C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

96 THE LADIES, THE GWICH'IN, AND THE RATand becks and wreathed smiles" with the Eskimos on the shore. Finally, we wentback to our upper room and carefully checked over the list of stores we hadpacked, with the invoice of goods bought at Edmonton.Our equipment consisted, first and foremost, of the two Loucheux Indianguides, Lazarus Sittichinli and the boy Jimmy Koe; then there was the I8-footPeterborough canoe with tracking rope and three paddles; and 20 packages, tenof which were personal luggage, bedding, tent and cooking utensils. The otherten held food, packed in four boxes, and half a dozen sacks containing:2 cartons prunesI tin desiccated potatoesI carton lump sugar2 pounds tea5 lbs. riceI tube Sifto SaltI dozen tins pork and beans4 tins Cambridge Sausage4 tins beef3 tins sliced peaches15 tins reindeer milk3 tins pineapple10 tins assorted jamI case pilot breadI sack flourI carton applesI bag granulated sugar2 pounds Baker's Chocolate10 lbs. white beansI tin baking powderI packet Pony MatchesI pail Harris Lard4 tins boiled dinner3 tins cherries3 tins pears8 packets assorted biscuits9 tins Crown Syrup2 tins strawberry jamI case breakfast bacon and salt porkThe first steps of an adventure are often over dull and level spaces. Perhapsthere have been months of planning, with hopes and fears following each otherin sickening fashion, when nervous expectation is only kept in control by recurrentmoods of confidence. When at last the enterprise begins, Nature joins pastand present with the strange continuity that she maintains beneath her diversityof forms and we are, it may be, hardly aware that the adventure has begun, forlooking forward to it and playing our part in it have become merged like thedrops of water in a river. There has been no jerk of transition.So, at 8 on that morning of July 7th, when all Aklavik was asleep, we set offwithout noise, excitement or ceremony, in the gas boat, bound for the mouth ofthe Rat River. There were only the nuns, the reverend father and the two lay