236 A JOURNEY TO THE 



1771. times much nearer the Earth than they are at others, 

 ™ ■ according to the state of the atmosphere, and this may 

 have a great effect on the sound : but the truth or false- 

 hood of this conjecture I leave to the determinations of 

 those who are better skilled in natural philosophy than I can 

 pretend to be. 



Indian deer (the only species found in those parts, except 

 the moose) are so much larger than those which [225] frequent 

 the barren grounds to the North of Churchill River, that a 

 small doe is equal in size to a Northern buck. The hair of the 

 former is of a sandy red during the Winter ; and their horns, 

 though much stronger, are not so long and branchy as are 

 those of the latter kind. Neither is the flesh of those deer so 

 much esteemed by the Northern Indians, as that of the smaller 

 kind, which inhabit the more Eastern and Northern parts of 

 the country. Indeed, it must be allowed to be much coarser, 

 and of a difi^erent flavour ; inasmuch as the large Lincolnshire 

 mutton diflfers from grass lamb. I must acknowledge, how- 

 ever, that I always thought it very good. This is that species 

 of deer which are found so plentiful near York Fort and 

 Severn River. They are also at times found in considerable 

 numbers near Churchill River ; and I have seen them killed 

 as far North, near the sea-side, as Seal River : But the small 

 Northern Indian deer are seldom known to cross Churchill 

 River, except in some very extraordinary cold seasons, and 

 when the Northern winds have prevailed much in the preced- 

 ing fall ; for those visits are always made in the Winter. But 

 though I own that the flesh of the large Southern deer is very 

 good, I must at the same time confess that the flesh of the 

 small Northern deer, whether buck or doe, in their proper 

 season, is by far more delicious and the finest I have ever eaten, 

 either in this country or any other ; and is of that peculiar 

 quality, that it never cloys. I can affirm this from my own 

 experience ; [226] for after living on it entirely, as it may be 

 said, for twelve or eighteen months successively, I scarcely 



