OF THE POLAR SEA. 143 
infantile caresses of his own children, that he 
threw aside his gun. This gentleman’s feelings 
are to be envied, but few traders in fur would 
have acted sofeelingly. The musk rat frequently 
inhabits the same lodge with the beaver, and the 
otter also thrusts himself in occasionally: the 
latter, however, is not always a civil guest, as he 
sometimes devours his host. 
These are the animals. most interesting in an 
economical point of view. The American hare, 
and several kinds of grouse and ptarmigan, also 
contribute towards the support of the natives; 
and the geese, in their periodical flights in the 
spring and autumn, likewise prove a valuable. re- 
Source both to, the Indians. and white residents; 
but the principal article of food, after the moose- 
deer, is fish; indeed, it forms almost the sole. 
Support of the traders. at some of the posts. The 
most esteemed fish is the Coregonus: albus, the 
attihhawmeg of the Crees, and, the white-fish of 
the Americans. Its. usual weight is: between 
three and four pounds, but it has been known to 
reach, sixteen or, eighteen pounds, Three fish of 
the ordinary size is the daily allowance to each 
man at the fort, and is considered as equivalent 
to, two geese, or eight pounds of} solid moose- 
meat, The fishery for the attihhawmeg lasts the 
whole year, but is most productive in the spawn- 
