ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY. 91 



be traced. The wind from tlie S.W. was strong, 

 and here swept down over the hills in eddies, 

 raising a heavy snow-drift, which made us all look 

 like millers. Upon the opposite side of the plain 

 we had to descend a long hill, which was not nearly 

 so steep as that by which we mounted. At its 

 foot lay a frozen sheet of water, in which, we were 

 informed, was plenty of fish : this was either a lake 

 or the estuary of a small river which we presently 

 crossed : no tidal marks could be sought for, as its 

 edges were covered with snow. Our road now lay 

 through a long and narrow valley, at the end of which 

 another, but short hill, had to be ascended ; indeed 

 we were running across the spurs of a mountain-range, 

 and traversed hiU and vale until we reached the shore 

 of a very large lake, called Yeem-too-oon, four or five 

 miles broad, and from twelve to fifteen in length. 

 This afi'ords plenty of fish, and we saw upon it a 

 number of persons engaged in fishing or seal watching. 

 This lake was crossed, and we had now another 

 toilsome ascent to encounter ; arrived at the summit 

 of which, a comprehensive view of Wootair was 

 presented, spreading over a large extent of land. 

 The huts belonging to Mooldooyah and his family 

 were five in number, situated upon an abrupt hiU 

 overlooking those, twenty in all, which lay in the plain 



