OF THE POLAR SEA. 137 
of sappoom-meena, but we only found three species 
in the neighbourhood of Cumberland House. The 
strawberry, called by the Crees otet-meena, or 
heart-berry, is found in abundance, and ragps are 
common on the sandy banks of the rivers. The 
fruits hitherto mentioned fall in the autumn, but 
the following berries remained hanging on the 
bushes in the spring, and are considered as much 
mellowed by exposure to the colds in winter. 
The red whortleberry (vaccinium vitis idea) is 
found every where, but is most abundant in rocky 
places. It is aptly termed by the Crees weesaw- 
gum-meena, sour-berry. The common cranberry 
(oxycoccos palustris,) is distinguished from the 
preceding by its growing on moist sphagnous 
Spots, and is hence called maskego-meena, swamp- 
berry. The American pholden! rose, whose fruit 
strongly resembles the cranberry, is also com- 
mon. There are two kinds of it, (vidurnum 
oxycoccos, and edule, ) one termed by the natives 
peepoon-meena, winter-berry, and the other mong- 
soa-meena, moose-berry. There is also a berry of 
a bluish white colour, the produce of the white 
cornel tree, which is named musqua-meena, bear- 
berry, because these animals are said to fatten on 
it. The dwarf Canadian cornel, bears a corymb of 
red berries, which are highly ornamental to the 
woods throughout the country, but are not other- 
