OF THE POLAR SEA. 135 
to the northward at an angle of 40°. Some por- 
tions of this rock contain very perfect shells. 
With respect to the vegetable productions of the 
district the populus trepida, or aspen, which thrives 
in moist situations, is perhaps the most abundant 
tree on the banks of the Saskatchawan, and is 
much prized as fire-wood, burning well when cut 
green. The populus bulsamifera, or taccamahac, 
called by the Crees matheh meteos, or ugly poplar, 
in allusion to its rough bark and naked stem, 
crowned, in an aged state, with .a few distorted 
branches, is scarcely less plentiful. It is an in- 
ferior fire-wood, and does not burn well, unless’ 
when cut in the spring, and dried during the sum- 
mer; but it affords a great quantity of potash. 
A decoction of its resinous buds has been some- 
times used by the Indians with success in cases of 
snow-blindness, but its application to the inflamed 
eye produces much pain. Of pines, the white 
spruce is the most common here; the red and 
black spruce, the balsam of Gilead fir, and Bank- 
sian pine, also occur frequently. The larch is 
found only in swampy spots, and is stunted and 
unhealthy. The canoe birch attains a consider- 
“able size in this latitude, but from the great de- 
‘mand for its wood to make sledges, it has become 
rare. The alder abounds on the margin of the 
little grassy lakes, so common in the neighbour- 
