816 A JOURNEY TO THE 



vents, squirrel's testicles, the cruddled milk taken out of the 

 stomach of sucking fawns and calves, human hair, and num- 

 berless other articles equally absurd. 



Every master of a family, and indeed almost every other 

 person, particularly the men, have a small bundle of such 

 trash, which they always carry with them, both in Summer 

 and Winter ; and without some of those articles to put under 

 their bait, few of them could be prevailed upon to put a hook 

 into the water, being fully persuaded that they may as well sit 

 in the tent, as attempt to angle without such assistance. They 

 have also a notion that fish of the same species inhabiting 

 different parts of the country, are fond of different things ; so 

 that almost every [331] lake and river they arrive at, obliges 

 them to alter the composition of the charm. The same rule is 

 observed on broiling the first fruits of a new hook that is used 

 for a new net ; an old hook that has already been successful 

 in catching large fish is esteemed of more value, than a hand- 

 ful of new ones which have never been tried. 



Deer also, as well as fish, are very numerous in many parts 

 of this country ; particularly to the North of the sixtieth 

 degree of latitude. Alpine hares are in some parts of the 

 barren ground pretty plentiful, where also some herds of 

 musk-oxen are to be met with ; and to the Westward, among 

 the woods, there are some rabbits and partridges. With all 

 those seeming sources of plenty, however, one half of the 

 inhabitants, and perhaps the other half also, are frequently in 

 danger of being starved to death, owing partly to their want 

 of oeconomy ; and most of these scenes of distress happen 

 during their journies to and from Prince of Wales's Fort, the 

 only place at which they trade. 



When Northern Indians are at the Factory, they are very 

 liable to steal any thing they think will be serviceable; particu- 

 larly iron hoops, small bolts, spikes, carpenters tools, and, in 

 short, all small pieces of iron-work which they can turn to 

 advantage, either for their own use, or for the purpose of 



