and more diversified, and the hills much higher than any we had as yet
passed through.

Down by our camp it had been excessively warm, but here on the hilltop
a cold wind was blowing that made us shiver. We found a few scattered
dry sticks, and built a fire under the lee of a high bowlder, where we
cooked for luncheon some pea-meal porridge with water that Pete, with
foresight, had brought with him from a brook that we passed half way
down the hillside. We then continued our scouting tour several miles
inland, climbing two other high hills, from one of which an excellent
view was had of the string of lakes penetrating the northwestern
hills. Everywhere so far as our vision extended the valleys were
comparatively well wooded, but the treeless, rock-bound hills rose
grimly above the timber line.

When we returned to camp we were still unsettled as to where the trail
left the lake, but there was one promising bay that had not been
explored, and Richards and Easton volunteered to take a canoe and
search this bay. They were supplied with tarpaulin, blankets, an ax
and one day's rations, and started immediately.

I felt some anxiety as to our slow progress. August was almost upon
us and we had not yet reached Seal Lake. Here, as at other places, we
had experienced much delay in finding the trail, and we did not know
what difficulties in that direction lay before us. I had planned to
reach the George River by early September, and the question as to
whether we could do it or not was giving me much concern.

Pete and Stanton had been in bed and asleep for an hour, but I was
still awake, turning over in my mind the situation, and planning to-