custom at the forts to give this sort
of coating to the walls at Christmas time. When it was gone we attempted
to remedy its defect by heaping up snow against the walls.

January 1, 1821.

This morning our men assembled and greeted us with the customary
salutation on the commencement of the new year. That they might enjoy a
holiday they had yesterday collected double the usual quantity of
firewood and we anxiously expected the return of the men from Fort
Providence with some additions to their comforts. We had stronger hope of
their arrival before the evening as we knew that every voyager uses his
utmost endeavour to reach a post upon or previous to the jour de l'an
that he may partake of the wonted festivities. It forms, as Christmas is
said to have done among our forefathers, the theme of their conversation
for months before and after the period of its arrival. On the present
occasion we could only treat them with a little flour and fat; these were
both considered as great luxuries but still the feast was defective from
the want of rum although we promised them a little when it should arrive.

The early part of January proved mild, the thermometer rose to 20 degrees
above zero, and we were surprised by the appearance of a kind of damp fog
approaching very nearly to rain. The Indians expressed their astonishment
at this circumstance and declared the present to be one of the warmest
winters they had ever experienced. Some of them reported that it had
actually rained in the woody parts of the country. In the latter part of
the month however the thermometer again descended to minus 49 degrees and
the mean temperature for the month proved to be minus 15.6 degrees. Owing
to the fogs that obscured the sky the Aurora Borealis was visible only
upon eighteen nights in the month.

On the 15th seven of our men arrived from Fort Providence with two kegs
of rum, one barrel of powder, sixty pounds of ball, two rolls of tobacco
and some clothing. They had been twenty-one days on their march from
Slave Lake and the labour they underwent was sufficiently evinced by
their sledge-collars having worn out the shoulders of their coats. Their
loads weighed from sixty to ninety pounds each, exclusive of their
bedding and provisions which at starting must have been at least as much
more. We were much rejoiced at their arrival and proceeded forthwith to
pierce the spirit cask and issue to each of the household the portion of
rum which had be