OP THE POLAR SEA. x; 



from Fort Providence, with some additions to 

 their comforts. We were led the more readily to 

 hope for their arrival before the evening, as we 

 knew that every voyager uses his utmost endea- 

 vour to reach a post upon, or previous to, the 

 jour d& Van, that he may partake of the wonted 

 festivities. It forms the theme of their conver- 

 sation for months before and after the period of 

 its arrival. On the present occasion we could 

 only treat them with a httle flour and fat; these 

 were both considered as great luxuries, but still 

 the feast was defective from the want of rum, 

 although we promised them a little when it should 



The early part of January proved mild, the 

 thermometer rose to 20° above zero, and we were 

 surprised by the appearance of a kind of damp 

 fog approaching very nearly to rain. The Indians 

 expressed their astonishment at this circumstance, 

 and declared the present to be one of the warmest 

 winters they had ever experienced. Some of 

 them reported that it had actuaUy rained in the 

 woody parts of the country. In the latter part of 

 the month, however, the thermometer again de- 

 scended to — 49°, and the mean temperature for 

 the month proved to be — 15°.6. Owing to the 

 fogs that obscured the sky the aurora was visible 

 only upon eighteen nights in the month. 



