NORTHERN OCEAN 22 
fo plentiful, that the Indians killed confiderable 1771. 
numbers of them with their bows and arrows; —~—~ 
but the number of mouths was fo great, that all ““""" 
which was caught from our leaving Point Lake, 
though if enumerated, they might appear very 
confiderable, would not have afforded us all a 
‘bare fubfiftence; for though | and fome others 
experienced no real want, yet there were many 
in our company who could {fcarcely be faid to 
live, and would not have exifted at all, had it not 
been for the dry meat we had with us. 
When weleft the above-mentioned lakes we 
fhaped a courfe more to the Southward, and on 
the twenty-fourth, arrived at the North fide of 241». 
the great Athapufcow Lake. In our way we faw 
many Indian deer, and beaver were very plenti- 
ful, many of which the Indians killed; but the 
days were fo fhort, that the Sun only took a cir- 
cuit of a few points of the compafs above the ho- 
rizon, and did not, at its greateft altitude, rife, 
half-way up the trees. The brilliancy of the 
Aurora Borealis, however, and of the Stars, even 
without the affiftance of the Mcon, made fome 
amends for that deficiency ; for it was frequent- 
ly fo light all night, that I could fee to read a ve- 
ry {mall print. The Indians make to difference 
between night and day when they are hunting of 
beaver; but thofe zocfurnal lights are always 
found infufficient for the purpofe of hunting deer 
| or moofe. 
* 
J 
I do 
