and a few instruments, composed their lading. Mr. Back, who had
charge of the party, was directed to proceed to the river and, if when he
arrived at its banks the weather should continue to be mild and the
temperature of the water was not lower than 40 degrees, he might embark
and descend the stream for a few days to gain some knowledge of its
course, but he was not to go so far as to risk his being able to return
to this place in a fortnight with the canoe. But if the weather should be
severe and the temperature of the water below 40 degrees he was not to
embark but return immediately and endeavour to ascertain the best track
for our goods to be conveyed thither next spring.

We had seen that the water decreases rapidly in temperature at this
season and I feared that if he embarked to descend the river when it was
below 40 degrees the canoe might be frozen in and the crew have to walk
back in very severe weather.

As soon as the canoe had started Akaitcho and the Indians took their
departure also, except two of the hunters who stayed behind to kill deer
in our neighbourhood, and old Keskarrah and his family who remained as
our guests.

The fishing-nets were this day transferred from the river in which they
had been set since our arrival to Winter Lake, whither the fish had
removed, and the fishermen built a log-hut on its borders to reside in
that they might attend more closely to their occupation.

The month of September commenced with very disagreeable weather. The
temperature of the atmosphere ranged between 39 and 31 degrees during the
first three days, and that of the water in the river decreased from 49 to
44 degrees. Several reindeer and a large flight of white geese passed to
the southward. These circumstances led us to fear for the comfort, if not
for the safety, of our absent friends. On the 4th of September we
commenced building our dwelling-house, having cut sufficient wood for the
frame of it.

In the afternoon of September the 6th we removed our tent to the summit
of a hill about three miles distant for the better observing the eclipse,
which was calculated to occur on the next morning. We were prevented
however from witnessing it by a heavy snow-storm, and the only
observation we could then make was to examine whether the temperature of
the atmosphere altered during the eclipse, but we found that both the
mercurial and spirit thermometers remained steadily at 30 degrees for a
quarter of an hour prev