which lay in our route, we were stopped by a narrow stream
about six feet deep, flowing from them towards the Coppermine River;
but, on sounding the lake a little way from the head of the stream, we
found that it was fordable without difficulty. We marched to a late hour
in search of fuel to cook some deer's meat, which M'Leay had procured in
the course of the day, and were fortunate in at length finding a wooded
valley on the banks of a small stream, that fell into the chain of lakes
which we had crossed. It is probably this river, and chain of lakes,
that the Indians ascend from the Coppermine River in canoes to the
height of land which they cross on their route to Bear Lake.[13] The
ridges of hill over which we marched on this day consisted of spotted
sandstone and porphyry. The temperature in the evening was 47 degrees,
and the night was frosty. Two white wolves took a survey of our
bivouack, but did not venture within gun-shot.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 15th.] Starting on the 15th at five o'clock, we
marched until eight, when we halted to breakfast. The air felt very
cold, although the thermometer was not below 39 degrees. In the early
part of the day we crossed some ridges of sandstone, and towards noon we
travelled over granite, similar to that which abounds in the
neighbourhood of Fort Enterprize. Much wood was seen in a valley far to
the westward, but the hills over which our course lay were quite naked.
The bog whortleberry (_vaccinium uliginosum_,) however, grew abundantly
on these hills, and as its fruit was now in the highest perfection, the
men at every resting-place threw themselves down, and indulged freely,
without sustaining any injury.

In the afternoon our route was over nearly horizontal strata of spotted
sandstone and conglomerate. About three o'clock we had gained the summit
of the height of land separating the Coppermine River from Great Bear
Lake, and obtained from it an extensive view of a lower and well wooded
country; but all the grounds in our immediate neighbourhood consisted of
barren sandstone strata. After looking in vain for a comfortable
sleeping-place, as the night threatened to be stormy, and a moist and
cold fog was setting in, we were obliged to content ourselves with
building a rude shelter with blocks of sandstone; and to use for firing
a black lichen (_cornicularia divergens_,) which, fortunately, grew
plentifully in the crevices of the rock. The distance walked this day
was about