Icicles, the transparency of
which was beautifully contrasted by the flakes of snow and the dark green
branches of the overhanging pine.
Beauparlant complained bitterly of the cold whilst among the rapids but
no sooner had he reached the upper part of the river than he found the
change of the temperature so great that he vented his indignation against
the heat. "Mais c'est terrible," said he, to be frozen and sunburnt in
the same day. The poor fellow, who had been a long time in the country,
regarded it as the most severe punishment that could have been inflicted
on him and would willingly have given a part of his wages rather than
this disgrace had happened; for there is a pride amongst old Voyagers
which makes them consider the state of being frost-bitten as effeminate
and only excusable in a Pork-eater or one newly come into the country. I
was greatly fatigued and suffered acute pains in the knees and legs, both
of which were much swollen when we halted a little above the Dog River.
December 30 and 31.
Our journey these days was by far the most annoying we had yet
experienced but, independent of the vast masses of ice that were piled on
one another, as well as the numerous open places about the rapids (and
they did not a little impede us) there was a strong gale from the
north-west and so dreadfully keen that our time was occupied in rubbing
the frozen parts of the face and in attempting to warm the hands in order
to be prepared for the next operation. Scarcely was one place cured by
constant friction than another was frozen; and though there was nothing
pleasant about it yet it was laughable enough to observe the dexterity
which was used in changing the position of the hand from the face to the
mitten and vice versa. One of the men was severely affected, the whole
side of his face being nearly raw. Towards sunset I suffered so much in
my knee and ankle from a recent sprain that it was with difficulty I
could proceed with snowshoes to the encampment on the Stony Islands. But
in this point I was not singular for Beauparlant was almost as bad and
without the same cause.
January 1, 1821.
We set out with a quick step, the wind still blowing fresh from the
north-west, which seemed in some measure to invigorate the dogs; for
towards sunset they left me considerably behind. Indeed my legs and
ankles were now so swelled that it was excessive pain to drag the
snowshoes after me. At night we halted on the banks of Stony River, when
I gave the men a glass of grog to commemorate the new year, and the next
day, January 2, we arrived at Fort Chipewyan, after a journey of ten days
and four hours - the shortest time in which the distance had been
performed at the same season.
