The ice daily became thicker in the lake, and the frost had now nearly overpowered the rapid current of the Saskatchawan River; indeed, parties of men who were sent from both the forts to search for the Indians, and procure whatever skins and provisions they might have collected, crossed that stream this day on the ice.

The white partridges made their first appearance near the house, which birds are considered as the infallible harbingers of severe weather.
_Monday, November 22_ .-- The Saskatchawan, and every other river, were now completely covered with ice, except a small stream not far from the fort through which the current ran very powerfully.

In the course of the week we removed into the house our men had prepared since our arrival.
We found it at first extremely cold notwithstanding that a good fire was kept in each apartment, and we frequently experienced the extremes of heat and cold on opposite sides of the body.
_November 24_ .-- We obtained observations for the dip of the needle and intensity of the magnetic force in a spare room.

The dip was 83 deg.

9' 45", and the difference produced by reversing the face of the instrument 13 deg.
3' 6".