160 CHRISTMAS EVENING. 



precipice, we were obliged to come to a halt. Here we tied the 

 dogs, turned the sled bottom upwards, and descended the slope 

 by a narrow, circuitous path, which brought us to the house of 

 one of the residents, where we dined. We found here a very pleasant 

 family, two members of which had spent some time "in the States" 

 in good society ; after enjoying with them a very pleasant chat, 

 we returned to the sled and continued our journey. I was amused 

 to see the eagerness of the dogs to be " on the go " once more. 

 They strained at their harnesses, and whined and barked while 

 jumping, with the evident intention of either starting the sled or 

 breaking their traces. 



Our way to Old Fort Bay lay in much the same general direction 

 as that in which we had walked a few days before ; but the hills are 

 so cut up with gorges that come nearly to their base, that nature 

 has formed four different routes between the Mission and Old 

 Fort Bay. The scenery was quite similar, but riding we had more 

 of an opportunity to take in the arctic-like views everywhere pre- 

 sented. The day was fine, and the outline of the hills beyond 

 was very decided upon a clear blue sky. We appeared to be rush- 

 ing along through a narrow, winding valley road with receding 

 heights on either hand. On a level with us, yet on either side 

 near the base of the hills, the falling tide had caused the ice 

 to break in cones, and blocks of all sorts of forms and sizes. 

 Still on we went, the ice often bending beneath us, while the dogs 

 reminded one of childhood's fairy tales. The sight was grand, 

 while the weather was fine, cold, and with little wind. The inner bay 

 was frozen over, and we rode to the doorway of the dwelling for 

 which we had started. 



Christmas evening there was a social gathering at one of the 

 houses up the river. About fifty people were present and passed 

 a very pleasant evening. In this case the old adage that "distance 

 lends enchantment to the view" was well illustrated. Most of the 

 inhabitants live at distances of five to ten miles from each other, 

 which makes calling upon one another a circumstance of some 

 importance. When once people do get out on such an occasion as 



