NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 35 



on the windward side places his sledges on their 

 edges for a defence against the wind ; then laying 

 down a few twigs of bushes or trees, when he can 

 meet with them, in place of a bed, he wraps him- 

 self in his blanket, covers himself with his upper 

 garments, which he makes a practice of throwing 

 off when he rests, and enjoys his repose. The 

 principal articles provided by the experienced tra- 

 veller for his subsistence, consist of tea, oatmeal, 

 bacon, bread, and sometimes a few fish or fowls, but 

 no spirits ; and whenever he finds it necessary to 

 use artificial stimuli for accelerating the circulation 

 of the blood, and promoting the heat of the system, 

 instead of resorting to spiritous liquors, knowing 

 them to be injurious, he drinks freely of warm tea, 

 which the plentifulness of wood for fire in the in- 

 terior of North America, generally affords him a 

 ready opportunity of preparing. His relish, with 

 his tea, consists of a bit of broiled bacon, and 

 perhaps a little oatmeal porridge ; which articles, 

 when other supplies of fowl, fish or quadruped, fail, 

 being effectual for his nourishment, he lives on 

 with contentment. With these measures and re- 

 sources, travelling usually in the night or morn- 

 ing, and bivouacking on the snow ; subsisting, 

 when necessary, on the scanty provision taken 

 out with him, but always depending on occa- 

 sional supplies of birds, fishes and quacbupeds, 

 which seldom wholly desert these countries ; and 



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