After enjoying a more comfortable night's rest than we had expected we
set off at daybreak, the thermometer then standing at 18 degrees. The
ground was covered with snow, the small lakes were frozen, and the whole
scene had a wintry appearance. We got on but slowly at first owing to an
old sprained ankle which had been very troublesome to me for the last
three days and was this morning excessively painful. In fording a rivulet
however the application of cold water gave me immediate relief and I
walked with ease the remainder of the day. In the afternoon we rejoined
our track outwards and came to the place where Keskarrah had made his
deposit of provision, which proved a very acceptable supply as our stock
was exhausted. We then crossed some sandhills and encamped amidst a few
small pines, having walked thirteen miles.
The comfort of a good fire made us soon insensible to the fatigue we had
experienced through the day in marching over the rugged stones whose
surface was rendered slippery by the frost. The thermometer at seven P.M.
stood at 27 degrees.
RETURN TO THE WINTER QUARTERS OF FORT ENTERPRISE.
We set off at sunrise next morning and our provision being expended
pushed on as fast as we could to Fort Enterprise where we arrived at
eight P.M., almost exhausted by a harassing day's march of twenty-two
miles. A substantial supper of reindeer steaks soon restored our vigour.
We had the happiness of meeting our friends Mr. Back and Mr. Hood who had
returned from their excursion on the day succeeding that on which we set
out; and I received from them the following account of their journey.
They proceeded up the Winter River to the north end of the Little Marten
Lake and then the guide, being unacquainted with the route by water to
the Copper-Mine River, proposed that the canoe should be left. Upon this
they ascended the loftiest hill in the neighbourhood to examine whether
they could discover any large lakes or water communication in the
direction where the guide described the river to be. They only saw a
small rivulet which was too shallow for the canoe and also wide of the
course and, as they perceived the crew would have to carry it over a
rugged hilly track, they judiciously decided on leaving it and proceeding
forward on foot. Having deposited the canoe among a few dwarf birch
bushes they commenced their march, carrying their tents, blankets,
cooking utensils, and a part of the dried meat. St. Germain however had
previously delineated with charcoal a man and a house on a piece of bark
which he placed over the canoe and the few things that were left to point
out to the Dog-Ribs that they belonged to white people.
