80 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
bodies of their own family, to prevent actual 
starvation ; and a shocking case was cited to us 
of a woman who had been principal agent in 
the destruction of several persons, and amongst 
the number her husband and nearest eueatie: 
in order to support life. 
_ November 28.—The atmosphere had been clear 
every day during the last week, about the end of 
which snow fell, when the thermometer rose from 
20° below to 16° above zero. The Aurora Bo- 
realis was twice visible, but faint on both occa- 
sions. Its appearance did not affect the electro- 
meter, nor could we perceive the compass to be 
_ disturbed. 
The men brought supplies of moose meat from 
the hunters’ tent, which is pitched near the Bas- 
quiau Hill, at the distance of forty or fifty miles 
from the house, and from whence the greatest 
part of the meat is procured. The residents have 
to send nearly the same distance for their fish, 
and on this service horse-sledges are used. Nets 
are daily set in Pine Island Lake which occasion- 
ally procure some fine sturgeon, tittameg and 
trout, but not more than sufficient to supply the 
officers’ table. ; | 
December 1.—This day was so remarkably 
fine, that we procured another set of observations 
for the dip of the needle in the open air; the 
