BACK'S LAND EXPEDITION. 221 



wherein certain mysterious and complicated instruments 

 were fixed and erected ; iron in all forms being carefully 

 excluded, and a fence run round it to guard it more ef- 

 fectually from the men, as they walked about with their 

 guns, ice-chisels, and axes. Here Back and Mr. King 

 used to sit in solemn conclave for many an hour during 

 the winter, closely observing the various interesting 

 phenomena of earth and sky ; and awfully mysterious 

 did this building appear to the simple Indians and voy- 

 ageurs. They would approach as near as they dared, 

 and, with their arms folded, brows knit, and heads down, 

 would stand for hours wondering at the dead silence of 

 its occupants, broken only at long intervals by such 

 exclamations as " now " " stop " insomuch that they 

 at last, after very mature and grave deliberation, came 

 to the conclusion that they were " raising the devil 1 ; 



As the winter advanced bands of starving Indians 

 continued to arrive, in the hope of obtaining some 

 relief, as little or nothing was to be procured by hunt- 

 ing. They would stand around while the men were 

 taking their meals, watching every mouthful with the 

 most longing, imploring look, but yet never uttering a 

 complaint. 



At other times they would, seated round the fire, 

 occupy themselves in roasting and devouring small bits 

 of their reindeer garments, which, even when entire, 

 afforded them a very insufficient protection against a 

 temperature of 102 below freezing point. 



The suffering's of the poor Indians at this period are 

 described as frightful. "Famine, with her gaunt and 

 bony arm," says Back, " pursued them at every turn, 

 withered their energies, and strewed them lifeless on 

 the cold bosom of the snow." It was impossible to 

 afford relief out of their scanty store to all, but even 

 small portions of the mouldy pemmican intended for 



