NORTHERN OCEAN 351 



Though the Wejack ^ * and Skunk - are never found in The Wejack, 

 the Northern Indian country, yet I cannot help observing that ^° ^'^^' 

 the foetid smell of the latter has not been much exaggerated 

 by any Author. When I was at Cumberland [378] House, 

 in the Fall of one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four, 

 some Indians that were tenting on the plantation killed two 

 of those animals, and made a feast of them ; when the spot 

 where they were singed and gutted was so impregnated with 

 that nauseous smell which they emit, that after a whole 

 Winter had elapsed, and the snow had thawed away in the 

 Spring, the smell was still intolerable. I am told, however, 

 that the flesh is by no means tainted with the smell, if care be 

 taken in gutting, and taking out the bag that contains this 

 surprising effluvia, and which they have the power of emitting 

 at pleasure ; but I rather doubt their being capable of ejecting 

 their urine so far as is reported ; I do not think it is their 

 urine which contains that pestilential effluvia, for if that was 

 the case, all the country where they frequent would be so 

 scented with it, that neither man nor beast could live there 

 with any degree of comfort. 



The Common Pine Martin^ is found in most parts of The Pine 



Martin. 



[' Mustela pennanti Eixleben. As far as known, this fur-bearer reaches 

 its northern limit on the coast of Hudson Bay near Cape Tatnam.] 



* Mr. Graham asserts that this animal frequents the banks of creeks, and 

 feeds on fish ; but these are by no means their usual haunts. I have, however, 

 no doubt, but when they find fish on the land, that they may eat it, like other 

 carnivorous animals : but they are as shy of taking the water as a domestic cat. 

 They climb trees, and catch patridges, mice, and rabbits, with as much ease as 

 a martin. They are easily tamed and domesticated, are very fond of tea-leaves, 

 have a pleasant musky smell, and are very playful. 



[This statement is apparently from Pennant (" Arct. Zool.," i. p. 82, 1784), 

 who gives Mr. Graham as authority.] 



[- The Skunk, Mephitis jnephitis (Schreber), has not been detected on the 

 coast of Hudson Bay north of Fort Albany, but farther westward it reaches 

 Oxford House and Great Slave Lake. The animal of the Cumberland House 

 region is the Northern Plains Skunk, Mephitis hudsonica Richardson.] 



[* Mustela americana abieticola Preble. A much larger race than typical 

 M. americana of Eastern Canada is the form inhabiting the country west of 

 Hudson Bay.] 



