JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE

of mortifes, were fewed two thin broad bars lengthways, at a {mall dif.
tance from each other; thefe frames were fixed together with three or
four crofs bars, tied faft upon the runners; and on the lower edge of the
latter, fmall pieces of horn were faftened by wooden pegs, that they
might flide with greater facility. They are drawn by fhafts, which I
imagine are applied to any particular fledge as they are wanted, as I faw

no more than one pair of them.

About half paft one we came oppofite to the firft fpruce-tree that we
had feen for fome time: there are but very few of them on the main land,
and they are very fmall; thofe-are larger which are found on the
iflands, where they grow in patches, and clofe together. It is, indeed,
very extraordinary that there fhould be any wood whatever in a country
where the ground never thaws above five inches from the furface. We
landed at feven in the evening. The weather was now very pleafant,
and in the courfe of the day we faw great numbers of wild fowl, with
their young ones, but they were fo fhy that we could not approach them.
‘Ll:e Indians were not very fuccefsful in their foraging party, as they killed |
only two grey cranes, and a grey goofe. Two of them were employed
on the high land to the Eaftward, through the greater part of the day,
in fearch of rein-deer, but they could difcover nothing more than a few
tracks of that animal. TI alfo afeended the high land, from whence I had
a delightful view of the river, divided into innumerable flreams, mean-
dering through iflands, fome of which were covered with wood, and
others with grafs. The mountains, that formed the oppofite horizon,
were at the diflance of forty miles. The inland view was neither fo .

extenfive nor agreeable, being terminated by a near -range of bleak,

barren