Page:Across the sub-Arctics of Canada (1897).djvu/248

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be picked up by the Company's teams on their return trip and taken to Churchill to replenish the larder. Our third camp was made in a strip of wood upon the bank of Salmon Creek, and to our Indians it will be memorable as being the place at which they had the "big feed," for it took three suppers to satisfy them that night. With my brother and myself the hours of darkness had ceased to bring repose. Our knees were so painful we did not sleep, but only turned restlessly from side to side until the return of dawn. Happily for us all the weather had continued to be fair, with no extreme cold since the commencement of the journey, which was particularly fortunate on account of poor Michel, who would doubtless have suffered had he been obliged to ride upon a sled all day during severe weather. As it was, we were able to keep him fairly comfortable, bundled up in deer-skin robes and blankets.

On the fourth day, meeting with no deer, we made about twenty-seven miles, a good march under the circumstances. This brought us to the banks of Owl River, a stream two or three hundred yards in width, situated in a straight line about midway between York and Churchill.

At dawn the next morning we were again marching southward, with the expectation of that day reaching Stony River, where William Westasecot, a brother of the guide, was encamped, and where our parties were to separate.

Three more deer were shot during the day, making a total of twelve for the trip, most of them victims of the Indian guide. About four o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at Stony River, but there was no Indian camp