214 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



Now this practice is all changed. Instead of the 

 small sailing vessels, one large steamship is employed 

 for the trade, and Churchill, possessing the only safe 

 harbor on the west coast, is made the shipping port for 

 the Bay, all goods being distributed from this centre by 

 schooners to the other posts, and the furs here collected 

 for shipment. Over this work of distributing and col- 

 lecting goods the Captain was to have charge. 



During the stay at Churchill every day brought 

 noticeable improvement in the condition of our party. 

 On several occasions, the weather being favorable, snow- 

 shoeing expeditions were formed and much enjoy ed,. 

 though usually accompanied by great fatigue. Know- 

 ing, however, that by means of such travel we must 

 return home in a short time, we realized the necessity 

 of gaining strength for the long journey. 



In the course of one of our outings we reached a place 

 called Sloops Cove, about half way to Prince of Wale& 

 Fort, and there made some interesting observations. 

 This cove owes its name to the fact that in the year 

 1741 the two sloops, Furnace and Discovery, sent out 

 from England in command of Captain Middleton to 

 search for the long-looked -for North- West Passage, 

 spent the winter there. How two vessels could have 

 been forced into this cove is a question which has given 

 rise to much speculation on the part of Canadian scien- 

 tists, for the cove does not now contain more than 

 sufficient depth of water, at high tide, to float a small 

 boat, and it is doubtful if even such a boat could get in 

 through the rocky entrance. The historical fact remains, 

 however, that this cove was the winter quarters of these 

 two sloops, and as proof of the fact a number of ring- 



