ter 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 to-day 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 deg..

We started at six on the 9th, and at the end of two miles regained our
hunters, who were halting on the borders of a lake amidst a clump of
stunted willows. This lake stretched to the westward as far as we could
see, and its waters were discharged by a rapid stream one hundred and
fifty yards wide. Being entirely ignorant where we might be led by
pursuing the course of the lake, and dreading the idea of going a mile
unnecessarily out of the way, we determined on crossing the river if
possible; and the canoe was gummed for the purpose, the willows
furnishing us with fire. But we had to await the return of Junius before
we could make the traverse. In the mean time we gathered a little _tripe
de roche_, and breakfasted upon it and a few partridges that were killed
in the morning. St. Germain and Adam were sent upon some recent tracks
of deer. Junius arrived in the afternoon and informed us that he had
seen a large herd of musk-oxen on the banks of Cracroft's River, and had
wounded one of them, but it escaped. He brought about four pounds of
meat, the remains of a deer that had been devoured by the wolves. The
poor fellow was much fatigued, having walked throughout the night, but
as the weather was particularly favourable for our crossing the river,
we could not allow him to rest. After he had taken some refreshment we
proceeded to the river. The canoe being put into the water was found
extremely ticklish, but it was managed with much dexterity by St.
Germain, Adam, and Peltier, who fer