CHAPTER XXII. 



New Year's Day Festival. — Cyclical fluctuation in the breed of Eabbits. — 

 Conjectured causes, and Indian superstition thereon. — Consequent 

 eflect upon fur-bearing animals. — New mode of catching Foxes. — 

 Severity of Season. — Mercury metamorphosed. — Aurora Borealis. — 

 Disruption of the Ice. — A strange prophecy. — Melancholy effects of 

 superstition. — An Indian Man-iage. — The Fight of the Females. — 

 Farewell to Fort Simpson. — Fort Eesolution. — Manufacture of Pem- 

 mican. — Slave Eiver. — Muddled Moments. — The Hudson's Bay 

 Company of Merchant Adventurers. — The Hardy Voyageur. — The 

 Adventures of a Pack. —Arrival at the Noy^. — A beautiful Cascade. — 

 Making a Portage. — Burn the Boats. — Fort Chipewyan. — The Chipe- 

 vyyans and Crees, their Language and Idiosyncrasy. — An Indian's 

 Remorse. — Mr. Geero's Predilections. — The Lake of the Hills. — 

 Natural Pitch. — Clear "Water River. — Methy Portage. — Mermaid's 

 Hair. 



New Year's day is the principal festival at the posts 

 of the Hudson's Bay Company ; that which ushered 

 in 1850 was ceremoniously observed at Fort Simpson. 

 The men assembled at an early hour in front of the 

 main dwelling-house, and fired a feu-de-joie in com- 

 pliment to their officers and the occasion. All then 

 entered the hall, which is very large for the recep- 

 tion of Indians, and were welcomed by their Bourgeois 

 (Mr. Bell), the title always given to the head of the 

 district, and the other gentlemen of the establishment, 



