120 Dr Richardson on the Frozen Soil of North America. 



this neighbourhood, to the distance of a mile in any direction from the 

 house, is not permanently frozen." 



No. 4. — Extract of a letter from Mr James Kellock sen., dated 

 Jlichiskam Post, 1st January 1836. 



" I beg leave to inform you that the earth is never permanently 

 frozen in this section of the Honourable Company's territories, but I 

 found that the frost had penetrated to the depth of three and a half feet 

 in the potato-fields during the course of last winter, whereas, in the 

 woods, six inches was as far as it had gone down. The soil in both places 

 is sandy, with a few small stones." 



No. 5. — Extracts of a letter from Mr John Spencer, postmaster, dated 

 Woswonaby, Rupert's River District, 28th January 1836. 



" I have caused four different places to be dug, 1st, In an open potato- 

 field about sixty-three paces from the border of the lake, the depth of snow 

 measured one foot ; the soil is light at the top, and rather inclining to 

 small gravel for nearly a foot, after which it is of a somewhat clayey na- 

 ture. The wood surrounding it is principally dwarfish pine, with a few 

 silver pines and birches interspersed, and the depth of frozen ground was 

 two feet three inches. 



" 2d, In a thick wood, about three furlongs from the lake, where the 

 snow lay about two feet five inches deep, and the soil is of a more sandy 

 nature throughout, except a small surface-layer of vegetable matter, the 

 ground was frozen to the extent of one foot seven inches. 



" 3d, In a potato- field, about half a mile in the woods, the depth of 

 snow was one foot, and the loose and sandy soil was frozen to the depth 

 of one foot. 



" 4th, On the borders of the lake, about ten paces from the water's 

 edge, the snow was but trifling, and there were bare patches here and 

 there. I chose one of them, and found the ground frozen to the depth of 

 two feet eight inches before we penetrated to the unfrozen soil. The 

 place was very stony and troublesome to dig, and the poor pick-axe had 

 much employment before we discharged it ; but, after we got down a 

 little, clay resembling blue marl began to make its appearance. It hap- 

 pened to be a bitter cold day when the men and myself executed the 

 above on the 27th instant, but, for want of a thermometer, I was unable 

 to ascertain the exact temperature, but judge that it might be 25° below 

 zero. 



" On the 3d of November last, I dug a pit in the potato-garden to the 

 depth of seven feet, and not finding any symptoms of frost, considered 

 that further pursuit was unnecessary. The weather at that time was un- 

 commonlv beautiful, and unlike the rugged weather which we generally 

 experience at this season. 



" It may not be unworthy of remark, that there is a strip of open wa- 

 ter to be seen on the lake all the winter round, even in the severest 



