This Task Fell To Hepburn's Share As I
Suffered So Much From The Cold As To Be Unable To Take My Hands Out Of My
Mittens.
We kept a straight course for the Dog-Rib Rock but, owing to the
depth of the snow in the valleys we had to cross, did not reach it until
late in the afternoon.
We would have encamped but did not like to pass a
second night without fire and, though scarcely able to drag our limbs
after us, we pushed on to a clump of pines about a mile to the southward
of the rock and arrived at them in the dusk of the evening. During the
last few hundred yards of our march our track lay over some large stones
amongst which I fell down upwards of twenty times, and became at length
so exhausted that I was unable to stand. If Hepburn had not exerted
himself far beyond his strength and speedily made the encampment and
kindled a fire, I must have perished on the spot. This night we had
plenty of dry wood.
On the 29th we had clear and fine weather. We set out at sunrise and
hurried on in our anxiety to reach the house, but our progress was much
impeded by the great depth of the snow in the valleys. Although every
spot of ground over which we travelled today had been repeatedly trodden
by us yet we got bewildered in a small lake. We took it for Marten Lake,
which was three times its size, and fancied that we saw the rapids and
the grounds about the fort, although they were still far distant.
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