On the morning of the third day the assisting team from York, leaving its load with us, returned to the Factory. A readjustment of loads was then made, and with the two remaining teams we pushed on, though now more slowly, for Oxford House.
At about noon on the 1st of December we were pleased to meet Mr. Mowat, returning with the long-looked for mail and party, all safe. The delay in the arrival of the mail had been caused by one of the Indians becoming ill soon after leaving Norway House, and having to return to that post. After a brief halt, each party now having the advantage of the other’s track, we started on, pursuing opposite ways, they to their solitary home on the ice-bound coast of Hudson Bay, and we towards ours in the more genial south.
At this time the temperature remained pretty steady at about 25 degrees below zero, but with the exertion of the march during the day, and the shelter of blankets and the warmth of the camp-fire at night, we managed to keep fairly comfortable.
About sixteen miles beyond a large stream known as Fox River we came upon an ancient track. This in earlier days had been travelled by oxen and Red River carts, and over it hundreds of tons of freight had annually been hauled; but now it was so grown up with trees that it often required the skill of the guide to keep it. The track led directly to Oxford, so that from this forward it was to be our road.
Since leaving the banks of the Hays River no timber of any value had been seen. The wood had all been black spruce of a very scrubby character, but now poplar, birch and jack-pine were occasionally met with.
On December the 4th the temperature ran down to 34 degrees below zero, but on the following day this record was beaten, and 40 degrees below was registered. In this low temperature we naturally found some difficulty in keeping warm. When the day’s tramp was over, and our position taken for the night beside the camp-fire, it was found necessary either to slowly revolve or frequently reverse our position. It was a question of roasting or freezing, or rather doing both at the same time. While one’s face was turned to the fire and enduring a roasting heat, his back was freezing, and as the position was reversed the roasting and freezing process was also reversed. Our meals, after being prepared, were served up on the hot pan to keep them warm while eating, but even so they were sometimes frozen to the frying pan before they could be disposed of.
During the afternoon of the 4th and the morning of the 5th of December we crossed Deer Lake, twenty-seven miles in length, and at either end of the lake found camps of Indians. From one of them we purchased some fine whitefish, which they were catching through the ice.
By this time our guide Charlie had become pretty badly used up by the march. He was no longer able to hold the lead, but our own men managed to keep the track and Charlie hobbled along behind.