was provided with a pair of snowshoes. As one dog-team was unable to draw all the freight, the men were obliged to haul their own dunnage, and for this purpose three flat sleds or toboggans were procured and loaded with sixty or seventy pounds each.
Thus provision was made for the transport of all necessary supplies, but what was to be done with Michel? Mr. Matheson kindly assisted us out of the difficulty by offering to take the crippled Indian on one of his sleds. Thus arrangements were completed, and, with nine days' provisions, we bade our kind friends farewell, and early on the morning of the date mentioned marched from the Fort in single file, forming into a long serpentine train, winding our way to the southward across the broad frozen river. As we departed farewell salutes were waved from the doorway of the little mission-house, and we felt that with them were wafted the most sincere and hearty good wishes.
At the outset, though we had greatly improved physically during the stay at Churchill, we were still far from being strong, and it was thought best not to attempt forced marches at the outset. The wisdom of this resolve was clearly proven before the first day's tramp was ended. That afternoon one of my knees gave out, and soon became so badly crippled that within an hour or so every step caused me excruciating pain, and it was with the greatest effort I managed to hobble along after the train until evening. We travelled about twenty-one miles during the day, on an easterly course, across open plains and snow-covered lakes. There was little timber on the route until we reached the Eastern
