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and April, the Thermometer ranging from 30° to as low as 60° below zero.

The building of the line during these months was necessarily slow owing to the extreme bad weather, the men being [[insert]]often[[/insert]] compelled to lay up for six or seven days at a time.  But in the face of all obstacles we managed to complete both portions to the points designated, and by the latter part of April I had the line so situated that it was accessible with boats at all points.  In this way I could transport provisions, wire and materials by water, thus preventing the transportation in winter, which would consume much valuable time.

The last of April found me out of meat and tea, with nothing but flour, and considering it in the light of an impossibility for men to work on dry bread alone, I ordered Lieuts Smith and Chappel to fall back to Unalachleet with their parties.  Everything combined to blast my plans in securing meat.  The country produced last year no reindeer or seal met.  Parties were sent out scouring the surrounding country for meat to subsist the men on, and their constant report was none.  I questioned the Indians