1895-96.] THE SKASONS, HUDSOn's STRAIT. Ill 



been taking life easily during the summer were now doing their best to 

 lay in a supply of provisions for the winter. 



By September 25th autumn is quite over, excepting at the eastern 

 entrance of the Strait, where it may possibly be delayed to the end of the 

 month, although much hard frost will doubtless occur before that date» 

 all lakes there being frozen over on the 26th. These last days of autumn 

 are anything but pleasant, and to the Eskimo they are almost misery, 

 for the snow being too soft to make winter igloos or houses they are 

 compelled to reside in their seal-skin wigwams which cannot be sufficiently 

 heated with their lamps. 



Winter. — In entering upon the season of winter in sub-arctic regions 

 how very different is the feeling to a new-comer from that which affects 

 him on his arrival upon the scene in summer! If he has a boat he feels 

 that by coasting long enough he may reach some traders' post, or 

 should his provisions be exhausted or stolen by the starving natives he 

 may shoot enough to support life. In the winter it is not so, for then 

 even the Eskimo will not travel any great distance, all their long 

 journeys being undertaken in early spring ; and with numbers of half- 

 starving natives following him everywhere and perpetually begging for 

 food a feeling of helplessness takes hold of him that is often hard to 

 shake off. As the season advances and the silence, so well known 

 to travellers in these regions, increases, when nothing can be heard 

 but the groaning and moaning of the great masses of ice under the 

 influence of the ever-changing tides, one is more or less inspired with a 

 feeling of awe to which he does not for some time become accustomed. 



A few birds, such as hawks, snow-buntings, ducks, gulls and guillemots^ 

 lingered until the first week in October, the last being seen as late as the 

 first week in November, and on occasional bright days early in October 

 a few flies would be seen. With these exceptions, however, after 

 September ist there was little sign of life, most of the larger animals^ 

 such as the fox and wolverine, being still inland. Looking seaward at Cape 

 Prince of Wales the prospect was brighter ; here might still be seen the 

 white whale, walruses and seals sporting in the blue water until quite late 

 in October, when ice once more formed in the bays. This shore ice would 

 often break up and drifting out to sea would help much to smooth the 

 open water which on calm nights would also often freeze. A fresh wind 

 then occurring all the ice would again be broken up, and it was not until 

 large masses of Fox Channel ice had crowded into the bays about 

 November 30th that the w^ater in them became pcrmancnth' frozen. 



In 1884, in the western entrance of the Strait, there was mucii I'ox 

 Channel ice throughout the summer and autumn ; elsewhere, however 



