WOOD-CUTTING IN WINTER. ,^^ * 161 



an annual Christmas dance, they stay long enough to enjoy the 

 visit thoroughly, — they did so on this occasion. 



Wednesday the 29th. Early in the morning we started off with 

 our dog-team for the bottom of the bay. Here we tied the dogs, 

 and with our axes started up the snow-covered slope of the hills 

 to where the spruces and firs were abundant. None of the wood was 

 large. The snow was up to our knees ; it covered the evergreen 

 thickets with dense patches, so that when we started to cut a tree 

 the shaking would dislodge the snow in large patches that covered 

 us completely, while it slowly crept down our backs and up our 

 sleeves. Still on we labored until we had loaded the sledge, when 

 all started for home with appetites sharpened by the keen, sub- 

 arctic air and the healthy exercise. It was quite fortunate that we 

 procured our wood when we did, for Thursday was as warm as it 

 had been the night before, and the ice, so much melted, began to 

 break to such an extent as to render the travelling extremely 

 hazardous, though it soon froze up again. 



During the long winter months the women of the house spend 

 their evenings, and for the most part their days also, in making 

 boots, shoes, and nicknacks of various kinds. Of course they 

 can do this, since their time is almost entirely at their own disposal, 

 and, after the regular work of the family is done, the remainder of 

 the day and evening falls heavily upon anyone of a naturally 

 nervous or industrious disposition. The location of the dwelling 

 forms another inducement to industry, since the long winter eve- 

 nings must be spent entirely within doors, and work of some 

 sort must be constantly provided. 



It must be remembered that except in a few places, such as 

 the Mission and several small collections of houses used as winter 

 quarters and which have been built from a quarter to half a mile 

 distant from each other, the houses are, for the most part, miles 

 apart, and visiting in the evening is quite out of the question. 



It is comparatively easy to point out the industrious portion 

 of the female population of the coast ; everyone knows them. 

 To substitute fictitious names for real, Mrs. Goodey will make 

 11 



