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Maps, platsB, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too ierge to be entirely Included In one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many framea as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: 1.08 cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fiimte A daa taux de rMuction dlff6rents. Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atre reprodult en un seul cllchA, 11 est fllmA A partir da I'angie aupAriaur geuche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bss, en prenant le nombre d'Imagas nAcesseire. Les diagrammas suivants illustrent la mithoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^ r VOYACiK TO HUDSON»S BAY, DURING THE SUMMER OF 1812. CONTAINING A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE ICEBERGS AND OTHER •'IIKNOMENA WHICH I'RESKNT THEMSELVES IN THOSE KE«iIOX.<'. ALSO, A DESCRIPTION OF THE ESQUIMEAUX AND NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, Their Manners, Customs, Dress, Language, 8fc, 8,x. Slierical plienomonon to which natural- ists have piven the name of the IMirage. Field-ice, Mr. Scoresi)y informs ns, affords the njost Incid blink, accompanird witli a tinge of yellow : that of pitch- s is more pecniiarly wlntc, and of layice greyish. The land, from its snowy coverini;, likcANise occasions a blink, which is yellowish, a"U not unlike that prc- dnccd by the ice of fields. t Resolution Island is situated on the N. side of the entrance into Hudson's Straits; it i^ considered to be about sivly miles in circumfcrcncp, N. lat. 61" 40' W. lone. f*^'. \ 6 M*Ke*vor*s Voyage to Hudton's Hay. part covered with frost and snow, with, here and there, patches of dark blaci< peat. Not a single shrub enlivened this barren desolate spot. Here every thing wore a solitary, sad, and dismal aspect. The hoarse murmuring of the waves, which ever and anon renewed their assaults on the huge masses of dark -grey rock that opposed them, gave it, I thought, a still more despondent look. Ten o'clock. After bearing away from the land, we again got in among straggling ice. After dinner, this day, Mr. Johnson came down to the cabin in great agitation to inform us that we were bearing fast down on an immense mountain of ice.*^ A solemn pause ensued on hearing this very alarming piece of intelligence. In a short time, however, we were all upon deck ; and here the appearance of our situation was awful in the extreme ; the shouting of the men, the rumbling of the cordage, the tremendous mountain of ice, on which we every moment ex- pected to be dashed to pieces, contributed to render this scene the most tcnitic that could well be imagined. The captain did all he could to get the ship about, but without effect, owing to her having missed stays. We were not more than ten yards from it, when fortunately a light breeze spring- ing up, the sails filled, and in a short time we were completely clear of this frightful mass. Plate III. affords a very correct re- presentation of it. The whole of this day was truly unpleasant ; the weather continued thick and hazy; indeed, the fog was at times so dense that we could hardly see ten yards from the ship, in consequence of which we were frequently just in contact with fields of ice without being at all aware of it. Friday night ! * The Rritish I'arkct, I^ady Hobart, ran against one of these floating islands, lii{;lH>r than the inaftt-hrad, and of grrat extent, in June, tso;), and foundired ; the riev and pa>si'nf;(rs naveii themselves witli great difRculty in two boats. The Amrriean ship Neptune perished likewise in the same manner, with a great part of (lie people in her. Captain Cotes, of the Hndson's-llHy Company's s( rvice, lost two ships in a similar w:iy ; one of them by running against a piece of ice in the nit;lit, otf (.'ape Kaicweil, in consequence of which the sliip foundered ; the othor in Hudson's .Stiaits, where two large fields of ice wt-re driven together with great force ; the ship being lietwcen then), was so much damaged that she sunk as soon as the ice departed. Mr. Ellis tells us, that one of the Hudson's-Bay Company's nhips vias caught in a similar way, while on her way from York Fori to Churchill ; upon the two pieees meeting, she was raised quite out of the water, and left dry upon one of them; but she reeeivinc no damage by ;hat stran&e accident, -.vhen the ice opened, the people launched her, and proceeded on their \oyni;e.— -SVf Ellis' s r<'yogi to llvdion'i Bait, p. « 7. M*Keevnr'8 yuyn^e to I liaison' n Hay. 7 it continued to blow very fresh ; constantly tacking between land and ice. Ship got several very severe knocks ; so severe, indeed, that a considerable quantity of copper has been torn from her bottom. Saturday, July the 18th. Weather continues saualiy, with dense fog. Still tacking about between land and Ice. Un- certain of our situation, the captain not being able to make any observation. Also uncertain of our course, in conse- quence of the extraordinary variation of the compass.* The ship became so leaky this day, in consequence of the injuries re- ceived from the ice, that we were obliged to keep the pumps constantly at work. Sunday, July the 19th. Weather much improved ; occasional sun-shine. About twelve, the captain was enabled to make an observation ; found that we were in latitude 61° '2(i', We were now quite satisfied that the land in view was Resolution Island. Four o'clock. Haxe and mist completely dispersed : steady sun-shine. Wind much more moderate ; patches of 6ne blue sky here and there present themselves. It is inconceivable with what joy we beheld the first gleam of sun-shine ; its cheer- ing beams appeared to difTuse cheerfulness and good-humour amongst us all. About six, we were completely surrounded with ice ; the wind, however, became so moderate, that we ran no risk by venturing in amongst it. Several icebergs in view. Just as we had done dinner this day, the steward cakiie into the cabin with word that the King George and £d- dystune, the two vessels already mentioned, were in sight. Nothing could possibly have afforded us greater gratification than this intelligence. We all immediately went upon deck, when, to our very great surprise, we saw the George about thirty yards from us. The Eddystonc, owing to the ice, could not get quite so near. In a short time the George got so close that we were able to get on board by merely crossing a * Tlie exact cause of this exiraordinarv variation is, I believe, not well ascertained. Tlie most generally receivedf opinion, however, is, that which attributes it to the influence of some enormous mass of metallic matter con. tained in the bowels of the earth. By the early navigators, this phenomenon was asckibed to the cold air situated between the needle and the point of its attraction. Ellis asserts, tliat when the compasses were brought into a warm room, they recovered their proper action and direction; t. e. when brought down to thd cabin it pointed with much greater accuracy. I may remark, that wc found the same effect produced by bringing the boxes down to the cabin. Perhaps, in this case, the cold acted by congealing the moisture con- tained in the air which surrounded the needle, and in this way presented a me« fihanical obstruction to its motion.— The subject is curious. S M*Kec'vor'i t'oyagt to Hudson's liuy, single flake of ice. Here we spent h very pleasnut evening. After taking tea und uther ret'resluneiits, u dunce was proposed. The Scotcli piper was instantly summuned upon deck, and I v/as much amused at the haughty uir with which thi^ raw- boned athletic highlandcr strutted up and down, his plaidcn pendant streaming in the air, while the pibroch sent forth Its shrill-inspiring peal through the adjacent hills and val- leys. After some picparatory arrangements, the whole party, consisting of about eight couple, were in brisk and rapid motion. When the dance was ended, our musician, after some intro- ductory screams and flourishes, commenced the famous biutlc song. For my ])art, I cuuld discover nothing in this fa- vourite production of the Celtic muse, but a confused col- lection of harsh and dissonant sounds. On the faces of our Caledonian friends, however, it appeared to operate like magic : their hard and rigid features began to relax, the eye began to sparkle, and the whole visage to assume a gay and animated appearance, mixed, I thought, with some little portion of lofty unbending pride, which shewed itself particularly by a compla- cent smile that played about the angle of the mouth. About twelve o'clock we sat down to a very elegant supper, and soon forgot the perilous, I might say, the awful situation, in which wc were placed. We resolved on strewing with flowers " the moments as they rolled," and gave ourselves up for some hours to gaiety and mirth. Hie storm withoiil might rain and rustle, Tarn did na mind the storm a whistle. About two o'clock we parted: the moon had just emerged from amidst a mass of dark black clouds, and poured her full tide of effulgence on the surrounding scenery, giving it an appear* ance, to borrow the words of a favourite though unknown author, as if a covering of the thinnest silver gauze had been thrown over it. The canopy of heaven had a clear and sparkling appearance, while the horizon was on all sides thickly studded with ice-islands, whose clustering peaks appeared to penetrate the airy clouds. Silence accompanied : for beast and bird, They to their icy couch, these to their nests Wereilunk. But to attempt describing the grandeur of a moonlight-scene on the ice would be vain indeed. No language (at least that I could select) would afford adequate means of description. The ri-hest proves but poor in the attempt; and all the pos- si u r e S( Ci o o WKicvor's J\tynge ta Hudson's liny. 9 flihle combinntion of words are few indeed to (hose of natiir'*, under all Iter variety of i'oi ins and colours, hi a short time we regained our vessel, when we retired much gratidcd \>itli ouv evening's amusement. Monday, July the 20th. Weather continues very fine, sky serene and calm ; the horizon Is covered on all sides with ice, consisting for the most part of broken«up fields. Almut twelve o'clock a light fair hree/.e sprung up, when the captain gave orders to have more sail set. A person unaccustonted to the navigation of these seas, would consider it as altogether itnpossihlc that a ship could make any way when completely heset with ice: still, however, when the bree/.e is fair, and the Hakes of ice not very large, it is astonishinij what progress she will make in the course of twenty-four hours. During this operation of forcing through the ice, every man on board has his place assigned him, while the captain takes his in the most convenient one for observing when the ship approaches very near the piece of Ice directly ahead; immediately on the wotd being given, the ship is put about, and in less than n minute, is moving in a quite contrary direction. When a " vein of water,"* as they term if, presents itself, they always endeavour to avail themselves of it. Tuesday, July the 20th. Weather continues very fine, wind fair ', forcing our way through huge masses of ice : about two o'clock, the breeze dying away, we got fastened to one of the principal icebergs. This island, I am certain, could not be less than 300 feet high, and about a quarter of a mile in circumference. The anchors which they use on these occasions resemble very mueli an italic S ; to one extremity a cable is attached, while a hole is made in the ice for the purpose of receiving the other. Being now completely at rest, we had more leisure and more inclination to contemplate the very grand and novel scene with which we were surrounded. The first thing that engages the attention of the passing mariner, is the majestic, as well as singular forms which the ice assumes in these chilling regions. I have seen many of these immense masses bear a very close resemblance to an ancient abbey with arched doors and windows, and all the rich embroidery of the Gothic style of architecture ; while others assume the appearance of * Navigatina; u,.i;ong ir^licigt iu tlu' gloom of nijlit, has sometimes beoii attended with fatal conseqnciiros. Occarrin,'? J'lr fruiii laiu!, and in iinexpecttd situations, tlio danger would be c:\ttcme, wire t!icy not providentially lendeicd viable by tbeir iiatnral cflnlj^cncf, whidi rnaUks tlio iii;uincr to distinguish thcin at some distanee, even in the darkest ni^;lit, or tluiiiiif tlic prevalence of the densest fof;.—SV<' Scoresby on Polar Ice. Voyages and Travkls, No. 2, To/. //. B I 10 M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay a Grecian temple, supported by round massive columns of an iiKure iiue, which at a distance looked like the purest moun- tain granite. These stupendous masses, or icebergs, as they are termed, are some of them the creation of ages, and receive annually additional height by the falling of snows and rain, which instantly congeal, and in this way more than repair the loss occasioned by the influence of the melting sun. The spray of the ocean, wh'' h dashes .against these mountains, freezes into an infinite variety of forms, and gives to the spectator ideal towers^ streets, churches, steeples, and, in fact, every shape which the most romantic imagination could picture to itself. When, at the close of evening, the almost level beams of the descending sun are directed on the numerous apertures, or cham- bers, as we might suppose them, of these imaginary palaces, abbeys, &c. the efteet is inconceivably grand : in one place you see them touched with a rich golden colour ; in another, with a light purple tint ; and in others, again with a rich crimson suffusion. Some of these islands, as I have already mentioned, remain stationary for ages in this frozen climate; while the smaller masses, or floating mountaintt, as they are called, move slowly and majestically along, chilling the ambient atmosphere for miles around, until, being drifted into southern latitudes, they are gradually dissolved in the boundless clement. It sometimes happens, that two of these masses, though distinct* above water, are intimately united beneath its surface. 1 recollect the captain mentioning to me, that owing to this circumstance, the Hudson's Bay Company, a few years ago, lost one of their finest vessels. The master not supposing but that they were quite distinct beneath, ran the vessel in between them ; the ship immediately foundered, and every person on board would have pertshed« but that fortunately another of the company's ships was at hand to take them up. By a field of ice is to be understood one uninterrupted sheer of considerable extent. They vary from one to many leagues in length. Mr. Scoresby states, that upon one which he saw he conceived a coach might be driven a hundred miles without meeting vvitJi any obstruction. This I have not the smallest • Baiciilz, and tiif famotis Dutch navigator Hecmskcik, in Ihcir voyage for the discovery of a north-east pas age, after wintering at Nova Zembia, lost tlicii* Miip in this way. and X\\fj sailed many hundred leagues in an open boat, through the ice ; during which, they were often assaulted by the white bears, and sometimes obliged to drajr the boat and all its ' iding a good way over tlic ice. They came at last to Kotira, in Lapland, wliere they were taken up by a Dutch vessel. — ybVe I'iuntz's GnuTitaml . M*Kcevor*s Voyage to Hmlnon's Bay. U Ooubt to Ijc the fact. Indeed, I have frequently gone aloft my- self for the purpose of ascertaining their extent, but have often been unable as far as the eye could reach, to observe even a sin- t<;le fissure in tliem. On their surface, which is generally raised three or four feet above the level of the water, I have seen the seals bask and frolic in hundreds. The coalition of two of these great fields produce a most singular phenomenon ; the larger forces the lesser out of the water, and adds it to its surface ; and in this way a second and a third are often superadded, until the whole forms an aggregate of a tremendous height. The collision of the greater fields is often attended with a noise, that for a time deprives you of the power of hearing any thing else, resembling very much the sound of distant thunder ; the meeting of the smaller pieces produces a harsh grinding kind of noise, not unlike, as Mr. Scoresby accurately remarks, that of complicated machi- nery. During the summer months these masses become very brit- tle, and frequently give way with a tremendous report, in this way laying the foundation for other islands similar to them- selves. At this time considerable risk is incurred, eithei by going ashore on them, as we may term it, or by allowing the vessel to approach too near their perpendicular front. It has not unfre- qucntly happened that ships have been sunk by their detached portions falling in on the deck. That these apprehensions are not imaginary, the following circumstance will, I think, aflbrd a satisfactory proof. One morning I went out with a party of the men in the jolly-boat, for the purpose of towing away the vessel from one of these ice-bergs, in order to guard against the accident to which I have just alluded. In this instance the island was so high, that its summit stretched in an arched form for a consider- able distance over the top-mast of the vessel. Before getting to that part of the island to which the ice-anchor was attached, it was necessary to pass a projecting point, where the island, as it were, shelved out to a considerable distance. The man, who had the command of the boat, unwilling to lose time, in- stead of sailing round this projecting portion, ordered the boat to be rowed directly under it. We had scarcely got half-way, when a violent report,* like that of a piece of artillery, an- • Ice-berg«, on hoiiig struck with an axe for tlic purpose of ;..acin<;a mooring anchor, have bocn known to rend asunder, and precipitate tiie cauiess seiiincn into till- vvutcy cha.«nii whilst occasionally, the niassis are hurled apart and fall, in contrary direction:. , with a prodigiouo crash, burying boatt and men in one 12 M^Ktcr.hr\^ J'oijage lo Hudson's b(vj. iiounccil to u^ tljat a j)art of tlie island was about to give way. ]Cvery one appeared in the greatest alarm. The boatswain •jrdcrod the boat to be pushed off instantly. Before, however, we eould get comidetely fiee of the ice, the whole side of the mountain was detached with ri noise like thunder, and instantly we were itnmersed in the yawning gulph, from which we never expected to rise again ; in a few seconds, however, our little jol- ly-boat rose triumphant on tlie ridge of the foaming wave. Hav- ing cleared out the fragments of ice which had got into the boat, we made towards the ship, where we were welcomed as if we liad risen from the dead. After changing our clothes and taking some refreshment, we soon forgot this nearly fatal occurrence. Th',' violent noise which those dinuptions, or icequakes, as they arc- very appropriately termed, produces, is not, as Mr. Lesslie re- niaiks, to be altogether attributed to the crash of the falling frag- ments. *'In those frightfi 1 climates," observes this ingenious phi- losf)pher, " the winter at once sets in with most intense frost, which probably envelopes the globules of air, separated from the water in the act of congelation, and, invading them on all sidos, reduces them to a state of high condensation. When the mild weather begins, therefore, to prevail, the body of ice, penetrated by the warmth, becomes soft and friable ; and the minute, ))ut immcrously interpersed globules of imprisoned air, exerting together their concentrated elasticity, produce the most violent explosive dinuptions." — See Lksslie on Heat and MaiS" With regard to the manner in which tbose mountains and ficMs of ice are formed, I do not propose entering into any lengthened discussion ; and this I conceive the more unneces- sary, as Mr. Scoresby's late ingenious and very able publication contains almost every thing that can be said on this obscure, though very interesting subject. I propose condensing the few remarks I have to make into as narrow and as simple a form as ])ossib1e. The greater part of the difficulties and principal source of obscurity in the numerous discussions which have taken place on this subject, appear to mc to turn on this single point; Can ice be formed on the surface of sea-water ? — For my part, 1 can con- ceive no reason whatever why it should not. ( ointiion ruin. Tlir awful effect produced by a sotid mass, many tlioiisaiids of Ions III weiglit, chnncing its situation with the velocity of a falliiip body, whereby i'< aspirini; Hiiiiimil is in a moment buried in llie ocean, can be more l-asily ima- ;;:ni| tiian dc:*eiiliqd—.Sfc Scores uv on Polar I cr. Tuinwctiops of theWti> M III AN SontiY ice. and ! M'Kccvor's Vo\jagc to Jludaon's Bay. 13 The circumstances whicli appear to me to favour its produc- tion, I shall arrange under the following heads : First, Intense cold. Second, A state of rest. Third, The falling of crystallized snow and hail-stones. Fourth, The separation of ice from the bottom of the ocean. And first, with regard to intense cold. Any one at all ac- quainted with these rigorous climes must allow, that there is here an abundance of this the most essential of all requisites. Du- ring the winter season, which usually continues for nine months, the spirit thermometer is commonly found to stand at 50. Quick- silver freezes into a solid mass ; consequently, the cold which then prevails must exceed 71 degrees, or 39 below the com- mencement of Fahrenheit's scale; a degree of natural cold which, I believe, is rarely exceeded. Wine, and even ardent spirits,* become converted into a spongy mass of ice ; even the " living forests" do not escape, the very sap of the trees being frozen ; and which, owing to the internal expansion which takes place in consequence, occasionally burst with tremendous noise. Now it is proved by experiments, that when the thermometer falls to 27°, other circumstances being favourable, that a pellicle of ice will be formed on the surface of sea-water. How then, 1 would asK, is the excess of cold between 27 and 50 exerting itself ? Are we to suppose that it floats passively along the chilled surface of the ocean without exerting any frigorific influence ? This would be in direct opposition to one of the most generally established laws of caloric, that of diflusing itself among bodies until an equilibrium of temperature is established. But it may be said, that no ice can be formed until the whole mass of fluid is reduced to the temperature of .'i5",f or that point at which sea- water begins to expand. If, however, this intense cold con- tinues a suflicient lengih of time to affect the entire body of fluid, this objection must, 1 conceive, fall to the ground. Now, any one who considers for a moment the duration of the tedious and dreary Arctic winter, must, 1 should think, allow that there is more than suflicient time for the whole mass to become cooled down considerably below this temperature. This effect will of course be much more readily produced in those seas that have y ima- * Ky this I iiif an, of course, ronmion spirits, t I liavv Siiiri Sj", prcsiiniiiiK that 8fa-WHU>r will begin to oxpand tlir same iinniber ot° (l« i;r<>rs aUuvc itslVtczing |»oinl that lommoii water ^^or^ i but oftliis I am nut crrLiiii. 14 M*Kcei'or*s Voyage to Hudson's Bay. not free access to the main body of the ocean, as also wlicre the depth is not very great. It may also be said, that owing to t!.c cur- rents and heaving tides by which they are aijitated, the different portions of water are so effectually intermixed as, in some degree, to equalize the temperature. It must be observed, however, that this equilibrium of temperature by no means takes place with such rapidity as we should, & prion, suppose. In proof of this I may adduce the well-known fact, that the temperature of the sea always falls in shoal-water ; hence the thermometer has been found a very useful instrument in navigation, being frequently substituted for the more tedious process of sounding. It may be also observed, that fluids are very bad conductors of caloric, and that, as these seas are never agitated by very high winds, the excess of cold will readily counteract the influence which the currents might otherwise pi oduce. The second circumstance which I have to notice, as being highly favourable for the production of ice, is a state of rest. Every one who has visited these remote regions must have noticed at once the remarkable stillness of the Northern seas. It is, in fact, as smooth and as unruffled as the most retired harbour, owing, 1 should suppose, to the enormous pressure which the ice already formed exerts on its surface.* Mr. Scoresby tells us, that the ice, by its weight, can keep down the most violent surges, and that its resistance is so effectual, that ships sheltered by it rarely find the sea disturbed by swells. This state of rest will, I conceive, favour the pro- duction of ice in the same way as it does other kinds of crys- tallization ; namely, by allowing the particles held in solution to arrange themselves at determinate angles. Lest, however, it should be looked on as a kind of pelitio principii, to argue in favour of the production of ice from an effect produced by ice already formed, I proceed to state the third source to which 1 have alluded ; namely, the falling of crystallized snow and hail-stones. These, 1 conceive, may operate in two ways. First, by the mechanical agitation which they give to the surface of the ocean, thus acting "in the same way .is in the common experiment of immersing a portioii of water, contained ' All lluv in ti glass tube, into a freezing moisture ; if kept at perfect rest, no crystallization will take place, at least not until the entire mass is reduced to a very low degree of temperature ; but if slightly agitated, as by striking the side of the tube with a piece of money, the whole instantly starts into a solid mass. Secondly, by serving as so many nuclei, from which crystalli- zation will spread on all sides ; thus operating, I conceive, on the same principle as the crystal of salt does when dro|)ped into a saline solution. Mr. Kervvan was the first, I believe, who remarked, that when a crystal of the same kind of salt with that held in solution was dropped in, the process of crystallization went on still more rapidly-. Now, crystallized snow and hail-stones, being merely small portions of congealed water, may, perhaps, operate in a similar way.* To the sources already enumerated, I have lastly to add, that of the formation of ice at the bottom of the ocean, and which becoming detached by the force of the currents, will, by its diminished and specific gravity, rise to the surface and f)ecome, as it were, a centre for further accumulation. From the difficulties attendant on an explanation of this curious phenomenon, some have considered it as altogether improba- ble, while others have gone the length of denying it altoge- ther. The circumstance, however, at least with regard to fresh water, is now put beyond the possibility of all doubt, and we can very readily conceive, tha what a lesser degree of cold will effect in the beds of lakes and rivers, a still greater will be able to accomplish at the bottom of the ocean. Mr. Lesslie, in a note prefixed to his very interesting work on the subject of heat, tells us, that many of the rivers in Siberia and Switzerland are found to have their beds lined, during the greater part of the year, with a thick crust of ice. Saussure describes a similar appearance in the lakes of Geneva. Mr. Garnet, in a very interesting paper contained in the last number of the Journal of Science and of Arts, gives a very minute account of this singular appearance. He mentions one place in particular where this phenomenon is to be observed in a very striking manner. As the very valuable publication, in which this interesting^ paper is contained, is in the hands of few, except scientific readers, I trust an account of it will not be deemed superfluous. • When, observes Mr. Lesislic, we examine the strHctnre of a hail-stonc, we shall perceive » snowy kernel incased by a Iturder crnst. It has very nearly the appearance of a drop of water suddenly frozen, the particles of air being driven from the surface towards the centre, where they form a spongy texture.— 6'ft Lesslie on Heat and Moisture. \(i ypKeevor*s Voyage to Hu$g(of, which, in reference to the atmosphere, sigtiifies at once clearf dry, and cold.) It is, in fact, a combination of the ordinary pyroscope, and is formed by adapting that instrument to the cavity of a polished metalic cup, of rather an oblong spheroidal shape, the axis being oc- cupied by the sentient ball, while the section of an horizontal plane, passing through the upper, forms the orifice. The cup may be made of thin brass, or silver, either hammered or cast, and then turned and polished on a lathe, the diameter being from two to four inches, and the excentricity of the elliptical figure varied within certain limits, according to circumstances ; the most convenient proportion, however, is to have this ex- centricity equal to half the transverse axis, and consequently to place the focus at the third part of the whole height of the 22 M^Kicvor's Voyagt to HndtoiiS tiny. If cavity, the dianietcr of the sentient ball being likewise nearly the third pnrt of that oF the oriHce of the cup. In order to separate more tlie halls of the pyroscope, the gill one mity be carried somcvvhut higher than the other, and lodged in the swell of the cavity, its stem being bent to the curve, and the neck partially widened to prevent the risk of dividing the coloured liquor in carriage. A lid of the same thin unpolished metal as the cup itself, is fitted to the mouth of the athriosope, and only removed when an observation is to be made. The scale may extend to sixty or seventy milesimal degrees above zero, and about fifteen degrees below it. Should Mr. L.'s anti- cipations with regard to the utility of this instrument prove to be well grounded, it will prove to be a valuable acrjuisition indeed to every physical cabinet. The tuthrioscope, remarks this fascina- ting writer, thus opens new scenes to our view. It extends its sensation through indeBnite space, and reveals the condition of the remotest atmosphere. Constructed with still greater deli- cacy, it may, perhaps, scent the distant winds, and detect the actual temperature of every quarter of the heavens. The impressions of cold which arrive from the north will probably be found stronger than those received from the south. But the instrument has yet been scarcely tried. We are anxious to compare its indications for the course of a whole year, and still more solicitous to receive its reports from other climates, and brighter skies. See Supplement to the Enofclopedia tiritannica. Articles Climate and Cold. Also,, Tramactiom of the Royal Society of Edinburgh^ volume vii. part ii. I have been induced to dwell thus long on the proofs which I conceive may be offered in favour of the opinion, that the sur- face of the Northern seas is annually subjected to the process of congellation, as on this single circumstance, in a great measure, depends the success of the northern expedition ; for if these seas are, as 1 have endeavoured to prove, annually exposed to the eternal fluctuation of having their surface frozen over, they must for ever present to the intrepid navigator obstacles altogether insurmountable.* * The reason, I conerive, why so large a body of ice has been detached from the west coast of Greenland is simply this : In consequence of the nnmber of Ibays, creeks, iind inlets, which the coast of Greenland presents, ice will very rea- dily be formed, and will, owing to the shelter which the land affords, in conrse of time accumulate to an enormoos extent. At length, however, from agitation, or from their ^reat weight overcoming the power of cohesion, the key-stone of the mass cives way ; the icy chains which held these frightful masses are dis- solved, ana the whole is gradually drifted into southern latitudes. i^mmm'^' M*Keevor't Voyngi to Hudton'i Bay, 29 Wednesday, July the 21st. A party of us went out on the ice for the purpose of amusing ourselves. We had not walked far when we discovered several ponds of very fine fresii water. Having sent iritelli^'cnce of this to the captain, he imme- diately ordered out some of the men to fill the water-casks. It not only tasted very well, but answered admirably fur every culinary purpose. In some of these ponds we observed a small fish, to which they give the name of Miller's Thumbs. Thursday, the 22d. Availing ourselves of a fair wind, which sprung up this morning, we took in the ice-anchors, and set sail in company with our consorts. Two o'clock, P. M. Forcing our way through very heavy ice, got several very severe knocks. Obliged to keep the pumps going day and night. Friday, July 23d. Still forcing our way through the ice ; wind fair; weather uncommonly fine. Saturday, July 24th. The breeze has nearly died away ; wea- ther continues fine. About twelve o'clock we got anchored to an island of ice. Lost sight of the George. Fired a gun, which was answered in a few minutes. The captain supposes them to be about a league ahead. Sunday, 25th. The George having made a signal for get- ting under weigh, we loosed our anchors, and set sail. In about an hour we got up with her. - This day, while sailing through straggling ice, one of the men on the quarter-deck observed, at a few yards distance, a silver bear and her two young cubs. The captain imme- diately ordered the jolly-boat to be lowered, and muskets, pistols, cutlasses, &c. to be got in readincs. All things being prepared, Mr. Fidler, Mr. Cockeral, the first mate, with one or two more, set out in pursuit of them. We were all leaning over the deck waiting with the greatest anxiety, for the in- teresting scene that we expected to witness. They had not got many yards from the vessel, when I beheld a very affecting sight : the mother, observing their approach, and aware of their Intention, set up a most doleful cry, and presently clasped her two young ones within her two fore paws. First she would look atone, then at another, and again resume her piteous cry. Perceiving the men to approach still nearer, she got them on her back, and dived under water to a considerable distance ; when exhausted, she made to the ice for shelter. This she did several successive times. The gentlemen who went out for the purpose of shooting her, were so justly affected at the sight, that they humanely returned to the ship without dis- charging their muskets. Still, however, the poor bear appre- 24 M*Ki2evor's Voyage to Hudion*s Bay. hended danger. After getting on a detached piece of ice, she again clasped her young ones with the greatest tenderness, and continued her heart- melting cries ! In about ten minutes, ano- ther party,* not subject to the same correct sensibility as the former, went in pursuit of her. Immediately on observing this, she again took her young ones on her back ; one time getting under water, at another, escaping to the ice for refuge. When the party had got within a short distance of her, they all fired, the mother, however, had covered her young cubs co effectually, that she alone was wounded ; one of the balls entered her chest. The scene that followed was, if possible, still more affecting than that we had already witnessed. Though mortally wounded, she retained within her fond embraces her tender young. It looked as though the iron grasp of death could not tear asunder those ties of affection which bound her to them. Still she would fondly gaze at one, then at another, occasionally renewing her piteous cries, which had now become much more feeble. But the purple current of life was ebbing fast through the wound : her sides heaved — her eye became glassy and dim — she looked at her young ones — gave a convulsive sob— -laid down her head, and ex- pired If After this, they had no difficulty in taking the young cubs. They in vain, however, endeavoured to loose them from their parent's embraces. Even while dragging her up th? side of the vessel, they still kept their hold. When they had got her on board, she was immediately skinned. ;{: When the skin was removed, they put it into the cage which had been pre- pared for the young cubs. As they roared most hideously from the tim' they were torn from the motl.^er, we were in hopes that this might pacify them ; and it did so : it was no sooner introduced than they laid their heads down on it, and growled in a very affecting manner. When any one attempted to touch it, they roared very loud and appeared much more irri- * It might be added, of monsters in the shape of men, or human savages ! —Editor. t The monsters engaged in this transaction merit the torments of tiie damned — the curses of men— and the vengeance of an insulted Deity.—' Editor. ^ Un examining the wound, I found the ball had passed through the arch of the aorta, and had lodged in the intercostal muscles of the opposite side. I cut out the parts, and immersed them in a bottle filled wit!i spirits ; but one of the crew, an unfortunate Irishman, got hold of it in some way or other, and being fonder of whiskey than morbid anatomy, drank the fluid in which 1 had them pre» served, and thus spoiled my preparation. JSVKcevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay* ?5 fiblc thnn usual. They were brought home, and sold in Lou- don at a very high price* When detached from its young, how very different is the character of the polar bear from that 1 have just described. It is then a most formidable animal, being apparently the natural lord of those frozen regions. Every other animal shudders at his approach, considering it as the signal for im- mediate destruction. The seals either retire to their subma- rine dwellings, or conceal themselves in the crevices of the ice-islands j while the bear, stalking along with solemn ma- jesty, " faces the breeze, raises his head;, and snutfs the pass- ing scent, whereby he discovers the nearest route to his odorous banquet." A favourite poet, with greai; truth and Jbeauty, thus describes the march of this formidable animal :— " Tlicrr, through the piny forest, half absorbed, Koii(;h tenant of those slindt^s, the shapeless hear, With dangling ice, all horrid, stalks forlorn ; Slow-paced, and sourer as the storms increase, He makes his bed benealli Uie inclepicnt dri^'t. And with stern patience, scorning weak complaint, Hardens his heart against assailing want." They are possessed of such uncommon strength, and de- fend themselves, when beset, with such extraordinary ob- stinacy, that even the natives of the country never venture to attack them but in parties of eight or ten, and even then are often defeated with the loss of one or more of their num-^ bcr. Though to a skilful rifleman the danger is very much diminished, the bear is still an animal of tremendous strength and fierceness, as will appear from the following adventure.— Captain Lewis tells us, that one evening the men in the hind* most of the canoes discovered a large silver bear lying in the open grounds, about 300 paces from the river. Six of them, till good hunters, set out to attack him, and concealing them- selves by a small eminence, came unperceived within foity paces of him. Four of them now fired, and each lodged a ball in his body ; two of them directly through the lungs. The justly-enraged animal sprung up, and ran open-mouthed • The grfist attachment which the she-bear has for her young, is well known to the American hunter. No danger can induce her to abandon tkem. Even when they are snfficieotly grown to be able to climb a tree, her ^nxiet^ for their safety is but Uttle diminished. At that time, if hunted, l^er first care is to make her young climb to a pUce of safety. If they shew any reluctance, she beats them, and havini; succeeded, inms fearlessly on her pursners. Perhaps, in the animal economy, maternal affection is almost always commensurate with the ]:elplessness of the young. See Bradbury'B Travels in America, VovAGBt and Travels, No, 2, Vol. II„ P 2G M^KeeKor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. at them. As he came near, the two hunters who had reserved their fire gave him two wounds, one of which breaking his shoulder, retarded his motion for a moment ; but before they could re-load he was so near that they were obliged to run to the river, and before they reached it he had almost overtaken them. Two jumped into the canoe, the other four separated, and concealing themselves in the willows, fired as fast as each could load. T bags of blubber, with half-frozen, half putrid flesh ; skins of different animals, as of the bear, rabbit, hare, seal, and deer ; dried salmon, dogs, a few fresh fowls ; toys of various kinds, as models of their canoes, dresses, &c. In return they got glass beads, old knives, hatchets, but- tons, pins, and needles ; gimblets, scissars, pieces of old iron- hoops, which they prized very highly j brass rings, tin pots, kettles, saws, files, &c. It would be difficult to give expression to the feelings of gratification, delight, and surprise, which, in hurried succes- sion, passed through my mind on first getting a view of these untutored savages j their manners, persons, dress, lan- guage, every thing, in short, so completely different from what * Tbc word chimo is also made use of as a tvini of friciidslii". 30 M'Kecvor*s Voyage to Hudsoii's Bay. wc are accustomed to in civilized life, that one would almost fancy them the natives of a different planet altogether. In stature the Esquimeaux is inferior to the generality of Eu- jropeans. I have never seen any of them exceed five feet in height, excepting one, who was 5ve feet four inches. Their faces are broad, and approach more to the rounded form than that of the European j their cheek-bones are high ; their cheeks round and plump, mouth large, and lips slightly averted ; the glabella, or interval between the eyes, is flat and very broad ; the nose is small, but not flat, as some writers have described ; their eyes, in general, are of a deep black ; some, however, are of n dark chesnut-colour j they appear very small, owing to the eye-lids being so much encumbered with fat ; the head is large ; hair uniformly long, Innk, and of a black colour ; their eye-lids appeared tender, owing, I suppose, to the piercing winds and strong glare of light reflec\?d from the snow in winter-time j the ears are situated far back on the head, and are moveable; their bodies are large, square, and robust, chest high, shoul- ders very broad ; their hands and feet remarkably small ;* there is, however, no sudden diminution; both extremities appear to taper from above downward in a wedge-like shape. Their boots and shoes being made of undressed leather, being also very clumsy. I did not for some time take particular no- tice of their feet. I happened, however, to observe one of the men on the quarter-deck endeavouring to draw on a pair of boots, which he had just purchased from the man whose mea- surement I have given ; the leg passed on easy enough until it came to the lower part, when it was suddenly arrested, nor could he force it further, though he tugged and pulled at it for a considerable time. They are of a deep tawney, or rather copper-coloured complexion. The assertion that they have got no beard must be treated as an idle tale ; the fact is, it no sooner appears than, from motives of comfort, and, perhaps, of cleanliness, they pluck it out by the root, having no more convenient way of removing it. I recollect bringing one of the young men, whose beard was just beginning to make its appearance, down to the cabin, and showing him the mode of using a razor: the poor fellow appeared highly delighted; he placed himself before a glass, and really imitated the process of shaving very well; however, he nicked himself in two or three places, at which he laughed very heartily. I did not remark that difference of voice in the young and adult, which * Small hands and feet they possess in common with the Chinese, Kams« i-hatkau!>, New Hollanders, Peruviaus, and Hottentots. M^Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay, 31 is so very remarkable in these countries ; males and femules, young and old, had all the same low, husky, whispering kind of voice.* I shall here give a few words of their language, which I occa- sionally wrote down during their visits to us. Whalebone What's this A knife Water Give us Women - Blubber - A paddle - Gooff A saw An arrow - A bow A canoe - A boat A dog Hair The foot - An egg - Sukok. Oomena. Mukmamuk. Emik. Pelite. Challeneer. Tuktoo. Poatik. Twa wi. Kutaswabbo. Katso. Petiksik. Porta vinigar. Kikjak. Mike. Nootshad. Itikak. Miniguk. * This hoarse whisperinz kind of voice was very observable in the young Esqiiimeaux who was at Edioburgh last year j— though he had been, when I saw him, near eight months in the country, he still spoke, in ordinary coin versation, as if he were whispering. He was a very fine young man, aged abont nineteen, and had been a widower for a considerable time. It was sur- prising to sec liow soon he adopted the European customs : when shown into a room, he bowed very gracefully, and was very mild and tractable in his manners. This poor fellow bad l^en drifted out to sea in his canoe near a huudred miles, when he fortunately met with one of the homeward-bound Greenland ships, which took him up. I saw him exhibit several times while he remained at Leith ; one day, in particular, the whole population of the country appeared assembled for the purpose of witnessiDg this interesting sight. The shore for a considerable distance the shrouds of every vessel, the tops of all the houses, were actually swarming with people. He was this day to row in his canoe against a twelve-oared galley. At a given signal they started: in a few seconds, however, though the brawney Scotchmen rowed with all their might, the Esquinieaux was several yards before them. After getting on a considerable distance, having made all things tight» he capsized himself in his canoe, and appeared at the opposite side. He tlien waited until his almost exhauated eompetitork' came up to him, and again flew dongwith the swiftness of an arrow. In this way he went on for near two hours. At the close of the contest a subscription, to a very large amount, was made for him, with which the captain purchased several articles of wearing apparel, as also • number of hatchets, saws, tin-pots, &c. to bring over whb him as presents to his coantiy- nen. 42 M^KeeiH)r'ii I'uyage to Hudson'a Haij, Tl»e eye A tootii One Two Three Killik. Ukak. Kombuk. Tigal. Ke. Rum (this word properly siijnifies mad water) Killaluk. The Iicad - _ - Niakuk. Tlie moon - - - Takok. A rein-deer - - . Tuktoo. A woman's boat - - Ooniiak. The dresses of this singular people are very curious ; and, con- sidering the rude instruments with which they are manu- factured, of uncommon neatness. '^^^^^y see made of the skins of the rein-deer, seals, and birds. The outer garment re- sembles somewhat a waggoner's smock-frock ; it is not, how- ever, so long or so loose ; it is sewed up in the front as high as the chin. To the top part a cap or hood is fastened, resembling very much the head of the cloaks now so much used in these countries : in cold or wet weather they draw this over their heads, and by means of a running string, they can make it lie as close to the face as they choose. The women's jackets differ somewhat from those of the men ; the hood is much larger, and the bottom, instead of being cut even round like the men's, slopes off from the thigh downwards, forming, both behind and before, a long flap, the pointed extremity of which reaches below the knees. Many of the women had a train to their jackets sufficiently long to reach to their heels. The women's jackets also differ from those of the men in b^ing more profusely ornamented with stripes of different coloured skins, which are inserted in a very neat and tasty manner. This outer garment is most usually made of seal-skins ; some of them, however, are made of deer-skins } others of bird's- (skins, neatly sewed together. A few of them, I observed^ wore under their outer jacket n kind of garment not unlike a shirt, and consisting of a number of seals' bladders sewed to- gether. Their breeches are formed either of seal-skin or of the thin-haired skins of the rein-deer; they are gathered at top like a purse, and tied round their waists. Their boots and shoes are formel of the same materials, and are soled with the akin of the sea-horse. The men's boot$ ^re drawn tight about their knees by means of a running-string ; their shoes are made to tie in close to the ankle by the same contrivance. The women's boots are made tq come up as high as the hips ; they are at this part very wide, and made to stand off by means of a strong bow of whalebone passed round the top. Into these they put the children when tired with carrying them on M*KeevoT*s Voyage to HwhorCs Bay. 33 their backs. In place of thread they make use of the sinews of the rein-deer, tiie fibres of which they split very fine, and after- wards twist them in double or triple piles, according at they are required. Their needles are made either of ivory, or of the very fine bones of birds and fishes. A few of them, however, have got steel needles. For the purpose of guarding off the intense light reflected from the snow, they make use of a very ingenious kind of spectacles, or snow-eyes, as they call them. They are formed from one solid piece of wood, and are excavated on the inside for the purpose of receiving the bridge of the nose and project- ing part of the eye-bnil. Opposite to either eye is a narrow transverse slit, about an inch and a half long. In front they are sloped oil' on either side at an oblique angle. At top there is a small horizontal ledge, which projects out for about an inch. Tliey are tied behind by means of a slip of seal-skin, which is attached to either extremity of the wood.* The one that I have got in my possession measures about four inches in length and two in breadth. Mr. Ellis asserts, that when they would observe any object at a great distance, they commonly look through them as we do through a telescope. Their canoes are deserving of particular attention, as well from the peculiarity of their form as for their neatness, and evtn elegance with which they are constructed. They are in gene- ral about twenty feet long, two feet broad at the widest part, and of an oblong shape. The frame work is made of pieces of wood or whalebone, fastened together by means of the sinews of animals ; they are covered with seal skin parchment all over : with the exception of a central aperture, which is left large enough to admit the body of a roan ; into this the £squi- maujc thrusts himself up to his waist, his feet being stretched forward. To the central opening a flat hoop is fitted, rising about a couph of inches ; to this a skin is attached, which he fastens so tight about him as to exclude all wet ; the rim also ser,ves the purpose of preventing any water, wh'ch may have Ipdged on the deck, from getting into the canoe. The paddle of the Esquiinaax is about ten feet long : narrow in the centre ; broad and flat at either extremity : when seated in his canoe * De Paw sives the following description of tliia curious oontrit ance— « Le danger d'etre aveugl^s far la neige, a encore enseign^ anx Eskimanx & se servir d'une eapece de lunettes qu'iU portent tout I'^t^ sur le» yenx, ces sont deux planches minces, perches en denx endroits avec nne aldne ou une arr^te de poisson de sorte qu'il n'y a qu'une tres-petite ouverture pour le passage dela lu> miere ; cet instninient qu'on attache derriere la tdte avec un boyau de phocas, &c. — V^. De Paw $ur lea Americans. VoTAGBs and Travels, No. 2, Vol. II. E 34 M*KeevoT*a Voyagt to Hudson's Bay, he takes hold of it by the centre, dips either end in the water alternately, and thus he nioves with incredible celerity ; so great, indeed, that an English boat, with twelve oars, is not able to keep up with him.* The broad flat part is generally inlaid, in a very tasty and fanciful manner, with portions of sea-horse teeth, cut into a variety of forms. The dexterity with which they manage these canoes is really Astonishing. No weather can prevent them from going out to sea ; they venture out in the midst of tempestuous whirlwinds, and driving snows, with as much composure as if it were a perfect calm. Even though the sea should brcuk over them, in an instant they are again seen flying along the ridge of the wave. But what appears still more extraordinary, is the power they possess of completely upsetting themselves in their canoes, so as to hang perpendicularly under the water. I shall relate an instance of this. Captain Turner was one day standing on the quarter-deck while the Indians were alongside trading ; he observed at some distance an Esquimaux paddling up and down, as if for amusement : having made a sign to him to come over, he told him he would give him a knife and a few needles, in case he would capsize himself in his eanoe. The Indian immediately made tight all his running strings, lapped ■ome skins about his body, and having thus secured himself from the water entering, he looked at Captain Turner with a very significant air ; he then inclined his body towards the sur- face of the water, and instantly dipped down ; here he remained suspended for a few seconds, when he appeared at the opposite side in his former upright position. This he did three successive times. When he had done, he shook himself, laughed very hear- tily, and after getting his knife and needles, paddled off. The value which they set on their canoes is, as we might naturally suppose, very great ; indeed, they will very rarely part with them, unless they get in exchange a considerable number of valuable articles, such as a tin-pot, a kettle, a saw, and perhaps a few gimblets. Captain Turner purchased one of the neatest I think 1 have ever seen : it was quite nevr, and was very beautifully ornamented. The hoop which surrounds the central aperture, instead of wood, was made of highly- polished ivory. The workmanship on the extremity of the pad- dle was exquisite. Before the owner parted with it he paddled up to an elderly man at some distance, whom, the captain told us. I • See Page 31. M*KeeKorU Voyage to Hudson't Bay. 35 was his father ; which, indeed, we had conjectured, as well from his aged appearance as from the great respect this young man appeared to pay to him. After deliberating for some time he returned and told Mr. Turner he should have the canoe, and im> mediately set about emptviog it of its contents. The articles which he took out he put into his father's ; and having given it up to the captain, he stretched himself quite flat behind his pa- rent, covering his face with his hands ; here he lay quite com- f)osed, without the smallest motion. The father having received lis tin-pot, kettle, hatchet, and a couple of files, rowed off. The day following we heard that this poor fellow had slipped off from behind his father while on the wuy to the short, and was drowned. The avidity of these poor people for traffic, exceeded any thing I could have had an idea of. Many of them, after' parting with all their goods, stripped themselves almost naked, and be- gan to dispose of their clothes fur the merest trifles. One man gave a very beautiful seal-skin jacket for an old rusty knife. Another parted with his breeches and boots for a file and a few needles. Another with a complete suit of clothes, for a saw and a few pieces of old iron. At length, thinking they had exhausted our entire stock of hardware, they began to barter with t\us ship's crew for their old clothes. It frequently afforded us a humorous sight too see those poor creatures dis- posing of their whole and comfortable, though rudely-formed garments, for a seaman's old working-jacket, or perhaps for an old checked shirt, through the numerous rents and apertures of which their copper-coloured skins here and there made its appearance. They generally paddled away in a great hurry, after completing the bargain, fearing lest the purchaser might possibly repent ; an apprehension which I could assure them was quite groundless. One of them purchased an old red night-cap from the cook, and having adjusted it on his head, he looked at himself in a glass, and laughed most immoderately. Several of them had bags of blubber, mixed with half- putrid half-frozen flesh ; these they offered for sale with great eagerness, and appeared very much surprised that they got no purchasers. Being anxious to examine their contents, I was induced to buy one ; on opening it, however, such a shocking stench proceeded from it, that I very cheerfully restored it to the original possessor. 1 had no sooner returned it to him, than applying the open extremity to his mouth, he took a drink from it, licked his lips, and laid it aside very carefully. Others had raw seal's- flesh, which they also seemed to consider a great luxury. 1 have frequently seen them take out a piece, eat a portion of it, and^ when done, lick their fingers and lips, as if S6 M^Keevor's yoyagc to Hudson' » Bay. they had been feeding on the fnigments of lome sumptuoui banquet. In consequence of the great number of canoes that were along- side the ship (no less tiian forty,) they frcuucntly tilted against each other; when this happened, they did not appear at all irritated, but rowed aside with the greatest good-humour. A few of them made off without giving any thing in return for the articles they had got from us ; the rest did not appear to notice it, nor did they at all interfere.* After puddling away a few yards from the ship, they generally turned about and laughed very heartily at those whom they had thus tricked. When disappointed in any article which they expected to get, they appeared very much irritated. I recollect seeing on the canoe of one of the men an appa- rently very nice skin ; I immediately held up a file to the Indian, and then pointed to the skin, thus intimating that 1 wished to exchange with him. On close examination, however, I found that it was completely rotten, and all over in holes, and signified to him that I did not think it sufficient value for the file. He immediately took up his paddle, and winding it round his head, made a desperate blow at me, the full benefit of which I should have received, but for the celerity with which I made up the gang- way. Several of the men had bows and arrows ; they could not, how- ever, be induced to part with them, owing, as the captain supposed, to their being then at war with some neighbouring tribe of Indians. During the first day, we were not visited by any of the women ; the following morning, however, about ten o'clock, a large boatful came alongside, and in about an hour after- wards several others. The women's boat, or umiak, as they term it, differs very much in form from that of the men, being entirely open at top, and so large as to be capable of carrying thirty or forty persons. They are made of the same materials as those of the men. In the first boat that arrived there were about twenty women, and the same number of children. At the stern of it I observed an aged infirm old woman, with a thoughtful melancholy countenance ; thfr/e was also some- thing wild and unsettled in her looks. A highly-polished plate of brass surrounded her forehead, somewhat like a co- ronet ; her hair was collected into small bobs, by means of the sinews of animals, and from each was suspended the tooth • This, however, arose a good deal, I fancy, from tbtir cvuipauious bring tq much occupied in trading. I M*Kewcr't ^oyagt to Hudson* i Bay, 37 of some land-animal. In otiicr respects her dress was like that of the rest : she appeared to have the command of the entire, as none of them bartered, even the most trifling article, without first asking her permission. I uniformly ohserved that men and women, when they had gotten any thing In exchange, immediately commenced licking it, to intimate, as f afterwards learned, that it was then their property. While trading with the women, I had an opportunity of observing how far they were from despising all s jrt of authority ; they all appeared attentive to the voice of wis- dom, which time and experience had conferred on the aged. It is age whirh teaches experience, and experience is the only source of knowledge amongst a barbarous people. I remarked that several of the mothers pointed repeatedly to the chifilren's heads, as I supposed for the purpose of selling them ; in this, however, I was quite mistaken, as they have for their children the great- est affection, and do not part with them for any consideration. I understood afterwards, that it was merely to recommend them to my notice, in order that I might give them something. The children, most of whom were about nine or ten years old, appeared of very lively dispositions, and many of them were really very well looking. 1 did not observe that they repri- manded them in any way ; indeed, I am told that this is never done. Liberty is their darling passion ; it is this which makes life supportable, and to it they are ready to sacrifice every thing ; their education is directed, therefore, in such a manner as to cherish this disposition to the utmost. Reason, they say, will guide their children when they come to the use of it, and before that time their faults cannot be very considerable ; but blows, by producing a slavish motive to action, might damp their free and martial spirit. A few of the women had young childrei at the breast. I recollect one in particular, who, while very busy trading, was much annoyed with the crying of her young squaw, aibout six months old, which she had in the hood of her garment. Unwil- ling to be at the trouble of holding it to the breast,'**^ she went up to tlie stern of the boat, where the old woman was sitting, and took out a small bag of blubber, applied the open extremity to the infant's mouth, and pressing it between her thumb and forefinger, she in this way forced a quantity of into the young thing's mouth ; the crying immediately ceased, and, in a few minutes^ the young savage was fast asleep. * I may here renark, that tlicir breasts, thoiigli very long and flaccid, are by no means of sufllcieut length to throw over their shoulders, as sutne have asserted. 38 M*Kievcr*i Voyage to Hudson*t Bey, Whr n bhe women had disposed of their merchandize, they all cried out, " Twa wi, tvva wi ;" and then pointed to the ship, thus intimating their '.Ash that we should leave them. In the evening about sixty of them, men, women, and chil- dren, came on board. The women appeared highly delighted with the dancing, and imitated it very closely. We shewed three or four of the men the two bears we had taken on the ice. They appeared very much terrified at the sight of them, and uttered something which I ^-^ould not understand. One of them pointed to his side, whe"** I observed a very large scar j he then made a growling k. d of noise, and ran away with great s^oed. I thence concluded that this poor fellow had been bit by a bear some time previous. Tea being announced, we brought several of them down to the cabin, and placed before them wine, rum, sugar, bread, niilk, and a variety of other things ; but they rejected them ail with the greatest disgust; sugar they appeared to dislike particularly. Every one of them, I observed, spit it oui, and cleansed their mouths after it. We happened to have for dinner that day some very nice roasted pork, and being anxious to see if they would eat of it, I placed a large slice on a plate before one of them ; I also laid a knife and fork before him. He appeared to like the meat well enough, but his knife and fork he managed very badly ; for instead r ''. introducing the piece on the fork into his mouth, the point of it went olT to his cheek, while the hana went to his mouth. I was m>;ch amused with this sin- gular instance of the strong force of habit. The children be- haved themselve« remarkably well. We could not, b iwever, prevail on them to sit more than a few minutes in one position. When placed in a chair, they would look down on either side of it, jump up, and run about the cabin. Being anxious to hear what the mother would say in case 1 attempted chastising one of tliem. I began to pull the ear? of a very fine boy, about twelve years old, who was sitting beside me. The mother im- mediately stood upi and gave me a very fierce angry looi ,, Observing ihat she was much displeased, I immediately began to pal him on the head, and gave hiir\ a few beads. She in- stantly recovered her good humour, and cried out, ^' Chimo, chime." There was only one of them attempted to pilfer. Hap- pening to look round rather suddenly, I observed one of them slipping a silver spoon into his boot. { immediately arrested his hand, took the spoon, and shewed it tc his companions. He did not appear at all ashamed of being detected, but laughed very heartji:'. \m- M*Keevor*s Voyage to Hudson** Bay. 89 About ten o'clock they left us; the greater part of them made towards the shore, to which they were directed by the placid light of a full unclouded moon. We gnzed after them for a considerable time, until at length they were lost in the dark and shadowy line of land which lay before us. Those who remained about the ship, slept on the ice the entire night, with merely the interposition of a few seal-skins. Before retiring to rest, I observed them take from their canoes some raw seal's-flesh and bags of blubber, on which they appeared to feast very sumptuously. I remarked, that one of them kepi, watch in turn during the entire night ; he walked about on the ice with a harpoon in his hand. This I fancy was more from a dread of being attacked by the bears, than from any apprehension they had of being attacked by the Europeans. A few of us remained on deck until a very late hour; at one time watching every motion of our northern friends, at anulher, gazing with asto- nishment and delight on the brilliant and impressive scenery with which we were surrounded. While thinking on the miserable condition of the squalid inhabitants of this dreary inhospitable climate, I was forcibly reminded of the following beautiful lines of Cowper : — -" Within the enclosure of yonr rockx Nor herds have ye to boastf nor bleating flocks ; No fertilizing streams yonr fields divide, That show, revers'd, the villas on their side ; No groves L..ve ye ; no ciieerful sonnc! of bird, Or voice of turtle, in your land is heard ; No grateful eglantine regales the smell Of those that walk at evening, where yon dwell.** With regard to the diseases to whijh these poor savages are su„ject, 1 mus^ be very brief. From personal observation 1 lea'-ned but little, and from enquiry still less. I may here re- mark, that I did not observe any appearance whatevt;r of small- pox among them ; ne'ther had the children or parents any marks or deformity of any kind. Indeed, it is said that they put to death those children that are born hunch-backed, blind, or defective in any limb ; and, in proof of this, it is advanced, that when they have been formed into societies, and that the vigilance of their rulers prevents such murders, the number of the defo.med is greater than in any country in Europe. I may remark, however, that this account is denied by very respectable authorities. The on)" diseases which fell under my observation, if diseases they could well be called, were the alfection of the eye-lldsj of w^iiich I have already spoken ; epistaxis, or bleeding from the nose, and hypochondriasis ; the 40 M*K€evor'i Voyage to Ifudspn** Bay. former of these arising probably from the large quantity of aoimal food which they consume, and from their being so constantly in a stooping posture : it did not appear to give them the smallest uneasiness. I have seen the blood trickle down very' copiously, without their even appearing to notice it ; they allowed it quietly to trickle into the mouth, and when it took an irregular course down by the angle of the mouth, they wiped it away with the cuff of their jacket. Hypochon- driasis is a very frequent complaint among them, induced, probably, by the physical circumstances of their situation, and the long confinement which they are compelled to submit to during their long and dreary winter; yet their general tem- perament does not appear to be a melancholic one. I have often been struck most forcibly with the vivacity of their dis- position, when contrasted with the wretchedness which their external condition displayed. The women are said to bear but few children. I shall conclude these few remarks, by observing, that springs being very rare in their country, the water wnich they use is principally supplied by melted snow ; nevertheless^ I have not observed any of those glandular swellings which so frequently occur in the Alpine regions of Europe and Asia. That the Esquimaux Indians were originally Greenhnd- ers is, I believe, now generally admitted. Indeed, the simi- larity of their dress, canoes, paddles, language, &c. must, I conceive, remove every shadow of doubt on the subject. They p'-mcipally iiihabit the sea-coast, as well for the purpose of being convenient to the sea, as that they may avoid the North-American Indians, there having long subsisted between those two tribes a deadly and implacable hatred. Whenever they come to an engagement, the North-American Indian, being better armed, and of a more muscular frame, is sure to oome off victorious. It generally terminates with the mas- sacre of the entire party, men, women, and children. Mr. Hearne, in his interesting voyage to Coppermine River, giving an account of one of those savage scenes which he had wit- nessed, relates the following very affecting circumstance :-— ** My horror," remarks Mr. Hearne, ** was much increased, at seeing a young girl, seemingly about eighteen years of a^e, killed so near me, that when the first spear was stuck into her side, she fell down at my feet, and twisted round my legs, so that it was with difficulty I could disengage myself from her dying grasp. As two Indian men pursued this unfortunate victim, I solicited very hard for her life ; but the murderers made no reply till they had stuck both their spears through M'Ketvor'i Voyage to Hudson's Bay, 41 her body, and transfixed her to the ground. They then looked me sternly in the face, and began to ridicule me, by asking if I wanted an Esquimaux wife ? and paid not the smallest regard to the shrieks and agony of the poor wretch who was twining round their spears like an eel I Indeed, after receiving much abusive language from them on the occasion, I was at length obliged to desire that they would be more expeditious in dispatching their victim out of her misery, otherwise I should be obliged, out of pity, to assist in the friendly office of putting an end to the existence of a fcUovv creature who was so cruelly wounded. On this request being made, one of the Indians hastily drew his spenr trom the place where it was first lodged, and pierced it through her breast near the heart. The love of life, however, even in this most miserable state, was so predo- minant, that though this might justly be called the most mer- ciful act that could be done for the poor creature, it seemed to be unwelcome, for, though much exhausted by pain and loss of blood, she made several efforts to ward off the friendly blow. My situation, and the horror of my mind at beholding this scene of butchery, cannot easily be conceived, much less described : though I summed up all the fortitude I was master of on the occasion, it was with difficulty I could refrain from I " ; and I am confident that my features must have feelingly expressed how sincerely 1 was allected at the barbarous scene I then witnessed. Even at this moment i cannot reflect on the transactions of that horrid day without shedding tears." Notwithstanding the shocking persecutions to which these poor creatures are exposed, there are no people in all the vast variety of climate, of soil, and of civilization, so attached to the land of their birth ; affording a striking proof that this strong passion is by no means commensurate with the phy- sical advantages of the soil. The contrary, indeed, appears to be the fact; the wretchedness of their condition, and dreadful severity of their climate, appearing rather to mul- tiply and strengtiien those tics of attachment. The few* who have becT) brought or rather forced away to this country, though c^.nivrd in the nior^t kind and tender manner, and provide' "-i-^ every comfort, have still sighed after their floating i.jvu';,mns, their beloved seals and smoky wigwams. No distance, however remote, nor lapse of time, however * Lc8 preiniera individues de cette nation qu'on ait vus en Europe, y avoient dU am^ne par le navigateur Forbisher, 4di pr^senta, en 1577, trois Es^aimaus « la reine Elizabetli : on les promena sur de petits clievaux de corse, & ils servi- rent pendant qiielque jours d'amusement a la populace, toujoars avide de specta- cle insens^s.— De Pcav 3ur les Americans, vol. i. p. 258. VoYAoas and Tbaybls, No, 2, Vol. IL F 42 M'Keevor's Voyaga to Hudson s liaij. great, nppcarcd capable of cradicatintr this stiDiifr passion from their hearts.* But whore to fin(t tliut happiest sjiot helnvr. Who ran iJirrct, when all pmrnd to kimw? Tho ithiuUlcrins tenant of liie frigid zone Boldly proclaims tliiit iiiippy Fpot lii.s own ; Extols the treasures of liis.tonny hpas, And ills long niglilsof rtvel.y and rafie. With regard to their dispositions, wcrr I tr) judge fioin what I had an opportunity of seeing, J sl)()uld suppose them to be a good-humoured, mild, traetable race of people. Others, however, have represented them in a very dilferent ligiit, accusing them of cruelty, theft, deceit, and, in short, ev«;ry vice. It is probable, however, that these accounts have been received from the North-American Imlians, who, as I nl ready mentioned, have long been their inveterate enemies. Captain Wales, who resided for many years in Hudson's Bay, speak- ing of them, says, " I have had, whilst at Churchill, an ex- ceedingly good opportunity of learning the dispositions of these people, as ocveral r^ them cotne almost every year by their own free will to resii, I c factory, and can with truth aver, that never people less , /ved the epitiicis of ' trea- cherous, cruel, fawning, and ouspicious ;* the contrary of which is remarkably true in every particular. They are open, generous, and unsuspecting ; addicted too much, it must be owned, to passion ; and too apt to revenge what they think an injury, if an opportunity ofl'ers at the moment, but arc almost instantly cool, without requiiing any acknowledgment on your part (which they account shameful), and, I verily be- lieve, never remember the circumstance afterwards. Mr. Ellis observes," continues Captain Wales, " that they arc apt to pilfer from strangers, easily encouraged to a degree of boldness, but as easily frightened." Now, I cannot help thinking, that he would have conveyed a much better idea of them if he had expressed himself thus : They are bold and enterprising, even to enthusiasm, whilst there is a probability of success crowning their endeavours ; but wise enough to desist, when inevitable destruction stares them in the face. • They are extremely, I might say obstinately, attarhed to their own customs and manner of living. Some of them, who were taken prisoners by the sojitiiern Indians, wlien they were boys, and brought to the factories, and there kept several years, have still regretted their absence from their native country. One of these, after having been fed on English diet, being present when one of the F.nglishmen was cutting up a seal, from whence the tram-oil ran very plentifully, licked up what he could save with his hands, and said, " Ah ! commend me to my own dear country, where I conld get my belly full of this."— Ellis's Voyage to Hudson's Bay, p. 63 . M^Keevor'it Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 4B )m lut l)e trs. i Of their religious upiiiions I have been able to learn but lit- tle. Our impeifect acquuintunce with their language j their avi- dity for traffie, which was so great as to prevent their attending to any enquiries un such matters ; these, together with the shortness of our stay among them, rendered it very difficult to ascertain any thing of a satisfactory nature on that subject. Some have very foolishly supposed that they adored a small figure resem- bling a bear, and made f r( m the tooth of the sea-horse : it is, however, merely intended as a kind of amusement during their long and tedious winter evenings. From the body, which is per- forated with a number of small holes, hangs a slender piece of stick, pointed ; and, on this, they endeavour to catch the bear, just in the same way as the cup and ball is used by the boys of this country. The following conversation, which is related by the accurate historian Crantz, to have passed between a converted Green- lander and one of the Moravian nnssionaries, will probably afford a better idea of their religious sentiments than any account I could give. The missionary having expressed his wonder how they could formerly lead such a senseless life, void of all reflection, one of them aiisvvered as follows : "It is true we were ignorant heathens, and knevy. notl.ing of a God or a Saviour ; and, indeed, who should tell us of him, till you came ? — But thou must not imagine, that no Greenlander thinks about these things. I, myself, have often though . r kajak (boat), with all its tackle and im])lements, docs not grow into existence of itself ; but must be made by the labour and ingenuity of man, and one that does not understand it would directly spoil it. Now, the meanest bird has far more skill displayed in its structure than the best kajak, and no man can make a bird. But there ii, a still far greater art shown in other creature. Who was he proceeded from his pa- But some must have been come ? Common report in- the formation of a man than of any it that made him ? I bethought me, rents, and they from their parents, the first parents : whence did they forms mc they grew out of the earth. But if so, why does it not still happen that men grow out of the earth ? And from whence did this same earth itself, the sea, the sun, the moon, and stars, rise into existence ? Certainly there must be some Being who made all these things — a Being that always was, and can never cease to be. He must be inexpressibly more mighty, knowing, and wise, than the wisest man. He must be very good too; because, every thing that he has made is good, useful, and necessary for us. Ah ! did I but know him, how would I love him and honour him 1 But who has seen him ? Who has conversed with him ?— none of us poor men. Yet there may be men too that know something 44 M*K€evor's Woifoge to Hudwn's Bay, of him. Oh ! could I but spea? with such I Therefore, (said he) as soon as ever I heard you speaic of this Great Being, I believed it directly with all my heart, because I had so long desired it." They all believe in a future state, but ^iiffer very much with regard to its nature and situation. In general, they imagine it to be a better state than this temporal life, and that it will never end. As they procure the greater part of their food from the bosom of the sea, therefore many of them place their Elysium in the abysses of the ocean, or bowels of the earth, and think the deep cavities of the rocks are the avenues leading to it. There, they imagine, dwells a Tonjarink and his mother ; there a joyous summer is perpetual, and a shining sun obscured by no night ; there is the fair limpid stream, and an exuberance of fowls, fishes, and their beloved seals, and these are all to be caught without toil ; nay, they are «ven found in a great kettle ready drest. But to these places none must approach, except those that have been dextrous and diligent at their work ; that have performed great exploits, have mastered many whales and seals, have undergone great hardships, have been drowned in the qea^ or died in child-bed. In reviewing the manners of these untutored Indians, some few particulars excepted, we are presented with an interesting view of primeval happiness, arising chiefly from the fewness of their wants, and their universal equality. The latter destroys all distinction among them, except those of age and personal merit, and promotes the ease, harmony, and freedom of their mu- tual conversation and intercourse. This facilitates the happiness of the Indian lover, who finds no obstacles to the fruition of his desires, from inequality of rank or fortune, or from the views which ambition or envy inspire ; and this annihilates all envy and discontent. But the advantages resulting from the paucity and simplicity of their desires, conl.ibute to their felicity in a more eminent degree. Those who have been unhappily familiarised to all the various refinements of luxury and effeminacy which attend the great, and whose deluded imaginatioDi esteem them essential to happiness, will hardly believe, that ao Indian, with- out any other covering but what aa undressed seal-skin affords, with a shelter which cannot deserve the name of a house, and a few culinary and domestic utensils, could form any pretensions to happiness; and yet, if I may be allowed to judge from exter- nal appearances, the happiness of these people may justly be envied, even by the wealthy of the most refined countries ; as their happy ignorance of those extravagant desires and endless pursuits which agitate the great luxuriou.^: 'Aorld, excludes every wish beyond their present enjoyment. The fewness and simpli- M*Keetor*s Voyage to Hudion't Bay, 4» city of their wants, with the abundance of means for their supply, and the ease with which tiiey are acquired, renders all division of property useless. Each amicably participates the ample blessings of an extensive country, without rivalling his neigh- bour or interrupting his happiness. This renders all govern- ment and all laws unnecessary, as in such a state there can be no temptations to dishonesty, fraud, injustice, or violence; nor, indeed, any desires which may not be gratified with inno- cence. To acquire the art of dispensing with all imaginary wants, and contenting ourselves with the real conveniences of life, is one of the noblest exertions of reason, and a most useful acqui- sition, as 't elevates the mind above the vicissitudes of for- tune. Socrates justly observes, that those who want least, approach nearest to the gods, who want nothing. The simplicity, however, which is so apparent in the manners of the Indians, is not the effect of a philosophical self-denial, but of the ignorance of more refined enjoyments, which, however, produces efiects equally happy with those which result from the most austere philosophy ; and their manners present an emblem of the fabled Elysian fields, where individuals need not the assistance of each other, but yet preserve a constant intercourse of love and friend- ship. Several modern philosophers, as Rousseau, Lord Monboddo, and others, from observing the innocence and happiness which savage nations enjoy, though ignorant of the liberal arts, have from thence inferred, that arts and sciences were prejudicial to civilized society. In this, however, they are egregiously mis- taken. The ills of civilized society have their source in the unnatural and unequal distribution of property, which is neces- sarily produced by the different degrees of sagacity, industry, and frugality in individuals, transmitted to, and augmented by an ac- cumulating posterity, till the disproportion in the possessions of different individuals becomes enormous, and creates a thousand unnatural distinctions among mankind, enabling some to squan- der the bread of thousands in a profusion of satiating pleasures, while multitudes are suffering from want, insulted by every spe- cies of subordinate tyranny. Thus the excessive disproportion of wealth renders tiie poor miserable, without augmenting the hap- piness of the rich. When this disparity becomes considerable, then, and not till then, luxury advances with all its attendant pleasures and refinements ; which, without communicating an increase of happiness to those who enjoy them, tempt those who have them not to endeavour to acquire them by unjust and vio- 46 M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson' t Hay. lent means. Mankind are then taught to connect the idea of hnp' piness with those of dress, equi[rage, affluence, and all the various amusements which luxury has invented ; thence they become slaves to a thousand imaginary wants, which become the source of envy, discontent, fraud, injustice, perjury, and violence. Thus man becomes the author of moral evil. To conclude, I may remark, that every kind of life has its pecu- liar advantages as well as evils. The vices of civilized countries, though more numerous, are less terrible. Artificial wants extend the circle of our pleasures; luxury in the rich, promotes industry and the arts, and feeds and clothes the labouring poor, who would otherwise starve ; thus we derive advantage not only from the follies but the vices of each other. Whether, therefore, we pass our life in the rustic simplicity and ignorance of an Esquimaux Indian, or in the endless pleasures of retincments and luxury, we shall arrive at the same end, and, perhaps, with an equal por- tion of happiness, as far, at least, as it depends on external enjoy- ments, abstracting only the miseries of real want and disease. However various the conditions of mankind may be, the distri- bution of happiness and misery in life is far from being so une- qual as is generally believed ; good and evil are indiscriminately mingled in the Cup of Being : the monarch in his purple, and the beggar in his rags, are exposed to their respective cares and afflic- tions ; agreeable objects, by possession and familiarity, lose their aptitude and capacity for pleasing, and, in every state of life, hope ends in disappointment, and enjoyment in satiety. August 4th. The ice beginning to loose for a considerable distance around the ship, we took in our anchors and made sail J during this day we got several very severe knocks from the ice, in consequence of which we were obliged to keep the pumps going day and night. On the (>th we were again visited by the Esquimaux. Many of the women had their faces tattoed in a very curious manner ; one of them, whose entire face was almost completely covered with these marks, had her hair collected into large bobs, from which hung several bears-claws. Their principal articles of traffic consisted of dogs, whalebone, and bones of the sea-horse dried, and of a beautiful white colour ; a few had small bags, containing mosses, lichens, and a few other cryptogamous plants. The dogs were for the most part white ; some, however, were spotted, and others of a black colour. Their ears are short and erect, and the whole body is covered with long hair j their legs and feet resemble very much those of the bear. They do not bark, but make a growling kind of noise. Some- JWKci'Vor's f'oyage to Hudson's Hay. 47 IS le )f IS >» id rv d times they arc eaten by the natives ; when the skins nre used as coverlets for eiothing, or for bordering nnd seaming their habits. They arc principally used, however, both in this country and in Kamslsciiatka, for the purpose of drawing ihcir sledges over the frozen snow during the winter season. Four, five, or six, as circumstances may require, arc commonly yoked to the same sledge, and will readily carry these persons with their bnggnge a journey of fifty JilngliMh miles a day. On the 8th we got in sight of Cape Diggs, Int. as observed, 63' 4', long. /H" .^0'. And on the day following Ciipe VValsing- ham came in view, bearing S. W. and in lat. 12° 39', long. 77^ 48 . August lOlh. Finding it impossible to make furiher |)ro- gress through the ice, wc made fnst to an island of jjrodlt^ions height and extent, ana of a very singular shape. The fore- part, or that to which wc anehored, was hollowed out in a Rcnjicircular form, and was of sufHcient extent to alTord shel- ter to the three ships. The back part presented a perpentli- cular cliff, which could not be less than 300 feet high ; the top part pres^nf'id a surface of about two miles in circumfer- ence ; in one part raised into rnggcd fantastic hills, in another depressed into abrupt precipitous valleys. Altogether, this island fornied one of the grandest piles I had ever witnessed. About six o'clock a party f)f us agreed to go on shore. We brought with us a very fine lad, a sailor-boy, who played the German-flute inimitably well, and who had been on this, as well as many other occasions, a very agreeable source of amusement to us. After labouring very hard for nearly two hours, we at length gained the summit of the island, which we took possession of in the name of his Britannic Majesty. Having laid aside our ice-anchors, axes, staffs, &c. we sat down to a collation of bread and cheese, after which wc had some wine. At length the lad began playing his flute, the rich and melodious sounds of which being reverberated from the adjacent hills and valleys, gave it an inconceivably grand effect. The sun still lingered on the verge of the western horizon, appearing, as it were, to rest his " huge disk" on one of the frozen fields of ice. At length, however, after spreading a saffron-coloured suffusion along the huge pile of clouds which now assembled on all sides, like " misfortunes and disasters around a sinking empire and falling monarch," he gently closed the parting day. And now they change ; a paler sliadow strews Its mantle oVr the mountains ; parting day Dies like the ilolphin, whom each pang embiirs 48 M'Keevor'i Voyage to Hudt(m*t Bay. With a new colour a> it gasps away, Tlie last, still loveliest, till— 'tis gune— and all is grpy. Latt Canto of Chitde Harold, p. 16. "' A night of uncommon fineness succeeded; the moon rose with unclouded splendour, irradiating with its placid efful- gence the surrounding scenery, and giving it, if possible, a still more interesting appearance. The clearness of the heavens, the serenity of the air, and the soft tranquillity which appeared to pervade all nature, contributed to harmonize the mind, and produce the most calm and pleasing sensations. On those occasions the soul appears to hare an irresistible ten- dency to rise from the grand and majestic scene to the great Author of all sublimity. About eleven o'clock we returned to the vessel, highly gra- tified with our evening's amusements. .Tust as we were getting on board a very melancholy event had nearly happened. The poor sailor-boy, to whom we were indebted for a great part of the evening's amusement, unfortunately slipped while getting up the quarter>deck, and was precipitated into the sea. Hopes and boat-hooks were instantly got, and in a few minutes we bad the poor fellow safe on board. On the 12th we made the north-end of Mansel's Island, situated in lat. 62« 38^,' long. 80° 33'. August 15th. Hardly any ice in sight ; going about four knots in the hour ; the ship continuing very leaky, we were obliged to keep the pumps going day and night. August 20th. About half-past one, A. M. the man at the forecastle shouted out ice ahead. The mate immediately went up to the bow of the vessel, and found we were running straight on very heavy ice. Being under a heavy press of sail, and going at the rate of 7i knots in the hour, we were of course much alarmed ; fortunately, however, the ship was readily got about, so that, in a short time, we were completely clear. After a short tack we again fell in with ice ; about five o'clock, however, A. M., wc got into a clear sea. At nine, A. M. going about 5^ knots in the hour ; course S. W. by W. ; wind fair. On the 21st we got into Hudson's Bay, after which we saw no more ice. Instead of feasting our eyes with the grand and impressive scenery which we had so long enjoyed, we had to encounter three days of almost incessant squalls, sleet, rain, and a most boisterous sea. On the 24th it blew . tremendous gale of wind ; danger considerably aggravated by our having made the land too sooni In a short time the whole horizon was covered with large foaming billows, which nc (1i fl< M^Keevoi's Voyage to Hudton'M Bay. 4f h c Mwell'il and rag'd and foam'tlt To be exalted with (lie tUreat'ning cloiids. In a few minutes all wus hurry and confusion ; the captain flew himself from one part of the deck to the other with the greatest alertness, to assist by his own exertions, when fear, or hurry, prevented the sailors from doing their duty. In the mid- dle of this awful scene 1 was called on to render professional assistance to Mrs. M'CIuin, who wus seized with labuur-pains. It would be difficult to conceive a more unpleasant situation than that in which I was now placed. The dread of being driven on a lee-shore, the howling of the wind among the rigging, the awful sound of the pumps, ivhich we were obliged to keep con- stantly at work ; the cries of my poor patient, who was now suf- fering the most intense pain vvhich human nature can suffer, all combined with the horribly depressing effects of sea-sieknesS| contributed to render this the most frightful night 1 had ever wit- nessed. About twelve o'clock, P. M., in consequence of dreadful shouting, I went upon deck, and found every one in the greatest consternation and terror ; it appeared we had got in among shoals, and that we had now not more than four fathom water ; in a short time, however, we got into ten fathom, when we cast two anchors. On these depended all our safety; if they gave way nothing would have saved us from being driven on shore, when we must inevitably have perished ; fortunately, however, they held fast. About ten o'clock, A. M., Mrs. M'Clain was. to the great joy of all on board, safely delivered of a daughter. At twelve o'clock the weather began to clear up, and, with the excep- tion of a few showers, was Hue all day. A brighter atmosphere now permitted us to get sight of the land, from which we were distant about ten miles. Some grass and twigs were observed floating alongside the ship. ': The following morning while lying in bed, I heard one of the men upon deck say he saw a schooner coming off from the land. We all immediately went upon deck, and found, to our great joy, that this piece of intelligence was correct. In a short time she was alongside. A large quantity of venison was sent us by the governor of York Fort, a present which the reader may rea- dily suppose was most acceptable, as we had hardly tasted any thing for two days, Wednesday, August 26th, we cast anchor in view of York Fort, last. 57° 2' N. long. 92° A6\ The day follov/ing I went on shore, in company with the rest of the cabin passengers. The coast, as we approached it, presented a very interesting appearance, being thickly studded with pine, poplar, and ju- Voyages and Travels, No. 2. Vol. II. G 50 M*Kcevor'» Voyage to Hudion't Bay, niper, wliilc the tide rippled on in tiny waves towards the white and pebbled beach. After ascending a platform, witich projected out for a considerable distance, we were welcomed in a most polite manner, by Mr. Aid, the governor. Until you come to the governor's house, nothing is to be seen but a few out-houses, Kome for storing firs, others for boat- builders. The governor's house is about 100 yards in breadth, and thirty feet high, consist- ing of two stories, not unlike an extensive farm-h lus \ Before it, there is a high close railing, for the purpose, ^ wjs told, of keeping oft' the Indians when they get intoxicated, as they are then not only troublesome but dangerous. It is built entirely of wood cut into square logs, and laid one on top of the other. After partaking of some refreshments, a walk was proposed. As I was most anxious to get a glimpse of the natives, 1 made towards that part of the shore where I had, on our way up, observed some of their wigwams. Of these I shall now give some ac- count. The N jrth-American Indians are, for the most part, tall, large boned, and long visaged, with very prominent features. The eye is penetrating, and of a deep black colour. The nose promi- nent, of an aquiline shape, not at all flattened. The forehead is short and straight. Chin rounded, and projecting slightly. Mouth large, but lips not at all inverted. Hair uniformly of a tihining black, straight and coarse, having no disposition what- ever to curl. On the entire when viewed in profile, the parts appear more deeply and distinctly marked out than in the Esqui- maux. The ear is not placed so far back on the head, nor is the glabella, or space between the eyes, ut all so great as in the last-mentioned tribe. The general expression of counte- nance is gloomy and severe. Some, however, especially the young men, have a very cheerful animated look. Though the countenance is, generally speaking, such as 1 have here repre- sented, there is, however, the same variety as wc meet with amongst Europeans, contrary to the assertion of some who have maintained that ail the inhabitants of the new world have pre- cisely the same countenance ; so that having seen one, you might be said to have seen all. They have but little hair on their chin, or upper lip, owing, as in the case of the Esquimaux, to its being eradicated immediately on its first appearance. The most unfounded reports have been circulated on this subject, by igno- rant, superficial, or piejudiced observers. Some, nideed, have gone so fi.r as to assert that the Americans are destitute of beard altogether, and have represented thiii as a characteristic peculi- arity of this portion of the human race. The concurring tes- timony, however, of uU modern accurate travellers, proves ***Keevor'i Voyage to Hudim'i Bay, 81 ckarlv that ...^ Americans have naturally beardi, and just as abuiKlant as we find it amongst Europeans ; that it is a very genernl custom with them, as it has been with several Morgolian and Malay tribes, carefully to eradicate this excrescence ; but that various tribes, in diflferent parts of the continent, preserve it as other men do. Gmelin founc*. this practice to exist in Africa : " It is not easy," he says, " to Hnd a Zungoune, nor any man of the neigh« I'ouring tribes, with a lienrd ; for they extract the hairs as soon tlicy appear, and repeat the process until at last no more are formed." The same circumstance is reported of the Sumatrans, by Marsden; of the Mindanao islanders by Forrest ; of the Pcllew islanders, by VViUcm ; of the inhubitants of New Guinen, by Cartaret ; and of those of Navigators' Isles, l>y Buugtiinville. I may add to this evidence, the testimonies of the celebrated navigator Captain Cook ; as also that of the most scientific traveller of ancient and modern times, the celebrated Hum- boldt. Captain Cook, speaking of the inhabitants of Nootka Sound, says, ** Some have no beards at all, and others only a thin one on the point of the chin. This docs not arise from a deficiency of huir in these parts, but from their plucking it out by the roots ; for those who do not destroy it, have not only con- siderable beards on every part of the chin, but also whiskers, or mustachios, running from the upper liptothelower jaw, obliquely ownwards." Humboldt, speaking of the South Americans, remarks, '' The Mexicans, i have observed, particularly those of the Aztee and Otomit^ races, have more beard than ever I saw in any other Indiana of South America. In the neighbourhood of the capital, almost all the Indians wear mustuchios." And again, *' I can affirm, that the Indians who inhabit the Torrid Zone of South America have generally some beard ; and that the beard increases when they shave themselves." The females, or squaws, as they are generally called, differ considerably both in person and features from the men. Instead of being tall, robust, and long-visaged, they are, on the con- trary, short, small-boned, with the face approaching more to the rounded form. The colour of the hair is the same in both ; the women, however, pay more attention to its being combed smooth behind, so as to flow loose about their shoulders ; in front, it is very neatly divided, so as to give a full view of the forehead. They, for the most part, have an expression of mildness and sweetness in their looks. The common dress of the men, in summer, consists of an English blanket thrown 52 iVPKeevor'i Voyage to Hudson t Bay, loosely round their shoulders ; under this a deer-skin jacket, the sleeves of whicli are distinct from the body, so that they can be removed at pleasure. Their small-clothes and shoes are made of the same miiterials as the jacket; the latter, or moccasi'~us, as they are termed, eve generally embroidered with dyed por- cupint.''s quills, in a very neat and elegant manner. Some of them wore a coat of scarlet, or jreen cloth, made after the mili- tary fashion, and ornamented with a profusion of tin, or silver trinkets, giving them a very noble and majestic appearance. The dress of the women differs somewhat from that of the men; the blanket, instead of being thrown loose about the shoulders, is brought close round the forehead, somewhat in form of a hood, and is generally bound round with scarlet, or green tape ; vhey also wear a long loose petticoat, made of some woollen stuff. On Sunday, in place of the blanket, they wear a piece of g;-en or scarlet cloth, made into the form of a rnantle, and tlirown carelessly over the shoulders ; it is in general very handsomely cnibroidercl with various ribbons, particularly green or yellow ; under tliis they wear a cloth dress, not unlike ii Euro- pean riding-habit. VViicn going abroad, they wear a black beaver-hat, ornamented with feathers and bands of various- coloured ribbons. On the entire, an Indian woman, in her Sunday- dress, has a very pretty and interesting appearance. Their canoes diller considerably from those of the Esqui- maux, :"! well in tlie shape as in the materials of which they are formed. The American canoe is comph^tely open A top, and is made of sections of bark, taken from the birch-tree : these are sewed together with tilaments from the roots of the spruce fir-tree, called watiipi'. They are about thirty feet in length, and <>bout six ii. breadth at the widest part. Tlic bottom is rounded, at.d they have no keel. The frame is Tormed of slight pieces o!' light wood, over which is fastened a sheathing composed of the light materials already mentioned. Instead of the doi'ble paddle, used by the Esquimaux, they make use of a short piece of wood, about three feet long, narrow at the top, and gradually bccomiug broad towards the extremity j on the whole, not unlike the extremity of an English oar cut off The manner in which they construct their tents, or wigwams, is as follows: Being provided with poles of a proper length, they fasten two of them across, near the ends, with bands made of birch rind ; having done this, they raise them up, and extend the lower part of each as wide as they propose to make the area of the tent; other poles, of an equal height, are then set round at equal distances from each other, so that can M*Ktevor's Voycgt to Hudson'* Barf., d'A their lower ends form a complete circle ; ovei' theentire is spread the tent-cloth, which is generally made of deer-skins* dressed by the na'.ives. A slit , and English biscuit; she was at that time quite cheerful, and in remark- ably good spirits. About six o'clock in the evening she was seiiX'd with labour-pains, when she retired to an apartment in the governor's house, in company with ati elderly Indian wo- man ; about half-past six she was delivered of a fine boy j and a little after seven of the same evening, I saw her walking about the factory. The young infant immediately born was washed with cold-water, anil aferwards wrapped up in a young bcaver-skin and placed ijj its cradle, which is made as follows : they take a plain piece of board, about three feet long and one and a half in breadth ; to either side of this they make fast a portion of cloth or ticking, which they procure from the Europeans ; this they adorn with beads and quill- work, in a very tasty and beautiful manner. Under this outer covering, which is made to lace up to the front, they place a fine English blanket, folded in a circular form, and inside of this they |)lace a layer of very fine moss, for the purpose of absorb- ing the discharges of the child ; when soiled it is immediately renewed. To each corner of the flat piece of board a string is attached, which terminates in a loop ; by these they are sus- pended from the side of the tent, so as not to prevent them attending to their work. To one end of the board u broad worsted belt is made fast; when travelling this is passed round the forehead, while the cradle hangs behind. Tlx' face of the child is all that is seen, the arms and feet being confined under the cloths and bandages whicl^ are wrapped round it. In summer a piece of gauze is thrown over the young savage, to keep off tlie musquitos, which are at this season very trouble- some. Shortly after the child was born it was given the breast ; 1 could not y^ 'p admiring the tender and affectionate looks M^Keevor's t^oyage to Hudson's Bay. sr irs. at er. Ihis fond mother gave her Uttle babe while she was giving it Ihis nourishment, or, as they very beautifully express it, tootooshonarto, the sap of the human breast. The day follow- ing that of which I Imve been speaking, Mrs. I), and her hus- band set out on a journey of two hundred miles. Long, in his account of the North American tudians, relates the following anecdote : " About an hour before sun-set, on the fourth day, we stopped at a small creek, which was too deep to be forded, and whilst the Indian was assisting mc in mak- ing a raft to cross over, rather than swim through in such cold weather against a strong current, I looked round and missed his wife j I was rather displeased, as the sun was near setting, and I was anxious to gain the opposite shore to encamp before dark. I asked the Indian where his wife was gone ; he smiled, and told me, he supposed into the woods to set a collar for a partridge. In about an hour she returned with a new-born infant in her arms, and coming up to me said, in Chippeway, * Oway Sagonnash Payshik Skomagonish,' or, here linglish- man is a young warrior." Mr. Hearne informs us, that when a northern Indian woman is taken in labour, a small tent is erected for her, at such a distance from the other tents that her cries cannot easily be heard, and the other women and young girls are her constant attendants. No male, except children in arms, are ever allowed to approach her. It is a circumstance, perhaps, to be lamented, that these people never attempt to as- sist each other on these occasions, even in the most critical cases. This is in some measure owing to deil, acy, but more probably to an opinion they entertain, that nature is abundantly sufficient to perform every thing required without any external helps whatever. Mr. Hearno tells us, that when he informed them of the assistance which European women derive from the skill and attention of practitioners in midwifery, they treated it with the utmost contempt, ironically observing, " that the many hump-backs, bandy-legs, and other deformities, so frequent among the English, were undoubtedly owing to the great skill of the persons who assisted in bringing them into the world, and to the extraordinary care of the nurses after- wards." After childbirth an Indian woman is reckoned unclean for a month or five weeks, during which tin>e she always remains in a small tent placed at a little distance from the others, with only a female acquaintance or two ; and during the whole time the father never sees the child. The reason which they assign for this practice is, that children when first born are sometimes n;* very sightly, having in general 'arge heads and but little '^ovAOES and Travkls, No. 2, f'ol. If H 58 M^Keevor'a Voyage lo Hudson's Bu^; hair, and are, moreover, often discoloured by the force of labour}*^ so that were the father to see them to such great dis- advantage, he might, probably, take a dislike to them, which never afterwards could be removed. It is said, that when de- livered of twins, they sacrifice that which appears to them the weaker of the two; this monstrous practice exists among many wandering nations, where the men never take any burdens that might encumber them in the chace. They generally suckle their children for two years ; sonje, however, continue it for three, four, and even five years. The absolute want of all kind of domestic cattle, and conse- quently the total want of all milk-diet, is the principal reason why the American women keep their infants so long a time at the* breast. It is probably owing to this long-continued nurs- ing that the mamutije are in them so relaxed and pendulous.f They are, however, by no means so long as some writers would lead us to suppose ; indeed, I suspect there is much exaggeration, if not absolute falsehood, in some of these narra- tions. Thus, in Hakluyt's Collection, vol. ii. p. 26,' it is asserted, that divers women have such exceeding long breasts that sonic of them will lay the same upon the ground, and lie down by them. Bruce asserts, that in some of the Shangallas they hang down to the knees. Mentzelius tells us, that purses are made in great numbers from the breasts of Hottentot fe- males, and sold at the Cape of Good Hope. But what will appear still more extraordinary is, that the females of this country ilreland) have been accused of this extrcfiie pendu- lous state of the maiunta;. I hope my fair countrywomen will excuse me for making the following extract : Lithgovy, in his " Raire Adventures and Painefulle Pergrinations," p. 433, says, " J saw, in Ireland's noi the parts, women travayl- ing the way, or loyling at home, cany their infants about their ueckes, and laying the dugges over their shoulders, would give sucke to the babes behinde their backs, without taking them in their armes. Such kind of breasts, me thinketh, were very fit to be made money-bags for East or West Indian mer- chants, being mure than half a yard long, and as well wrought as any tanner, in the like charge, could ever mollifie such leather." • Ve are not, however, to siippose that thii process is so readily accomplished ia all vaHes. Mr. Midler infurined roe, that they are sometimes a day and a night in labour. In this casethiy frequently pass a stick horizuntally along the ahdo- uien, for the purpose of exciting uterine contraction. If travelling, they place the child on Oii-ir backs and resume their journey. f See Artic.e Man, Rces's Cych>p»dia. cc of itdis- vhich n de- ll the many s that iuckle it fur M'Kecvor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 59 The Indian women are remarkably attached to their young charge,* watching over them with tlic greatest affection and tenderness ; and, should they die, lamenting their loss in the most affecting manner. Even for several months after their decease they visit their little graves, and shed over them some very bitter tears. From their infant state they endeavour to promote an independent spirit in their offspring; they are never known either to beat or scold them, lest the martial disposition which is to adorn their future life and character should be weakened. On all occasions they avoid cvciy thing compulsive, that the freedom v»'ith which they wish them to act may not be controuled. They instruct them in lessons of patience and fortitude, and endeavour to inspire them with courage in war, and a contempt of danger and death ; above all things, they endeavour to instil into their minds an here- ditary hatred and implacable thirst of revenge towards the Esquimaux. The North American Indians, in general, have five or six wives. Indeed, this is frequently the only mark of distinction amongst them, that man being most respected who is best able to support the greatest number of women. Thus Matoimabee, an Indian chief, who conducted Mr. Hearne up Coppermine River, had eight of them. Their names are generally taken from some part or property of a beaver, marten, or other ani- mal. When they wish to take a wife, and that they find one to their mind, the Indian applies to the father of the girl, and asks his consent in the following words : " Nocey, Gunner kee darmissey kce darniss nee zargay- * A singular instance of this occurred during Mr. Ellis's residence at York Fort. Two small ranoes passing Hayes's River, when they had got to the middle of it, one of the.m, which was made of the bark of a birch*tree, sunk, in which was an Indian, his wife, and child. The other canoe being small, and incapable of receiving more than one of the parents and the child, Kroduced a very extraordinary conte.«t between the man and his wife, not nt that both of them were willing to devote themselves to save the other; but that the difficulty lay in determining which would be the greatest loss to the child. The man used many arguments to prove it more reasonable that he should be drowned than the woman. But she alleged, on the contrary, it was more for the advantage of the child that she should perish, because he, as a man, was better able to hunt, and consequently to provide for it. The little time there was still remaining was spent in mutual expressions of tenderness, the woman strongly recommending, as for the last time, to her husband, the care of her child. This being done, they took leave in the water ; the woman quitting the ...anoc was drowned, and the man with the child got safe ashore, and is now taken n uch notice of by the people thereabouts. Sec Ellis's Voij'rge t<> Hudson' t Bay, p. 88. GO M^Keevor's Vvyage to Hudson^s Bay. gar kakaygo o waterwarwardoossin cawwecn pcccan weelcy gauunat ottcrtassuy memaijis mec inor." " Father, I love your daughter ; will you give licr to ine that the Bmall roots of her heart may entangle with mine, so that the strongest wind that blows shall never separate them." If the father Approves, an interview is appointed, for which the lover prepares by a perspiration ; he then comes into her pre- sence, sits down on the ground and smokes his pipe ; during the time of smoking he continues throwing small pieces of wood of about an inch in length at her, one by one, to the number of a hundred. As many as she can catch in a bark bowl, so many presents her lover must make to her father, which the latter considers as payment for his daughter. The young warrior then gives a feast, to which he invites all the family. When the feast is done, they sing and dance to their war-songs. The merriment being over, and mutual presents exchanged between the lover and her relations, the father covers them with a beaver robe, and gives them, likewise, a gun and birch canoe, with which the ceremony ends. Conjuring is a very common practice among them, and is frequently had recourse to for the purpose of procuring re- hpcct and distinction. As the conjurors are the only persons applied to in bodily ailments, their deccptious practices are also resorted to for the purpose of spreading their professional fame. Frequently they get themselves bound up in the fol- lowing manner : Being stripped quite naked, cords are passed round each finger, and then over the entire hand, so as to dc- })rive thcn» altogether of the power of moving these i)arts ; they are then fastened behind their backs ; a large bufTalo skin is now thrown over them, and is tied round with ropes, beginning from above downwards. Tiie legs are secured in a similar manner, so that they are deprived of the least power of motion, l^ound up in this manner they arc put into a tent alone; after extricating themselves they come out, and tell the hy-standcrs exultingly, that it was the Great Spirit that assisted them in getting free. When a relation or friend to whom they are particularly attached is, as they suppose, in extreme dan- ger, they make use of the most absurd superstitious practices, such as pretending to swallow knives, chisels, hatchets, &e. This is done from a superstitious notion, that they will be able, by these means, to aj)pease the " old scythe-man," and thus procure a respite for their patient. When these extraordinary practices are had recourse to, the patient is placed in the mid- dle of a bmall square lent, and in a t.iiort time is followed by M*Kecvor's yoyagc tu Hudson's Bay. (11 elcy llie conjuror, who is stripped quite naked. In very hopeless cases they call for consultation ; in this case the assistants also enter quite naked. Having closed the door of the tent very accurately, they then arrange themselves about the unfortunate patient, and begin to suck and blow at the parts affected,* and in a short time to sing and talk, as if conversing with familiar spirits, which they pretend appear to them in the shape of diflferf nt animals. After a long conference with those invisible agents, they then call for the instrument wliich they are to swallow. They very prudently have a long string attached to this knife, bayonet, or whatever else it may be, for the purpose of drawing it up again. After having practised this deception several times, they again commence sucking the part affected. After this the surating process is commenced j for this purpose the tent is closed as accurately as possible on all sides. Red-hot stones are then thrown into a vessel of water, and in a short time the wliole tent is filled with steam, which acting on the surface of the Fkin, soon produces a copious sweat. This being continued until a feeling of weakness is induced, the cure is then said to be completed ; and certainly it must be allowed, especially where the complaint is of a rheumatic description, that this is not unfrequently the case. Mr. Hearne, in the interesting work already so often alluded to, gives the following very curious instances of which he was himself an eye-witness. " At the time when the forty and odd tents of Indians joined us, one man was so dangerouly ill that it was thought necessary ths conjurors should use some of their wonderful experiments for his recovery j one of tliem, therefore, immediately consented to swallow a broad bayonet. Accordingly a conjuring-house was erected, into which the patient was conveyed, and he was soon foUowetl by the conju- ror, who, after a long ])reparatory discourse, and the necessary conference with the familiar spirits, advanced to the door and asked for the bayonet, which was then ready prepared by having a string fastened to it, and a short piece of wood tied to the other end of the string to prevent his swallowing it. Though I am • For some inward cotnplaints, such la ((ripinf; in tlic lotrstincs, &c., it is vrry roniiiion to see those jugglers blowing into the rectum iintiH their eves are almost starting out of tlieir head. The accnmulation of so large a quantity of wind is, :it tiine^^, apt to occasion sonic extraordinary emotions, which are nut easily snp- proshcd by a sick person ; and, as there is no vent for it but the channel through wliich it was conveyed thither, it somelimes occasions an odd scene between the tluctor and his patient, which I once wantonly called an engagement ; brt for wiiich I was afterwards exceedingly sorry, as it highly offended several of the Indians, paiticiilarly the juggler and sick person. — Hearne s Voyage up Copper* mine liiver. C2 M'Ki'ei'or's yoyage to Hudson's Hay. not so credulous," continues Mr. He arne, *' as to believe, that the conjuror absolutely swallowed the bayonet, yet I nnust ac- knowlengc that, in the twinkling of an eye, he conveyed it to God knows where ; and the small piece of wood, or one exactly like it, was confined close to his teeth. He then paraded backward and forward before the conjuring-house for a short time, when he feigned to he greatly disordered in his stomach and bowels ; and, after making many wry faces and groaning most hideously, he put his body into several distorted attitudes very suitable to the occasion. He then returned to the door of the conjuring-house, and, after making strong ciforts to vomit, by the help of the string he, at length, and after tugging at it for some time, produced the bayonet, which apparently he hauled out of his mouth, to the no small surprise of all present. He then looked round with an air of exultation, and strutted into the conjuring-house, where he renewed his incantations, and con- tinued them without intermission for twenty-four hours." The other instance which Mr. Hearne mentions, is that of a poor paralytic Indian, who had been in a most deplorable condition for a length of time. " That nothing," remarks Mr. Hearne, *• might be wanting towards his recovery, the same man who deceived me in swallowing a bayonet in the summer, now offered to swallow a large j'iece (»f board, about the size of a barrel-stave, in order to effect his recovery. The piece of board was prepared by another man, and painted according to the directions of the juggler, with a rude representation of some beast of prey on one side ; and on the reverse was painted, according to their rude me- thod, a resemblance of the sky. After holding the necessary con- ference with the invisil)le spirits, he asked if I was present, for he had heard of my saying that 1 did not sec him swallow the bayonet fair ; and, on being answered in the affirmative, he de- sired me to come nearer; on which the Indians made a lane for mc to pass, and I advanced close to him, and found him standing at the conjuring-house door as naked as when born. When the piece of board was delivered to him he proposed at first only to shove one-third of it down his throat, and then walk round the company ; afterwards to shove down another third, and so proceed till he had swallowed the whole, except a small piece of the end, which was to be left behind for the purpose of hauling it up again. When he put it to his mouth it apparently slipped down his throat like lightning, and only left about three inches sticking without his lips ; after walking backwards and forwards three times, he hauled it up again, and ran into tiie conjuring-house with great precipitation. This he did, to dW appearance, with great M^Kcevor'n Voyage to Iltidson't Hay, (>3 ense and composure, and, notwitlistanding I was all attention on the occasion, I could not detect the deceit : and as to the rea- lity of its being a piece of wood that he pretended to swallow, there is not the last reason tu doubt, for I had it in my hand both before and immediately after the ceremony." Matonahec, an Indian chief, who was then present, assured Mr. Elearnc that he had seen a man, who was then in company, swallow a child's cradle with as much ease as he could fold up a piece of paper, and put it ioto his mouth ; and that when he haul- ed it up again, not the mark of a tooth, or of any violence, was discovered about it. It is really extremely difficult, and oftentimes altogether impossible to give any satisfactory explanation of the manner in which these feats of legerdemain are accomplished. I may remark, however, and, indeed, Mr. Hearne admits the fact, that in the second instance there was great room for decep- tion. Though the conjuror was quite naked, he had several of his companions well clothed standing very close round him during the entire ceremony, and to whom he probably slipped the main piece of wood. The suspicion is connrmed by the cir- cumstance of Mr, Hearne having seen this man on that very day shape a piece of wood of precisely the same figure as that which protruded from the mouth, which was of this ^ shape. The figure of the entire piece was nearly what is here repre- sented { j[ "I 1] l)~l ^' It is probable, therefore, that the top part was merely inserted into the body of the stave, so that it could be removed at pleasure. They rarely have recourse to any medicines either for their in- ternal or external complaints, generally trusting for relief to such nonsensical charms as I have described. Sometimes, however, especially after their drunken freaks, they make use of blood-let- ting, which is performed in the following manner : they take a small sharp instrument, not unlike an awl, and drive it into the flesh under the vein which it is proposed to open ; they then cut down on the vessel with a common knife. Those who have nei- ther of the instruments mentioned, make use of a sharp flint, with which they divide the vein. Lambert in is travels through the United States of North-Ame- rica, assures us, that they frequently, especially when after a fit of intoxication, quaft'off, while yet quite warm, the blood which has been drawn from the arm of another Indian. In the year 1801, while travelling across the rocky mountains of the north- west, Mr. Lambert had an opportunity of witnessing this disgust- ing sight. " This morning our guide, belonging to the Cree tribe, complained that his head and stomach were out of order, Id acli of those ioiiii.s she had lost a relative. It is probable^ that these horrible practices are resorted to under the impress Nioii that the malignant powers delight in groans and misery^ and that they are not to be appeased but by human blood. VVhen about to depart this life, they meet the'r approaching fate with firnincss and resignation ; not unfrcipienlly, indeed, especially when advanced in life,* they long for the expected summons. " It is better," said an aged Indian, " t./ be seated than standing ; to bo asleep than awake : to be dead than nlivc." After putting on their best clothes, the family is called around, and addressed in a firm manly tone, exhorting them to lead peaceable industrious lives ; to be obliging and friendly towards the Europeans ; and if they bear any revenge to- wards another tribe, they are exhorted to carry it to the last. Ilccndurca his tortures with the greatest composure ; tells them he is going to the land of spirits, that blissful abode where he will have plenty of fowling and fishing ; and desires them to bury witli him his gun, shot-pouch, kettle, as also his Mkipperloggan, containing his flint, steel, and touchwooo. All this is failhfi)!Iy complied with. IT, however, they should at any time stand much in need of any of these articles, as a gun, for iiistatuc, they very often take it from their gravo.s, and leav'.' in i's place a long p:)le. With reg; nl to their religious sentiments, there is, I believe but little ditfcrenec. Tliey all believe in a great good Being, and in a great bad one. They gciicrnlly pray to the bad one that he may not injure them ; to the good otic they think it unnecessary to pray, as they arc confulcnt he will not injure • One custom Uiey have, wliicli is vtry extiaonlinnry : Whtn Uuir pa- rents Krow 10 old as to tte incapable ot' tiiipporlini; Uit-niseivcs by their omii tabuiii, tliey require their ehiblreu to t>triinglu them, and this is esteemed an not of obedience in them to perform. Tlic manner of di.s« barging lliis lu.st duty is thus : tliu grave of the old pcr5on being diip, he goes into it ; and, afier having conversed, and smoked a pipe, or perhaps drank a diani or two with his children, the old person sigmties ihat he is ready ; i pon which two of the children put a thong abunt his neck, one standing on one sio stop the bottle, he made use of his finger, which was soon frozen fast, by Vkhich accident he lost a part of it to make a cnre practicable. f If a door or window was but opened, the cold air rushed in with great fury and turned the inclosed vapours >nto aniall snow. JSor was all the heat we could raise sufficient to keep our windows, the ceiling', or sides of the house, clear from Know or ice. Those whose bed-clothes touched the walls, weie gener>.!ly froze Tttsi in th«»m by morning ; and our breaths settled in a white hoar-frost upon the blankets. — See Elms's Voyjge to Hudson'^ Hay, p. 81. M*KtewT's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 67 At this time they subsist principally on salted geese, dried tongues, and pimmicum. When the weather is more mode- rate, however, they hunt the rein-deer, which they often meet in vast herds, seeking the extreme cold. Frequently, they merely take out the tongues, leaving the rest of the body to putril'y, or be devoured by wild beasts. At times, however, such is the extreme scarcity of food, that they are obliged to have recourse to the most filthy and disgusting practces for the purpose of sustaining life. Many are obliged to strip the hair from the peltry which they are bringing to the different factories, and subsist on the skins. Others procure a scanty nourishment from the deer-skins, with which their shoes and other parts of their dress are formed; and, at times, such is the dreadful want of provisions, that they are compelled to resort to the horrid and revolting practice of cannibalism, Mr. Swaine mentioned to me an instance which occurred the preceding winter, of a southern Indian woman, who was in such extrenje want, that she dug up one of her own relatives, who had been some time buried, and fed for several days on this shocking repast. Mr. Ellis tells us *' that an Indian, who with his family was coming down to trade from a place very far distant, had the misfortune to meet with but little game by the way j so that in a short time himseh, his wife, and his children, were reduced to the last distress. In these circumstances, they plucked the fur from their clothes, and preserved life as long as they were able, by feeding on the skins which they wore j but even this wretched resource soon failed them; and then, what is terrible to conceive, and horrible to relate, these poor creaiures sustained themselves by feeding on two of their children." Mr. Hearne, in p. 85 of his interesting work, makes men- tion of the following instance : " In the spring of the year 1775> when I was building Cumberland-house, an Indian whose name was Wappoos, came to the settlement at a time when fifteen tents of Indians were on the plantations j they examined him very minutely, and found he had come a con- siderable way by himself, without a gun or ammunition, This made many of them conjecture he had met with and killed some person by the way ; and this was the more easily cre- dited, from the care he took to conceal a bag of provisions which he had brought with him, in a lofty pine-tree wcur the house. Being a stranger, I invited him in, though I saw he had nothing for trade ; and, during that interview, some of the Indian women examined his bag, and gave it as their opi- nion that the meat it ccntained was human flesh ; in consc- cs APKeevor's Voyage lo Hudson's Bay. qucncc, it wns not ^vitlioiit the interference of some principal Indians, whose liberality of sentiment was more extensive than in tlie others, that the poor creature's hfe was saved. Many of the n)cn cleaned and loaded their guns, others hud their bows and arrows ready; and even the women took pussession of the hatchets to kill this poor inolTensivc creatine, for no crime but that of travelling about 20() miles by himself, un- assisted by fire-arms for his support on his journey." It is asserted that tiie southern Indians, if once they are driven to this unnatural ])ractice, become so fond of it that 110 person is safe in their comi)any. '1 liey are, however, de- spised and neglected for ever after. From the instances which I have here related, particularly that by Mr. Hearnc, we niay conclude that cannibalism has always originated in extreme want, though it may afterwards 1)C continued from other motives. During this frightful season, the whole animal creation in- Rtead of the usual variety which exists during the summer, puts on the " winter robe of purest white." Even animals which have been brought from this country become, at this 3)eriod, of a milk-whiie colour. It is a difficult matter lo say what purposes in th:: animal economy this singular change may serve. It once occurred to me, that perhaps a while surface might possess less radiating powers, and in this way preserve to the animal body a quantity of caloric, which would otherwise be dissipated by the intense cold of the climate. 1 found, however, that on placing a canister, ecnstructcd after iMr. Leslie's directions, and on which I had pasted j)orlions of different coloured skins in the focus of a concave niirror, that there wns not the slisrhte?t diflercnce in the effects pro- iluced on the differential ihermonieter. There is, in fact, but little known of a satisfactory nature on this interesting sub- ject j I shall, therefore, drop it here, lest, by substituting con- jecture in the place of more solid information, I n)ight disgust the sensible reader. Another change is observed to take place in the animal creation at this time, the wise intentions of which are sufficiently obvious : the skin of every animal is covered with a finer and longer fur* than they possessed du- • A corrcspondinR exctiaiige, wc find, takes plare in ivarm dimates. Thus ttic slicep in Africa lias a coarse liair !stiUilcd in place of its wool ; anllowing are its characters : corolla pink, deeply four-cleft : leaves elliptic, oblong entire, slightly revolute, obtuse, smooth : stems ascending : flowers late- ral, filaments purple, downy : anthers yellow, converging, without spurs : the germen is smooth : the berry is pear-shaped, crimson, and of a peculiar flavour. We packed a 'arge quantity of them in small casks, and used them on the passage ; they made remark- ably nice pies. Sir Joseph Banks advises us, in order to have this species of cranberry, to cultivate it in an artificial bog, with plenty of water. He assures us, that a few square yards of ground occupied in this way, will yield as many cranberries as any family can use. I shall here give an account of the other plants which I !?■. * Thus (the lichen langifiprinii!!) coral moss vegetates beneath the snow in Siberia, where the degree ot heat is always about 40°, that is, in the medium between the freezing point and the common heat of the earth. Tiiis vegeti*l)ie is tor many months of the winter the sole food of the rein-deer, who digs furrows in the snow, and scrapes it up ; and as the milk and 6esh ef this animal are almost the only sustenance which can be procured by the natives during the long win« tcrs of tho.se high latitudes, this moss may be said to support millions of man- kind. — See Darwin's Zoommia. f Hence the common observation that siiuw is for a long time dissolved on hedges before it disappears from the neighbouring path-way. M^Keevor's Foyage to Hudson's Buy. 71 collected during these excursions. The most abundant is the sorrel, belonging to the species oxalis stricta, or yellow upright wood-sorrel. The root is creeping : stem erect, branched : leaflets inversely heart-shaped : umbels stalked : axillary : solitary : many- flowered. The flowers are numerous, small, yellow : stamens covered with a downy substance. Coltsfoot is also very common : it appeared to belong to the species tupilago sagittata. The flowers were radiated, and of a light flesh-colour, with short obtuse rays : panicle dense : ovate : level topped : radical leaves, oblong : acute : arrow>shaped : entire, with obtuse lobes. Scurvy-grass, or cochlearia GrcBnlandicaf is found here, as in all northern countries, in great pie:d. M'Kecvor's I'oyaqc to Hudson'^ Hay. 73 he he ire of ^ been speaking, depends upon these principles. Ur. Hamilton, of this city was, it seems, the fnst wIjo attempted to discover any positive evidence of tiie electrical nature of the aurora borcalis. The only proof, however, which he advances, is an experiment of Hawkesbier, by which the electrical fluid is shown to assume appearances resembling the aurora borcalis, when it passes through a vacuum. He observed, that when the air was most perfectly exhausted, the streams of" electrical matter were then quite white; but when a small quantity of air waa let in, the light assumed more of a purple colour. The flashing of the light, therefore, from the dense region of the atmosphere into such as are more rare, and the transition through mediums of different densities, he considers as t'lc cause of the aurora, and of the different colours it assumes. Dr. Halley, and,, more lately, Mr. Dalton, have advanced many ingenious arguments in favour of the opinion that this phenomenon depends on the quantity of magnetic fluid existing in the atmosphere, the polarity of magnets hav- ing been observed to be disturbed during its appearance. It has been proved, however, particularly by Pereeotte, that this disturbance does not always take place on such occasions ; and, as the same circumstance is observed to happen when the atmosphere is in a positive state of electricity, the theory itself becomes highly questionable. Whatever may be the imme- diate cause of this phenomenon, it is evidently connected with the condensation of vapour from the air, as during their appear- ance, there always is observed a copious deposition of dew or hoar-frost. Hence, perhaps, this meteor* is so common in those latitudes where the vericular vapour hangs near to the earth's surface, and when its evaporation and precipitation are slowly taking place. The halos which occasionally surround the sun and moon de- serve to be next considered. This appearance occurs only when there is a slight fog in the atmosphere. They rarely accompany the sun, owing to these vapours being so readily dissipated by the calorific rays of that planet. This phenomenon appears to be occasioned by the rays of light striking against a cloud, or body of vapour, which, although considerably uniform and dense, is still so rare as to allow them to be scattered at the point of incidence, and which are thus reflected and refracted, from every • See, on this subject, Robertson's History of the Atmosphere.— Dr. Halley's Philosophical Transactions, No. 347, p.4U6-- Kirwan's Transactions of the Roy»l Irish Academy, 1778, p. BO.— Frankhn's Experiments and Observations, i76% p. 49.— Philosophical Transactions, Vol, xlviil. Pari 1, p. 358.— PriesHy's History of Electricity. VoY.\GEs ami Tbavels, iVo. 2, Tu?, //. J^ 74 M*Kcei^or\s Voyage to Hndson*s Bay. point around giving the appearance of a luminous circle. An appearance, not un1ii Voyriftc lo IIiulsou's Hay. A tntul .. A clay Mill . . A iiij^lit hiiii . . A fox An <»tler A marten A beiir A wliif(.' hear A mink Anoiinin .. A skunk A badger A swl A pint rid j^e A plover A mouse (•randy I'owder A ynn A flint A fctet'l A ramrod The wind . . 'I'ohacco Tlu* nose The mouth The chin A tooth The ear The eye The checks Counti-ynian Northern lights Thunder Lightmng Snow . . Cold . . Ice A very cold issim. 'jyjIii.s/Kiu'ufj'tsiim Maknsh'is. Nuhik. Mnsqudli. Mahfmitl;. Shnquo<'ij'i. Kushctayoo. Parkissccggdn. Cliakdsahu'^gan. Apeth. Cikuc/tiskkahognnatil- Thtttbi. Cliislhamon. Oocoo. Ontoon. Wasqn'ineyno. ()