NORTHERN OCEAN 413 



made use of are generally infused in brandy, by way of making 

 a cordial, which is far from unpleasant.* 



Strawberries, t ^ and those of a considerable size and Strawberries, 

 excellent flavour, are found as far North as Churchill River ; 

 and what is most remarkable, they are frequently known to be 

 more plentiful in such places as have formerly been set on 

 fire. This is not peculiar to the Strawberry, but it is well 

 known that in the interior parts of the country, as well as 

 at Albany and Moose Forts, that after [453] the ground, 

 or more properly the under-wood and moss, have been set on 

 fire, that Raspberry-bushes and Hips have shot up in great 

 numbers on spots where nothing of the kind had ever been 

 seen before. This is a phasnomenon that is not easily 

 accounted for ; but it is more than probable that Nature 

 wanted some assistance, and the moss being all burnt away, 

 not only admits the sun to act with more power, but the heat 

 of the fire must, in some measure, loosen the texture of the 

 soil, so as to admit the plants to shoot up, after having been 

 deep-rooted for many years without being able to force their 

 way to the surface. 



Besides the Berries already mentioned, there are three 

 others found as far North as Churchill ; namely, what the 

 Indians call the Eye-berry, and the other two are termed 

 Blue-berry and Partridge-berry by the English. 



The Eye-berry " grows much in the same manner as the Eye-berry. 

 Strawberry, and though smaller, is infinitely superior in 

 flavour. This berry is found in various situations ; but near 

 Churchill River they are most plentiful in small hollows 

 among the rocks, which are situated some distance from the 

 woods ; but they are never known to grow in swampy ground, 



* The Indians call the Juniper-berry Caw-caw-cue-minick, or the Crowberry. 



t The Oteagh-minick of the Indians, is so called, because it in some 

 measure resembles a heart. 



[' Probably Fragaria canadensis Michx.] 



P Probably Rttbus arcticus Lmn. A pretty little plant, similar in distribu- 

 tion to the cloudberry.] 



