Sear iar 8 ers
oe = epee rears ts SSG

oe ——

\
Seapets
adie

Ce
Se

eee

ote:

= a erate

rere

= eee

Spa
SSS es

JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE

bark: this proved a very painful dreffing: in a few days, however, the
wound was clean, and the proud flefh around it deftroyed. I wifhed
very much in this flate of the bufinefs to have feparated the thumb from
the hand, which I well knew muft be effe&ted before the cure could be
performed; but he would not confent to that operation, till, by the ap-
plication of vitriol, the flefh by which the thumb was fufpended, was
fhrivelled almoft to a thread. When I had fucceeded in this objett, I
perceived that the wound was clofing rather fafter than I defired. The
falve I applied on the occafion was made of the Canadian balfam, wax,
and tallow dropped from a burning candle into water. In fhort, I was
fo fuccefsful, that about Chriftmas my patient engaged in an hunting —
party, and brought me the tongue of an elk: nor was he finally un-
grateful. When he left me I received the warmeft acknowledgments, both
from himfelf, and the relations with whom he departed, for my care of
him. I certainly did not {pare my time or attention on the occafion, as
I regularly drefled his wound three times a day, during the courfe of a

month.

On the sth in the morning the weather was calm, clear, and very cold ;
the wind blew from the South-Weft, and in the courfe of the afternoon
it began to thaw. I had already obferved at Athabafca, that this wind
never failed to bring us clear mild weather, whereas, when it blew from
the oppofite quarter, it produced fnow. Here it is much more per-
ceptible, for if it blows hard South-Weft for four hours, a thaw is the .
confequence, and if the wind is at North-Eaft it brings fleet and fnow
To this caufe it may be attributed, that there is now fo little fnow in

this part of the world. Thefe warm winds come off the Pacific Ocean,
which