DAYS IN THE WOODS 277 



principal posts on Hudson's Bay — namely, Moose 

 Factory, situated at the head of James Bay, the 

 most southern indentation of Hudson's Bay, and 

 York Factory, which is placed close to the mouth 

 of the Nelson River. 



Hudson's Bay is open for four or five months 

 in the year. But Hudson's Straits are not, and 

 there is little comfort in having open water inside 

 in the Bay when you cannot reach it, and it is a 

 poor consolation to know that the warm ocean is 

 close to you outside when you cannot get out. 

 There are years in which the straits are not open 

 for more than two or three weeks. Ships have 

 occasionally failed to force a passage through the 

 Straits, and ships have been detained in the Bay 

 all the summer, unable to work their way out. 



The average duration of open navigation of the 

 Straits is about five or six weeks in the year ; you 

 cannot depend upon more than that, though they 

 may be open for nearly as many months. Of 

 course the substitution of steam vessels for sailing 

 ships would make considerable difference ; but, 

 even supposing steamers adapted to the purpose 

 to be used, it must, I fear, be conceded that the 

 navigation would be precarious, and the open 

 season short. Moreover, the navigation is difficult 



