s remarkable for the largeness of
the dorsal fin and the beauty of its colours.

_August 14_.--Having crossed the Hunter's Portage, we entered the Lake
of the same name, in latitude 64 deg. 6' 47" N., longitude 113 deg. 25' 00" W;
but soon quitted it by desire of the Indian guide, and diverged more to
the eastward that we might get into the line upon which our hunters had
gone. This was the only consideration that could have induced us to
remove to a chain of small lakes connected by long portages. We crossed
three of these, and then were obliged to encamp to rest the men. The
country is bare of wood except a few dwarf birch bushes, which grow near
the borders of the lakes, and here and there a few stunted pines; and
our fuel principally consisted of the roots of decayed pines, which we
had some difficulty to collect in sufficient quantity for cooking. When
this material is wanting, the rein-deer lichen and other mosses that
grow in profusion on the gravelly acclivities of the hills are used as
substitutes. Three more of the hunters arrived with meat this evening,
which supply came very opportunely as our nets were unproductive. At
eight P.M., a faint Aurora Borealis appeared to the southward, the night
was cold, the wind strong from N.W.

We were detained some time in the following morning before the
fishing-nets, which had sunk in the night, could be recovered.

After starting we first crossed the Orkney Lake, then a portage which
brought us to Sandy Lake, and here we missed one of our barrels of
powder, which the steersman of the canoe then recollected had been left
the day before. He and two other men were sent back to search for it, in
the small canoe. The rest of the party proceeded to the portage on the
north side of the Grizzle-Bear Lake, where the hunters had made a
deposit of meat, and there encamped to await their return, which
happened at nine P.M., with the powder. We perceived from the direction
of this lake, that considerable labour would have been spared if we had
continued our course yesterday instead of striking off at the guide's
suggestion, as the bottom of this lake cannot be far separated from
either Hunter's Lake or the one to the westward of it. The chief and all
the Indians went off to hunt, accompanied by Pierre St. Germain, the
interpreter. They returned at night, bringing some meat, and reported
that they had put the carcases of several rein-deer _en cache_. These
were sent for early next m