NORTHERX OCEAN 183 



that she attempted to fly, for the wretches of my crew trans- 1771. 

 fixed her to the ground in a few seconds, and butchered her in-"^' 

 the most savage manner. There was scarcely a man among 

 them who had not a thrust at her with his spear ; and many 

 in doing this, aimed at torture, rather than immediate death, 

 as they not only poked out her eyes, [159] but stabbed her in 

 many parts very remote from those which are vital. 



It may appear strange, that a person supposed to be almost 

 blind should be employed in the business of fishing, and par- 

 ticularly with any degree of success ; but when the multitude 

 of fish is taken into the account, the wonder will cease. In- 

 deed they were so numerous at the foot of the fall, that when 

 a light pole, armed with a few spikes, which was the instru- 

 ment the old woman used, was put under water, and hauled 

 up with a jerk, it was scarcely possible to miss them. Some 

 of my Indians tried the method, for curiosity, with the old 

 woman's staff, and seldom got less than two at a jerk, some- 

 times three or four. Those fish, though very fine, and beauti- 

 fully red, are but small, seldom weighing more (as near as I 

 could judge) than six or seven pounds, and in general much 

 less. Their numbers at this place were almost incredible, 

 perhaps equal to any thing that is related of the salmon in 

 Kamschatka, or any other part of the world. It does not 

 appear that the Esquimaux have any other method of catching 

 the fish, unless it be by spears and darts; for no appearance of 

 nets was discovered either at their tents, or on any part of the 

 shore. This is the case with all the Esquimaux on the West 

 side of Hudson's Bay ; spearing in Summer, and angling in 

 Winter, are the only methods they have yet devised to catch 

 fish, though at [160]] times their whole dependence for support 

 is on that article.* 



* When the Esquimaux who reside near Churchill River travel in Winter, 

 it is always from lake to lake, or from river to river, where they have formed 

 magazines of provisions, and heaps of moss for firing. As some of those places 

 are at a considerable distance from each other, and some of the lakes of con- 

 siderable width, they frequently pitch their tents on the ice, and instead of 



