“Wednesday, the 24th.—­Decamped at seven, A.M.  Our route lay through swamps and small lakes, with strips of wood intervening.  Martens appear to be numerous, but beavers must be extremely rare, for we have discovered no traces whatever of their existence anywhere along our route, though innumerable small lakes and rivers, such as beavers frequent, are to be met with in every direction; but the country produces no food for them.  At ten A.M. we arrived at a considerable lake, where my guides told me we had reached the highest land.  On asking them if this were the lake where we intended to build, they pointed to the south-west, saying it was four days’ journey off in that direction!—­so far had I been led from the route I intended to have followed, notwithstanding the perfect understanding I had with my perfidious guides prior to our departure from the establishment.  Encamped at three, P.M.  Twelve miles.

“Thursday, the 25th.—­Immediately on leaving our encampment, we fell on a large river flowing to the north-east, which I took to be George’s River.  We followed it for a short distance, and then directed our course over bare hills.  Encamped at three, P.M.  Eleven miles.

“Friday, the 26th.—­Having passed the night in a clump of small pines, which sheltered us from the inclemency of the weather, we were not aware of the violence of the storm which was raging round us, until, pursuing our route over a ridge of bare hills, we were completely exposed to its fury.  We found the cold intense, the wind blowing in our faces, so that it was impossible to proceed.  Observing a hummock of wood close to us, we shaped our course for it, where we were no sooner arrived, than it began to snow and drift.  The few trees to which we had retreated being far apart, and the wind blowing with the utmost violence, we experienced the greatest difficulty in clearing an encampment.  The storm continuing unabated, we passed a miserable day in our snow burrow.  Two miles.

“Saturday, the 27th.—­Arose from our comfortless couche at half-past four.  The snow having drifted over us, and being melted by the heat of the fire in the early part of the night, we found our blankets and capotes hard frozen in the morning.  Thawing and drying them occupied us till nine A.M., when we set off.  Snow very deep.  Proceeded nine miles.

“Sunday, the 28th.—­Set off at seven, A.M.  Snow still increasing in depth, and our progress decreasing in proportion.  At one, P.M., we came upon a large river flowing to the north, on which we travelled a short distance; then followed the course of a small stream running in an easterly direction.  Leaving this stream, our route lay over marshes and small lakes; the country flat, yielding dwarf pine intermixed with larch.  Encamped at half-past four; advanced eight miles.

“Monday, the 29th.—­Started at seven.  Appearance of the country much the same as yesterday.  Fifteen miles.