Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/255

Rh enormous drift-banks lay in the hollows of the moantains.

Ritch was sent in quest of wood for new oars, and for planks to repair the sea-boats; but, after a search resumed several days in different directions, he found only a few pieces fit for the former purpose, none for the latter. I subsequently fell in with some straight tall trees on the south branch of Dease River. The wood around Fort Confidence is stunted, knotty, and twisted into all manner of shapes—the deformed growth of frozen ages. From the eastern side of M'Tavish Bay, a distance of seventy miles, a quantity of dwarf birch was procured, for additional boat-timbers, snow-shoe frames, and axe handles.

March was scarcely less severe than February, the mean temperature of the whole month being 20° below zero.

On the 11th, at 5 A.M., occurred the greatest degree of cold registered during the winter. A spirit thermometer by Dollond (which shewed the highest temperature of any at the place, and was that always employed,) stood at 60° below zero; and another, of older date, brought from Fort Chipewyan, at —66° This intense cold was accompanied by a fresh westerly breeze, which several of our people had to face that Q