Augustus killed two deer today.
On the 10th the dip of the magnetic needle, being observed, showed a decrease of 22 minutes 44 seconds since last autumn.

The repairs of the third canoe were finished this evening.
The snow was now confined to the bases of the hills and our Indian hunter told us the season was early.

The operations of nature however seemed to us very tardy.

We were eager to be gone and dreaded the lapse of summer before the Indians would allow it had begun.
On the 11th the geese and ducks had left the vicinity of Fort Enterprise and proceeded to the northward.

Some young ravens and whiskey-johns made their appearance at this time.
On the 12th Winter River was nearly cleared of ice and on the 13th the men returned, having left Dr.Richardson on the borders of Point Lake.
Dr.Richardson informed me by letter that the snow was deeper in many parts near his encampment than it had been at any time last winter near Fort Enterprise, and that the ice on Point Lake had scarcely begun to decay.