108 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



winter nights the Northern Lights were often very 

 beautiful. Once or twice we observed them in the 

 form of a complete arch, like a rainbow of roseate 

 hues, from which the changing, fitful gleams 

 streamed up to meet at the zenith. 



After we had been out a day or two, our provisions 

 generally came to an end, and we Hved on partridges 

 and the animals we trapped. As soon as the skins of 

 the martens and fishers were removed, their bodies 

 were stuck on the end of a stick, and put to roast 

 before the fire, looking like so many skewered cats. 

 These animals not only smell uncommonly like a 

 ferret, but their flesh is of an intensely strong and dis- 

 gusting flavour, exactly corresponding to the odour, 

 so that a very strong stomach and good appetite is 

 required to face such a meal. The trapper's camp in 

 the woods is always attended by the little blue and 

 white magpie, who, perched on a bough close by, 

 waits for his portion of scraps from the meal. These 

 birds invariably " turn up " immediately after camp is 

 made, and are so tame and bold that they wall even 

 steal the meat out of the cooking-pot standing by 

 the fire. 



The snow was at this time not more than eight 

 inches deep, and we did not as yet use snow-shoes in 

 the woods, where the brushwood and fallen timber 

 rendered them somewhat awkward encumbrances. 

 But the walking was consequently very fatiguing, and 

 we reached home, after five or six days' absence, in- 

 variably very much wearied and jaded. On these 

 excursions we were much struck, amongst other 

 things, with the great difference between the walk of 



