A FISHING VILLAGE. 145 



I was fully clad in riding costume, for the tempe- 

 rature was very low at this time, and the snow-crust, 

 only sufficiently thick to bear dogs and sl'edges, broke 

 in and let me through as far as my knees at each 

 footstep. The holes thus made were only just the size 

 of my feet, and I was therefore obliged to lift my legs 

 perpendicularly each time. My toil may be imagined ; 

 but a third of the distance was accomplished with 

 dreadful fatigue, when Mooldooyah, seeing and appre- 

 ciating my difficulties, despatched one of the villagers 

 on my sledge to my deliverance. After a brief halt, 

 we continued on until evening, when another village 

 was reached, where we obtained lodging for the night. 

 A spring of delicious water was passed to-day : it 

 showed a temperature of 41. 



At Nootchoome, through which we passed during 

 the 21st, we stopped for a short time, more to satisfy 

 the curiosity of the inhabitants than for our own 

 convenience. It was a fishing village of eight huts ; 

 and I obtained, with considerable pains, a rough 

 statement of the population ; but, although considering 

 it near the truth, will not vouch for its correctness : 

 these huts were all very small, and did not, therefore, 

 reach the general average of number. The inmates 

 of each hut wore given as follows : — 



