218 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



disobedient and intractable if they once gain any ascendency over 

 him. I must admit, however, that the present hardships of our 

 companions were of a kind which few could support without mur- 

 muring, and no one could witness without feeling a sincere pity for 

 their sufferings. 



After this discussion we went forward until sun-set. In the course 

 of the day we crossed seven lakes and as many portages. Just as we 

 had encamped we were delighted to see four of the hunters arrive, 

 with the flesh of two rein-deer. This seasonable supply, though only 

 sufficient for this evening's and the next day's consumption, instantly 

 revived the spirits of our companions, and they immediately forgot all 

 their cares. As we did not, after this period, experience any defici- 

 ency of food during this journey, they worked extremely well, and 

 never again reflected upon us as they had done before, for rashly 

 bringing them into an inhospitable country, where the means of 

 subsistence could not be procured. 



Several blue fish, resembling the grayling, were caught in a stream 

 which flows out of Hunter's Lake. It is remarkable for the largeness 

 of the dorsal fin and the beauty of its colours. 



August 14. — Having crossed the Hunter's Portage we entered the 

 lake of the same name in latitude 64° 6' 4?" N. longitude, 113° °25' 00" 

 W., but soon quitted it by desire of the Indian guide, and diverged 

 more to the eastward that we might get into the line upon which 

 our hunters had gone. This was the only consideration that could 

 have induced us to remove to a chain of small lakes connected 

 by long portages. We crossed three of these, and then were obliged 

 to encamp to rest the men. The country is bare of wood except a 

 few dwarf birch bushes, which grow near the borders of the lakes, 

 and here and there a few stunted pines ; and our fuel principally 

 consisted of the roots of decayed pines, which we had some difficulty 

 to collect in sufficient quantity for cooking. When this material is 

 wanting, the rein-deer lichen and other mosses that grow in profusion 



