200 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



burnt leather. Owing to the scarcity of 

 wood, we had to walk until a late hour, 

 before a good spot for an encampment 

 could be found, and had then attained only 

 eleven miles. The night was miserably 

 cold ; our tea froze in the tin pots before 

 we could drink it, and even a mixture of 

 spirits and water became quite thick by 

 congelation ; yet, after we lay down to rest, 

 we felt no inconvenience, and heeded not 

 the wolves, though they were howling 

 within view. 



The 29th was also very cold, until the 

 sun burst forth, when the travelling became 

 pleasant. The banks of the river are very 

 scantily supplied with wood through the 

 part we passed to-day. A long track on 

 the south shore, called Holms Plains, is 

 destitute of any thing like a tree, and the 

 opposite bank has only stunted willows ; 

 but, after walking sixteen miles, we came 

 to a spot better wooded, and encamped op- 

 posite to a remarkable place, called by the 

 voyagers " The Neck of Land." 



A short distance below our encampment, 



