232 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



we carried induced us to sleep without undressing. Old Keskarrah 

 followed a different plan ; he stripped himself to the skin, and having 

 toasted his body for a short time over the embers of the fire, he 

 crept under his deer-skin and rags, previously spread out as smoothly 

 as possible, and coiling himself up in a circular form, fell asleep in- 

 stantly. This custom of undressing to the skin even when lying in 

 the open air is common to all the Indian tribes. The thermometer 

 at sun-set stood at 29°. 



Eesuming our journey next morning we pursued a northerly 

 course, but had to make a considerable circuit round the western 

 ends of two lakes whose eastern extremities were hidden from our 

 view. The march was very uncomfortable as the wind was cold, and 

 there was a constant fall of snow until noon ; our guide too persisted 

 in taking us over the summit of every hill that lay in the route, so 

 that we had the full benefit of the breeze. 



We forded two streams in the afternoon flowing between small 

 lakes, and being wet, did not much relish having to halt, whilst 

 Keskarrah pursued a herd of rein-deer ; but there was no alternative? 

 as he set off and followed them without consulting our wishes. The 

 old man loaded himself with the skin, and some meat of the animal 

 he killed in addition to his former burden ; but after walking two 

 miles, finding his charge too heavy for his strength, he spread the 

 skin on the rock, and deposited the meat under some stones, intend- 

 ing to pick them up on our return. 



We put up at sunset on the borders of a large lake, having come 

 twelve miles. A few dwarf birches afforded us but a scanty fire, yet 

 being sheltered from the wind by a sandy bank, we passed the night 

 comfortably, though the temperature was 30°. A number of geese 

 passed over us to the southward. We set off early next morning, 

 and marched at a tolerably quick pace. The atmosphere was quite 

 foggy, and our view was limited to a short distance. At noon, 

 the sun shone forth for a few minutes, and the latitude 64° 57' 7" 



