OF THE POLAR SEA. 



101 



on the mangled carcasses. One of these ferocious animals passed 

 close to the person who was beating the track, but did not offer any 

 violence. We encamped at sunset, after walking thirteen miles. 



On the 26th, we were rejoiced at passing the half-way point, be- 

 tween Cumberland and Carlton. The scenery of the river was less 

 agreeable beyond this point, as there was a scarcity of wood. One of 

 our men was despatched after a red-deer that appeared on the bank. 

 He contrived to approach near enough to fire twice, though without 

 success, before the animal moved away. After a fatiguing march of 

 seventeen miles, we put up at the upper Nippeween, a deserted estab- 

 lishment; and performed the comfortable operations of shaving and 

 washing for the first time since our departure from Cumberland, the 

 weather having been hitherto too severe. We passed an uncom- 

 fortable and sleepless night, and agreed next morning to encamp 

 in future, in the open air, as preferable to the imperfect shelter of 

 a deserted house without doors or windows. 



The morning was extremely cold, but fortunately the wind was 

 light, which prevented our feeling it severely; experience indeed 

 had taught us that the sensation of cold depends less upon the state 

 of temperature, than the force of the wind. An attempt was made 

 to obtain the latitude, which failed, in consequence of the screw, 

 which adjusts the telescope of the sextant, being immovably fixed, 

 from the moisture upon it having frozen. The instrument could 

 not be replaced in its case before the ice was thawed by the fire in 

 the evening. 



In the course of the day we passed the confluence of the south 

 branch of the Saskatchawan, which rises from the rocky mountains 

 near the sources of the northern branch of the Missouri. At 

 Coles Falls which commence a short distance from the branch 

 we found the surface of the ice very uneven, and many spots of 

 open water. 



We passed the ruins of an establishment, which the traders had 



