at the ankles round the upper part of his moccasins or Indian
shoes to prevent the snow from getting into them. Over these he wears a
blanket or leathern coat which is secured by a belt round his waist to
which his fire-bag, knife, and hatchet are suspended.

Mr. Back and I were accompanied by the seaman John Hepburn; we were
provided with two carioles and two sledges, their drivers and dogs being
furnished in equal proportions by the two Companies. Fifteen days'
provision so completely filled the sledges that it was with difficulty we
found room for a small sextant, one suit of clothes, and three changes of
linen, together with our bedding. Notwithstanding we thus restricted
ourselves and even loaded the carioles with part of the luggage instead
of embarking in them ourselves we did not set out without considerable
grumbling from the voyagers of both Companies respecting the overlading
of their dogs. However we left the matter to be settled by our friends at
the fort who were more conversant with winter travelling than ourselves.
Indeed the loads appeared to us so great that we should have been
inclined to listen to the complaints of the drivers. The weight usually
placed upon a sledge drawn by three dogs cannot at the commencement of a
journey be estimated at less than three hundred pounds, which however
suffers a daily diminution from the consumption of provisions. The sledge
itself weighs about thirty pounds. When the snow is hard frozen or the
track well trodden the rate of travelling is about two miles and a half
an hour, including rests, or about fifteen miles a day. If the snow be
loose the speed is necessarily much less and the fatigue greater.

At eight in the morning of the 18th we quitted the fort and took leave of
our hospitable friend Governor Williams whose kindness and attention I
shall ever remember with gratitude. Dr. Richardson, Mr. Hood, and Mr.
Connolly accompanied us along the Saskatchewan until the snow became too
deep for their walking without snowshoes. We then parted from our
associates with sincere regret at the prospect of a long separation.
Being accompanied by Mr. Mackenzie of the Hudson's Bay Company who was
going to Isle a la Crosse with four sledges under his charge we formed
quite a procession, keeping in an Indian file on the track of the man who
preceded the foremost dogs; but as the snow was deep we proceeded slowly
on the surface of the river, which is about three hundred and fifty