Esquimaux Dogs, 339 



harbors and the intermediate spaces between the main- 

 land and the sea islands, the caraboos are seen moving on 

 the ice in great herds, first to the islands, where the snow 

 is most likely to be drifted, because there in in the shal- 

 lows — from which the snow has blown away — he easily 

 scrapes down to the mosses, which at tliis season are the 

 only food they can find. As the severity of winter in- 

 creases, these animals follow the coast northwest, and 

 gradually reach a comparatively milder climate. But 

 notwithstanding all this, on their return in the spring, 

 which is as regular as the migration of the birds, they are 

 so poor and emaciated, that the men take pity on them, 

 and will not kill them. Merciful beings, these white 

 men ! They spare life when the flesh is off from their 

 bones, and there is no market for their bones at hand. 



'• The otter is tolerably abundant here. These are 

 chiefly trapped at the foot of the waterfalls, to which they 

 resort, being the latest to freeze and the earliest to thaw 

 in spring. A few martins and sables are caught, but every 

 year reduces their number. This Frenchman receives 

 his supplies from Quebec, where he sends his furs and 

 oil. The present time he calls ' the idle season,' and he 

 loiters about his cabin, lies in the sunshine like a seal, 

 eats, drinks, and sleeps his life away, careless of the busy 

 world, and of all that is going on there. His partner has 

 gone to Quebec, and his dogs are his only companions 

 until he returns ; and the dogs, perhaps, are the better 

 animal of the two. He has selected a delightful site for 

 his castle, under the protection of an island, and on the 

 south side, where I found the atmosphere quite warm, 

 and the vegetation actually rank, for I saw plants with 

 leaves twelve inches broad, and grasses three feet high. 



" This afternoon the wind has been blowing a tre- 

 mendous gale, and our anchors have dragged with sixty 

 fathoms of chain out. Yet one of the whaler's boats 



