Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/69

 with the sextant, while taking the usual observations. I afterwards adopted the precaution of using very thin shamoy gloves, and have often taken observations at still lower temperatures without injury.

We resumed our march at 4 o'clock the following morning. The moon, now near the full, shone coldly bright, and, as she sunk towards the west, threw long shadows on the snow, causing every bush and tree to assume strange and startling shapes. After proceeding fourteen miles, we were glad to halt in a thicket, for breakfast, soon after sunrise. Having completed this cheering operation, we with better heart gave our faces to the cold, which a westerly wind rendered doubly piercing. A fine pointer, though defended from the searching cold by a warm cloth coat and shoes to match, lay down and refused to stir till I drove him before me with the whip. Our route led due west, leaving the Assiniboine far to the north; and traversing a hillocky country, tolerably wooded, and abounding in small lakes and swamps, we saw numerous tracks of lynxes and wolves in pursuit of hares ; and found suspended on the trees, by the natives, several splendid antlers of the stag. Quitting the horse-track, we encamped at the foot of the Nut Hills.