tracks of rein-deer 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 to-day
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.

Having walked twelve miles and a half, we encamped at seven P.M., and
distributed our last piece of pemmican, and a little arrow-root for
supper, which afforded but a scanty meal. This evening was warm, but
dark clouds overspread the sky. Our men now began to find their burdens
very oppressive, and were much fatigued by this day's march, but did not
complain. One of them was lame from an inflammation in the knee. Heavy
rain commenced at midnight, and continued without intermission until
five in the morning, when it was succeeded by snow on the wind changing
to north-west, which soon increased to a violent gale. As we had nothing
to eat, and were destitute of the means of making a fire, we remained in
our beds all the day; but the covering of our blankets was insufficient
to prevent us from feeling the severity of the frost, and suffering
inconvenience from the drifting of the snow into our tents. There was no
abatement of the storm next day; our tents were completely frozen, and
the snow had drifted around them to a depth of three feet, and even in
the inside there was a covering of several inches on our blankets. Our
suffering from cold, in a comfortless canvass tent in such weather, with
the temperature at 20 deg., and without fire, will easily be imagined; it
was, however, less than that which we felt from hunger.

The morning of the 7th cleared up a little, but the wind was still
strong, and the weather extremely cold. From the unusual continuance of
the storm, we feared the winter had set in with all its rigour, and that
by longer delay we should only be exposed to an accumulation of
difficulties; we therefore prepared for our journey, although we were in
a very unfit condition for starting, being weak from fasting, and ou