exertions may be best estimated by the perusal of the following
narrative.

"On quitting Fort Enterprise, with Mr. Wentzel and two Canadians,
accompanied by two hunters and their wives, our route lay across the
barren hills. We saw, during the day, a number of deer, and,
occasionally, a solitary white wolf; and in the evening halted near a
small knot of pines. Owing to the slow progress made by the wives of the
hunters, we only travelled the first day a distance of seven miles and a
half. During the night we had a glimpse of the fantastic beauties of the
Aurora Borealis, and were somewhat annoyed by the wolves, whose nightly
howling interrupted our repose. Early the next morning we continued our
march, sometimes crossing small lakes (which were just frozen enough to
bear us,) and at other times going large circuits, in order to avoid
those which were open. The walking was extremely bad throughout the day;
for independent of the general unevenness of the ground, and the
numberless large stones which lay scattered in every direction, the
unusual warmth of the weather had dissolved the snow, which not only
kept us constantly wet, but deprived us of a firm footing, so that the
men, with their heavy burdens, were in momentary apprehension of
falling. In the afternoon a fine herd of deer was descried, and the
Indians, who are always anxious for the chase, and can hardly be
restrained from pursuing every animal they see, set out immediately. It
was late when they returned, having had good success, and bringing with
them five tongues, and the shoulder of a deer. We made about twelve
miles this day. The night was fine, and the Aurora Borealis so vivid,
that we imagined, more than once, that we heard a rustling noise like
that of autumnal leaves stirred by the wind; but after two hours of
attentive listening, we were not entirely convinced of the fact. The
coruscations were not so bright, nor the transition from one shape and
colour to another so rapid, as they sometimes are; otherwise, I have no
doubt, from the midnight silence which prevailed, that we should have
ascertained this yet undecided point.

"The morning of the 20th was so extremely hazy that we could not see ten
yards before us; it was, therefore, late when we started, and during our
journey the hunters complained of the weather, and feared they should
lose the track of our route. Towards the evening it became so thick that
we could not proceed; consequently, we hal