190 CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DWELLING. 



dition, and the person to whose superintendence 

 and management our future establishment would 

 be committed ; and I informed them that from 

 him they would receive their orders. 



The site of our intended dwelling was a level 

 bank of gravel and sand, covered with reindeer 

 moss, shrubs, and trees, and looking more like a 

 park than part of an American forest. It formed 

 the northern extremity of a bay, from twelve to 

 fifteen miles long, and of a breadth varying from 

 three to five miles, named after my friend Mr. 

 M c Leod. The Ah-hel-dessy fell into it from 

 the westward, and the small river previously 

 mentioned from the eastward. Granitic hills, or 

 mountains, as the Indians term them, of grey 

 and flesh-coloured felspar, quartz, and in some 

 places large plates of mica, surrounded the bay, 

 and attained an altitude of from five to fifteen hun- 

 dred feet ; which, however, instead of sheltering 

 us, rather acted as a conductor for the wind 

 between E. S. E. and W. S. W. which occasion- 

 ally blew with great violence. The long sand- 

 banks, which ran out between the two rivers, 

 and the snug nooks along the shores, seemed to 

 offer a safe retreat for the white fish during their 

 spawning season, which was now at hand ; and 

 more nets were set, to take advantage of so au- 

 spicious a promise. 



The men were divided into parties, and ap- 



