Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/94

 killed a badger, which be was taking home. These men were well-clothed, and supplied from Fort Chipewyan with everything necessary for this mode of life. The weather changed, and became clear and very cold. In many places we found the ice covered with water, which had overflowed from tributary creeks, and from open places in the river itself. The snow, too, was soft and deep; and our progress was much retarded by these circumstances. At dusk we encamped below the upper tar springs, among the huge pines and poplars, which are everywhere of a growth worthy of the noble stream whose banks they shelter and adorn.

It snowed as usual during the night, and the morning of the 29th was piercingly cold, a strong north wind sweeping up the exceedingly long reaches leading to Pierre au Calumet. Our dogs began to knock up one by one, and three were untackled all day. These lagged behind, unobserved, in the afternoon; and I had to send a man back to look for them. He met them just as our pertinacious followers, the wolves, were coming up; and saved the poor animals, who were in no condition to resist such powerful adversaries. In the plain districts many horses yearly fall a prey to their voracity.