Tuesday, July 21st.—­Minimum temp. 36 degrees.  Trapped bad three-quarter mile.  George and I scouted ahead 6 miles.  Climbed hills 600 feet high.  Caribou and bear tracks.  Crossed two or three creeks.  Found old trail and wigwam poles and wood.  George says winter camp from size of wood; can’t follow it.  Tracked quarter mile more, and started on long portage.  Went half mile and camped.  Flies bad; gets cold after dark, then no flies.  Stars, fir tops, crisp air, camp fire, sound of river, hopeful hearts.  Nasty hard work, but this pays for it.

Wednesday, July 22nd.—­Minimum temp. 33 degrees, 60 degrees in tent at 6 A.M.  Torture.  All work to cross 2 1/2 mile portage.  Sun awful.  Flies hellish.  All too tired to eat at noon.  Cold tea and cold erbswurst.  Cached 80 rounds 45-70 cartridges, 300-22s. too heavy.  Too tired at last to mind flies.  Rested hour under tent front, all of us.  Diarrhoea got me—­too much water drinking yesterday I guess.  Shot partridge, first seen on trip.  Jumped up on log before me, waited for me to drop pack and load pistol.  Camp on partridge point.  Bird seasoned a pot of erbswurst.  Dreamed about home as I worked and rested.

Thursday, July 23rd.—­George and Wallace scouted for trails and lakes.  I lay in tent, diarrhoea.  Took Sun Cholera Mixture.  Tore leaves from Low’s book and cover from this diary.  These and similar economies lightened my bag about 5 lbs.  New idea dawned on me as I lay here map gazing.  Portage route leaves this river and runs into southeast arm of Michikamau.  Will see how guess turns out.  Heat in tent awful—­at noon 104 degrees; out of tent at 1 P.M. 92 degrees.  Diarrhoea continued all day.  No food but tea and a bit of hard-tack.  George back about 7.30.  Wallace not back.  Not worried.  Has probably gone a little too far and will stay out.  Has tin cup and erbswurst.  George reports branching of river and a good stretch of calm water.

Friday, July 24th.—­George produced yellowlegs shot yesterday.  He carried pack up river 2 miles.  Diarrhoea.  In tent I studied how to take time with sextant.  Observation failed.  Much worried over Wallace till he came in about 7 P.M.  Compass went wrong; he lay out overnight.  Stewed yellowlegs and pea meal to-night.

Saturday, July 25th.—­Four miles.  Weak from diarrhoea.  Portaged one load each 4 miles south side of stream to open water.  Back to camp.  I took another load; George and Wallace followed, trying to drag canoe up river.  I made camp.  They came in after dark, tired out.  Canoe left 2 miles down stream.  Wallace shot partridge with pistol.  Came near going over falls with pack round his neck.  Drizzled all day.  Heavy rain to-night.  Great relief from heat.  Flies very bad in afternoon and evening.

Sunday, July 26th.—­Rain most of the clay.  Lay in tent in A.M. hoping to be better of diarrhoea.  Read Low’s report, etc.  Trouble better.