Page:Across the sub-Arctics of Canada (1897).djvu/110

 with a spirit lamp we made hot tea and appeased our sharp appetites with some remnants of boiled venison. For three days the storm continued. On the fourth it turned to snow and the temperature went down to freezing—rather inhospitable weather for the 10th of August.

Next morning, the gale having sufficiently subsided, camp was called about four o'clock, and we continued on our way through the channel we had entered, and along the west shore of the lake in open water until 8 a.m., when we again found ourselves hemmed in by heavy floating ice, which in several places was measured and found to be seven feet in thickness. To advance here in the canoes was impossible, so a favorable spot for landing was selected, at the base of the point where the ice was hard ashore.

Just as we were landing, a small band of deer was seen feeding on a grassy plain not far away, and as our supply of fresh venison was nearly gone, we made plans for a hunt. It was arranged that my brother and I should take up our positions in concealment on a low neck of land between the shore and a small lake, and that the men should so place themselves as to drive the band within range of us. We managed to reach our vantage ground unobserved, but one of the canoemen in attempting to carry out his instructions awkwardly exposed himself and alarmed the deer, causing them to speedily scatter. Some of them, however, bounded past within range of our rifles, and three were brought down, which were sufficient to replenish the larder.

Not far from the landing place was a high hill, so providing ourselves with field-glasses we set out for its