noting the time and guessing the rate of our
march. Of this, which was in general a little more than two miles an
hour, previous practice had enabled us to judge so correctly, that the
estimate seldom erred more than a mile a day. The error, whatever it
was, was always corrected at noon, when the latitude was observed, and
the course and distance were then calculated anew.

During the day several small herds of rein-deer were seen, but I would
not permit any one to leave the line of march to go in pursuit of them;
after encamping, however, M'Leay killed a fine buck. A solitary stunted
spruce-fir grew near our encampment, and the most northerly clump on the
river was seen about two miles to the southward. When supper was over
and a watch set, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and soon sunk
into sound sleep. The temperature at sunset was 62 degrees.

[Sidenote: Friday, 11th.] Setting out on the 11th, at six in the
morning, we halted to breakfast at nine, and Mr. Kendall took an
observation at noon, in latitude 67 degrees 33 minutes N. We encamped at
half past five P.M. amongst some small pines. The day was fine, and a
fresh easterly wind rendered it agreeable for walking; but the men were
much annoyed by their burdens, and appeared jaded when we halted for the
night. Their loads could not have exceeded fifty-two pounds each, but
the frequent ascent and descent in crossing the small hills that lay in
our way, and the occasional sponginess of the ground, and insecurity of
footing, rendered marching much more laborious than it would have been
on a hard English highway. The direct distance travelled this day was
about twelve miles. We saw many gray Arctic marmots (_Arctomys Parryi_,)
sporting near their burrows, and a little terrier dog, which had been
our fellow voyager from England, showed much dexterity in cutting off
their retreat, and succeeded in catching several of them. The dog's long
confinement in the boat rendered the exercise he now took very
fatiguing, and when we halted for the night he was the most tired of the
party. Many young rein-deer were also seen, and after we encamped
Ooligbuck killed one. The temperature in the evening was 50 degrees, but
the night was cold.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 12th.] Our march on the 12th was rendered pleasant
by a cool northerly breeze, and the men being now familiar with their
loads, which had also suffered some diminution by the preceding
evening's repast, we made a more r