erably behind. Indeed my legs and
ankles were now so swelled that it was excessive pain to drag the
snowshoes after me. At night we halted on the banks of Stony River, when
I gave the men a glass of grog to commemorate the new year, and the next
day, January 2, we arrived at Fort Chipewyan, after a journey of ten days
and four hours--the shortest time in which the distance had been
performed at the same season. I found Messrs. G. Keith and S. McGillivray
in charge of the fort, who were not a little surprised to see me. The
commencement of the New Year is the rejoicing season of the Canadians
when they are generally intoxicated for some days. I postponed making any
demand till this time of festivity should cease; but on the same day I
went over to the Hudson's Bay fort and delivered Lieutenant Franklin's
letters to Mr. Simpson. If they were astonished on one side to see me,
the amazement was still greater on the other for reports were so far in
advance that we were said to have already fallen by the spears of the
Esquimaux.

January 3.

I made a demand from both parties for supplies such as ammunition,
gun-flints, axes, files, clothing, tobacco and spirits. I stated to them
our extreme necessity and that without their assistance the Expedition
must be arrested in its progress. The answer from the North-West
gentlemen was satisfactory enough; but on the Hudson's Bay side I was
told that any further assistance this season entirely depended on the
arrival of supplies expected in a few weeks from a distant establishment.
I remained at Fort Chipewyan five weeks during which time some laden
sledges did arrive, but I could not obtain any addition to the few
articles I had procured at first. A packet of letters for us from England
having arrived I made preparations for my return, but not before I had
requested both Companies to send next year from the depots a quantity of
goods for our use specified in lists furnished to them.

The weather during my abode at Chipewyan was generally mild with
occasional heavy storms, most of which were anticipated by the activity
of the Aurora Borealis; and this I observed had been the case between
Fort Providence and the Athabasca in December and January, though not
invariably so in other parts of the country. One of the partners of the
North-West Company related to me the following singular story: He was
travelling in a canoe in the English River and had landed near the Kettle
Fall when the