54 ON THE GREAT CHURCHILL RIVER 



local, principally because, in my humble opinion, 

 in such a vast country, they are free to select 

 ground of nature most attractive to their habits 

 of feeding, and most remote from their natural 

 enemies. I do not include man and gun as 

 " natural " enemies, for they have invaded the 

 country after the habits of the birds were inherent. 

 Large numbers of some species, such as geese and 

 cranes, have had the wisdom to seek new haunts 

 north of the line of civilisation. All of the 

 edible species that remain within the settled 

 country, such as Sharp-tailed Grouse, Pinnated 

 Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, ducks of many species, 

 geese, and cranes — all are diminishing, some even 

 threatened with extinction, like the buffalo and 

 the Prong-horned Antelope ; and that though 

 the legitimate shooting season is open but for 

 two brief weeks in the Fall (autumn) of the year. 

 With extracts from my field diary I will follow 

 out the incidents of the remaining days we 

 voyaged down the Churchill River; extracts 

 which it is my hope will continue to serve to bring 

 before the mind's eye of the reader something 

 of the varied, wholly outdoor and untrammelled 

 aspect of this great northern waterway. 



June 6. — Morning dull, threatening rain, high 

 wind from north-west. Astir before 5 a.m. 

 Cooked breakfast, and, as customary, the one 

 meanwhile struck tent and packed canoe ready 

 for embarking, while the other was employed over 

 the fire. Mosquitoes were very troublesome 

 when we came ashore last evening, and worried 

 us all through the night. At all times at this 



