Mr.Back, who had charge of the party, was directed to proceed to the river and, if when he arrived at its banks the weather should continue to be mild and the temperature of the water was not lower than 40 degrees, he might embark and descend the stream for a few days to gain some knowledge of its course, but he was not to go so far as to risk his being able to return to this place in a fortnight with the canoe.

But if the weather should be severe and the temperature of the water below 40 degrees he was not to embark but return immediately and endeavour to ascertain the best track for our goods to be conveyed thither next spring.
We had seen that the water decreases rapidly in temperature at this season and I feared that if he embarked to descend the river when it was below 40 degrees the canoe might be frozen in and the crew have to walk back in very severe weather.
As soon as the canoe had started Akaitcho and the Indians took their departure also, except two of the hunters who stayed behind to kill deer in our neighbourhood, and old Keskarrah and his family who remained as our guests.
The fishing-nets were this day transferred from the river in which they had been set since our arrival to Winter Lake, whither the fish had removed, and the fishermen built a log-hut on its borders to reside in that they might attend more closely to their occupation.
The month of September commenced with very disagreeable weather.

The temperature of the atmosphere ranged between 39 and 31 degrees during the first three days, and that of the water in the river decreased from 49 to 44 degrees.

Several reindeer and a large flight of white geese passed to the southward.

These circumstances led us to fear for the comfort, if not for the safety, of our absent friends.