Resuming 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 reindeer; 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, intending 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 degrees. 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 degrees 57 minutes 7 seconds was observed.
The small streams that we had hitherto crossed run uniformly to the
southward.
At the end of sixteen miles and a half we encamped amongst a few dwarf
pines and were much rejoiced at having a good fire as the night was very
stormy and cold. The thermometer fluctuated this day between 31 and 35
degrees. Though the following morning was foggy and rainy we were not
sorry to quit the cold and uncomfortable beds of rock upon which we had
slept and commence our journey at an early hour. After walking about
three miles we passed over a steep sandy ridge and found the course of
the rivulets running towards the north and north-west. Our progress was
slow in the early part of the morning and we were detained for two hours
on the summit of a hill exposed to a very cold wind whilst our guide went
in an unsuccessful pursuit of some reindeer. After walking a few miles
farther the fog cleared away and Keskarrah pointed out the Copper-Mine
River at a distance and we pushed towards it with all the speed we could
put forth.
