OF THE POLAR SEA. 



281 



some little relief, but they continually came off when amongst deep 

 snow, so that it occupied one person entirely to look after them. In 

 this state they were hardly of any use amongst the steep ascents of 

 the portages, when we were obliged to drag the sledges ourselves. 

 We found a few of the rapids entirely frozen. Those that were not 

 had holes and large spaces about them, from whence issued a thick 

 vapour, and in passing this we found it particularly cold ; but what 

 appeared most curious was the number of small fountains which rose 

 through the ice, and often rendered it doubtful which way we should 

 take. I was much disappointed at finding several falls (which I had 

 intended to sketch) frozen almost even with the upper and lower 

 parts of the stream ; the ice was connected by a thin arch, and the 

 rushing of the water underneath might be heard at a considerable 

 distance from the place. On the banks of these rapids there was a 

 constant overflowing of the water, but in such small quantities as to 

 freeze before it had reached the surface of the central ice, so that we 

 passed between two ridges of icicles, the transparency of which was 

 beautifully contrasted by the flakes of snow and the dark green 

 branch es of the over-hanging pine. 



Beauparlant complained bitterly of the cold whilst among the 

 rapids, but no sooner had he reached the upper part of the river 



than he found the change of the temperature so great, that he 

 vented his indignation against the heat. — " Mais c'est terrible," said 

 he, to be frozen and sun -burnt in the same day. The poor fellow, 

 who had been a long time in the country, regarded it as the most 

 severe punishment that could have been inflicted on him, and would 

 willingly have given a part of his wages rather than this disgrace 

 had happened ; for there is a pride amongst " Old Voyagers," which 

 makes them consider the state of being frost-bitten as effeminate, 

 and only excusable in a " Pork-eater," or one newly come into the 

 country. I was greatly fatigued, and suffered acute pains in the 



2 o 



