o of the Canadians were immediately sent off with letters to
the gentlemen at Fort Chipewyan. After breakfast we also started but our
Indian friend, having a great indisposition to move in such weather,
remained by the fire. We soon quitted the river and, after crossing a
portage, a small lake and a point of land, came to the borders of the
Mammawee Lake. We then found our error as to the strength of the wind,
and that the gale still blew violently and there was so much drifting of
the snow as to cover the distant objects by which our course could be
directed. We fortunately got a glimpse through this cloud of a cluster of
islands in the direction of the houses, and decided on walking towards
them; but in doing this we suffered very much from the cold and were
obliged to halt under the shelter of them and await the arrival of our
Indian guide. He conducted us between these islands, over a small lake,
and by a swampy river into the Athabasca Lake, from whence the
establishments were visible. At four P.M. we had the pleasure of arriving
at Fort Chipewyan and of being received by Messrs. Keith and Black, the
partners of the North-West Company in charge, in the most kind and
hospitable manner. Thus terminated a winter's journey of eight hundred
and fifty-seven miles, in the progress of which there was a great
intermixture of agreeable and disagreeable circumstances. Could the
amount of each be balanced I suspect the latter would much preponderate;
and amongst these the initiation into walking in snowshoes must be
considered as prominent. The suffering it occasions can be but faintly
imagined by a person who thinks upon the inconvenience of marching with a
weight of between two and three pounds constantly attached to galled feet
and swelled ankles. Perseverance and practice only will enable the novice
to surmount this pain.

The next evil is the being constantly exposed to witness the wanton and
unnecessary cruelty of the men to their dogs, especially those of the
Canadians who beat them unmercifully and habitually vent on them the most
dreadful and disgusting imprecations. There are other inconveniences
which, though keenly felt during the day's journey, are speedily
forgotten when stretched out in the encampment before a large fire, you
enjoy the social mirth of your companions who usually pass the evening in
recounting their former feats in travelling. At this time the Canadians
are always cheerful and merry and the only b