Having Ascertained From The Summit Of The Highest Hill Near The Tents
That The River Continued To Preserve A West
Course and, fearing that by
pursuing it farther we might lose much time and unnecessarily walk over a
great deal
Of ground, I determined on quitting its banks the next day and
making as directly as we could for Point Lake. We accordingly followed
the river on the 3rd only to the place where the musk-ox had been killed
last evening and, after the meat was procured, crossed the river in our
two canoes lashed together. We now emerged from the valley of the river
and entered a level but very barren country, varied only by small lakes
and marshes, the ground being covered with small stones. Many old tracks
of reindeer were seen in the clayey soil and some more recent traces of
the musk-ox. We encamped on the borders of Wright's River which flows to
the eastward, the direct distance walked today being ten miles and
three-quarters. The next morning was very fine and as the day advanced
the weather became quite warm. We set out at six A.M. and, having forded
the river, walked over a perfectly level country interspersed with small
lakes which communicated with each other by streams running in various
directions. No berry-bearing plants were found in this part, the surface
of the earth being thinly covered in the moister places with a few
grasses, and on the drier spots with lichens.
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