastily swallowing our meal of pemmican, 

 the thunder-storm, accompanied by strong wind and heavy 

 rain, burst upon us with great violence. Some of the 

 Indians were endeavouring to reach the next island in the 

 line of traverse, but had to abandon the attempt and 

 drive before the gale to the main-land, three miles off. 



The storm soon abating again, we crossed to the next 

 island and thence to the main-shore ; and after coasting 

 along for some miles, encamped on a sandy point, where 

 we found a small clump of poplar and spruce. 



August 2Qth. — Last night the Northern Lights or 

 Aurora Borealis were unusually brilliant, darting and 

 playing about with extraordinary rapidity in all directions, 

 sometimes extending to the zenith and sometimes to the 

 south of it. The voyageurs said they portended a coming 

 storm, and their prognostications proved correct. The 

 night was clear with a bright moon till about midnight, 

 when a cold north-westerly w T ind arose, followed in a, 



