436 Thirty Years 



We encamped on the spot which our Esquimaux 

 friends had left in the morning, to remove in their 

 oomiaks and kaiyacks towards the Mackenzie, where 

 they could set their fishing nets, and catch whales and 

 seals. One of them showed his honesty, by returning 

 some arrows, and a piece of a pemmican bag, that we 

 had left at our last resting-place. The men also 

 joined us here with specimens of rock from Mount 

 Fitton. ' 



The Esquimaux winter residences at this spot were 

 constructed of drift timber, with the roots of the 

 trees upwards, and contained from one to three small 

 apartments, beside a cellar for their stores. There 

 were generally two entrances, north and south, so low 

 as to make it necessary to crawl through them. The 

 only other aperture was a hole at the top for the 

 smoke, which, as well as the doorways, could be filled 

 up with a block of snow at pleasure. When covered 

 with snow, and with lamps or fire burning within, 

 these habitations must be extremely warm, though to 

 OUT ideas rather comfortless. Lofty stages were erect- 

 ed near them for the purpose of receiving their canoes 

 and bulky articles. The annexed engraving from 

 Lieutenant Back's sketch of these habitations, ten- 

 ders further description unnecessary. A north-east 

 gale came on in the evening, and rolled such a heavy 

 surf on the beach, that twice, during the night, wo 



