Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/427

Rh fire, by which process we relieved them of at least a ton of ice. The baggage was at the same time dried, and various articles left behind, to lighten the boats as much as possible; since the very early and rigorous commencement of the winter threatened serious obstructions on the voyage to Fort Simpson, still before us. Mr. M'Beath had been unusually successful with his garden, and treated us to some tolerable potatoes, the first vegetables we had tasted for more than two years.

After three days' tracking the weather resumed all its severity, accompanied, fortunately for us, by violent northerly winds, which, while they shattered and dispersed the rapidly forming ice, enabled us to stem the current under close-reefed sails. The boats once more became uncouth masses of ice, and nearly all our people suffered from acute pains and swellings in the limbs, caused by the excessive cold. We saw a good many Indians, who supplied us with some fresh moose meat, of which they appeared to have an ample store.

At noon of the 14th, after forcing bur way, at no small risk, through the torrent of ice poured out by the River of the Mountains, we reached Fort Simpson, to the surprise and joy of our