OF THE POLAR SEA. 



315 



shewed themselves for the first time, and one swallow made 

 its appearance. We were the more gratified with these indica- 

 tions of summer, that St. Germain was enabled to commence 

 upon the repair of the canoes, and before night had completed the 

 two which had received the least injury. Augustus killed two 

 deer to-day. 



On the 10th the dip of the magnetic needle being observed, 

 shewed a decrease of 22' 44", since last autumn. The repairs of the 

 third canoe were finished this evening. 



The snow was now confined to the bases of the hills, and our 

 Indian hunter told us the season was early. The operations of 

 nature, however, seemed to us, very tardy. We were eager to 

 be gone, and dreaded the lapse of summer, before the Indians would 

 allow it had begun. 



On the 11th the geese and ducks had left the vicinity of Fort 

 Enterprise, and proceeded to the northward. Some young ravens 

 and whiskey-johns made their appearance at this time. 



On the 12th, Winter Kiver was nearly cleared of ice, and on 

 the 13th the men returned, having left Dr. Richardson on the 

 borders of Point Lake. Dr. Richardson informed me by letter 

 that the snow was deeper in many parts near his encampment than 

 it had been at any time last winter near Fort Enterprise, and that 

 the ice on Point Lake had scarcely begun to decay. Although the 

 voyagers were much fatigued on their arrival, and had eaten nothing 

 for the last twenty-four hours, they were very cheerful, and ex- 

 pressed a desire to start with the remainder of the stores next 

 morning. The Dog-rib woman, who had lingered about the house 

 since the 6th of June, took alarm at the approach of men, thinking, 

 perhaps, that they were accompanied by Indians, and ran off. She 

 was now provided with a hatchet, kettle, and fire steel, and would 

 probably go at once to Fort Providence, in the expectation of 

 meeting with some of her countrymen, before the end of summer. 



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