e hilly country where the ground was
strewed with large stones. The surface of these was covered with lichens
of the genus gyrophora which the Canadians term tripe de roche. A
considerable quantity was gathered and with half a partridge each (which
we shot in the course of the day) furnished a slender supper which we
cooked with a few willows dug up from beneath the snow. We passed a
comfortless night in our damp clothes but took the precaution of sleeping
upon our socks and shoes to prevent them from freezing. This plan was
afterwards adopted throughout the journey.

At half-past five in the morning we proceeded and after walking about two
miles came to Cracroft's River, flowing to the westward with a very rapid
current over a rocky channel. We had much difficulty in crossing this,
the canoe being useless, not only from the bottom of the channel being
obstructed by large stones, but also from its requiring gumming, an
operation which, owing to the want of wood and the frost, we were unable
to perform. However after following the course of the river some distance
we effected a passage by means of a range of large rocks that crossed a
rapid. As the current was strong and many of the rocks were covered with
water to the depth of two or three feet, the men were exposed to much
danger in carrying their heavy burdens across, and several of them
actually slipped into the stream but were immediately rescued by the
others. Junius went farther up the river in search of a better
crossing-place and did not rejoin us this day. As several of the party
were drenched from head to foot and we were all wet to the middle, our
clothes became stiff with the frost and we walked with much pain for the
remainder of the day. The march was continued to a late hour from our
anxiety to rejoin the hunters who had gone before, but we were obliged to
encamp at the end of ten miles and a quarter without seeing them. Our
only meal today consisted of a partridge each (which the hunters shot)
mixed with tripe de roche. This repast, although scanty for men with
appetites such as our daily fatigue created, proved a cheerful one and
was received with thankfulness. Most of the men had to sleep in the open
air in consequence of the absence of Credit who carried their tent, but
we fortunately found an unusual quantity of roots to make a fire, which
prevented their suffering much from the cold though the thermometer was
at 17 degrees.

We started at six on th