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OF THE POLAR SEA. 125 



than at any preceding time since our departure from Cumberland, as 

 we were enabled, by having light carioles, to ride nearly the whole 

 day, and to be warmly covered up with a buffalo robe. Mr. M'Leod, 

 of the North- West Company, joined us. He had kindly brought 

 some things from Green Lake, which our sledges could not carry. 

 Pursuing our route along the river, we reached at an early hour the 

 upper extremity of the " Grand Rapid," where the ice was so rough 

 that the carioles and sledges had to be conveyed across a point of land. 

 Soon after noon we left the river, inclining N.E., and directed our 

 course N.W., until we reached Long Lake, and encamped at its 

 northern extremity, having come twenty-three miles. This lake is 

 about fourteen miles long, and from three quarters to one mile and 

 a half broad; its shores and islands low, but well wooded. There 

 were frequent snow-showers during the day. 



February 23. — The night was very stormy, but the wind became 

 more moderate in the morning. We passed to-day through several 

 nameless lakes and swamps before we came to Train Lake, which 

 received its name from being the place where the traders procured 

 the birch to make the sledges, or traineaux; but this wood has 

 been all used, and there only remain pines and a few poplars. We 

 met some sledges laden with fish, kindly sent to meet us by Mr. 

 Clark, of the Hudson's Bay Company, directly he heard of our 

 approach. Towards the evening the weather became much more 

 unpleasant ; we were exposed to a piercingly cold wind, and much 

 snow-drift, in traversing Isle a la Crosse Lake; we were, therefore, 

 highly pleased at reaching the Hudson's Bay House by six P.M. We 

 were received in the most friendly manner by Mr. Clark, and 

 honoured by volleys of musketry on our arrival. Similar marks of 

 attention were shewn to us on the following day by Mr. Bethune, 

 the partner in charge of the North- West Company's fort. I found 

 here the letters which I had addressed to the partners of the North- 

 West Company, in the Athabasca, from Cumberland, in November 



