etermined{12} to proceed to the Athabasca Lake, and ascertain
the inclinations of the gentlemen there. With this view I communicated
my intentions to both parties; but could only get dogs enough from the
North-West Company to carry the necessary provisions for the journey.
Indeed Mr. Smith informed me plainly he was of opinion that nothing
could be spared at Fort Chipewyan; that goods had never been transported
so long a journey in the winter season, and that the same dogs could not
possibly go and return; besides, it was very doubtful if I could be
provided with dogs there; and finally, that the distance was great, and
would take sixteen days to perform it. He added that the provisions
would be mouldy and bad, and that from having to walk constantly on
snow-shoes, I should suffer a great deal of misery and fatigue.
Notwithstanding these assertions, on the 23d of December I left the
Fort, with Beauparlant and a Bois-brule, each having a sledge drawn by
dogs, laden with pemmican. We crossed an arm of the lake, and entered
the Little Buffalo River, which is connected with the Salt River, and is
about fifty yards wide at its junction with the lake--the water is
brackish. This route is usually taken in the winter, as it cuts off a
large angle in going to the Great Slave River. In the afternoon we
passed two empty fishing-huts, and in the evening encamped amongst some
high pines on the banks of the river, having had several snow-showers
during the day, which considerably{13} impeded the dogs, so that we had
not proceeded more than fifteen miles.

"_December 24_ and _25_.--We continued along the river, frequently
making small portages to avoid going round the points, and passed some
small canoes, which the Indians had left for the winter. The snow was so
deep that the dogs were obliged to stop every ten minutes to rest; and
the cold so excessive, that both the men were badly frozen on both sides
of the face and chin. At length, having come to a long meadow, which the
dogs could not cross that night, we halted in an adjoining wood, and
were presently joined by a Canadian, who was on his return to the fort,
and who treated us with some fresh meat in exchange for pemmican. During
the latter part of the day we had seen numerous tracks of the moose,
buffalo, and marten.

"_December 26_.--The weather was so cold that we were compelled to run
to prevent ourselves from freezing; our route lay across some large
meadows which appeared