On the two following days we had mild but thick snowy weather and, as the
view was too limited to enable us to preserve a straight course, we
remained encamped amongst a few willows and dwarf pines about five miles
from the tent. We found a species of cornicularia, a kind of lichen that
was good to eat when moistened and toasted over the fire, and we had a
good many pieces of singed buffalo hide remaining.

On the 26th, the weather being clear and extremely cold, we resumed our
march which was very painful from the depth of the snow, particularly on
the margins of the small lakes that lay in our route. We frequently sunk
under the load of our blankets and were obliged to assist each other in
getting up. After walking about three miles and a half however we were
cheered by the sight of a large herd of reindeer and Hepburn went in
pursuit of them but, his hand being unsteady through weakness, he missed.
He was so exhausted by this fruitless attempt that we were obliged to
encamp upon the spot although it was a very unfavourable one.

Next day we had fine and clear but cold weather. We set out early and, in
crossing a hill, found a considerable quantity of tripe de roche. About
noon we fell upon Little Marten Lake, having walked about two miles. The
sight of a place that we knew inspired us with fresh vigour and, there
being comparatively little snow on the ice, we advanced at a pace to
which we had lately been unaccustomed. In the afternoon we crossed a
recent track of a wolverine which, from a parallel mark in the snow,
appeared to have been dragging something. Hepburn traced it and upon the
borders of the lake found the spine of a deer that it had dropped. It was
clean picked and at least one season old, but we extracted the spinal
marrow from it which, even in its frozen state, was so acrid as to
excoriate the lips. We encamped within sight of the Dog-Rib Rock and from
the coldness of the night and the want of fuel rested very ill.

On the 28th we rose at daybreak, but from the want of the small fire that
we usually made in the mornings to warm our fingers, a very long time was
spent in making up our bundles. This task fell to Hepburn's share as I
suffered so much from the cold as to be unable to take my hands out of my
mittens. We kept a straight course for the Dog-Rib Rock but, owing to the
depth of the snow in the valleys we had to cross, did not reach it until
late in the afternoon. We would have encamped but did