THE REINDEER. 103 



called Koeubtchepeen. I do not know how large a 

 district it comprehended, but Wootair was stated to 

 be only a small part. 



Neither of the large flocks of reindeer said to be 

 possessed by Metra and Mooldooyah were now here ; 

 the sudden thaw and as speedy fall of temperature, that 

 had lately occmTcd, had formed a crust of ice upon 

 the snow, which prevented the deer from feeding, 

 and they had therefore been sent off to a distance 

 where pasture could be obtained. There appears to be 

 some difficulty in finding good and sufficient food 

 for these animals during the winter, for they were 

 miserably thin at this season, and we saw meat 

 killed in the autumn, which had quite three inches 

 thickness of fat upon it. The flavour of the 

 meat varies wonderfully with the condition of the 

 animal. I never ate anything superior to a piece 

 of cold boiled fat venison, which Ahmoleen provided 

 for me as a rare treat, for in general the fat meat 

 is set aside for pemmican. 



During the evening the amusements of the previous 

 night were repeated, a conjuror appearing and per- 

 forming many gestures, which we were told were in 

 imitation of Payaii'kets, as they designate the Esqui- 

 maux on the opposite shore of America. Occasionally 

 also the inhabitants of Iworien, the island of St. 



