414 A JOURNEY TO THE 



and I never saw them so plentiful in any part of Hudson's 

 Bay as about Churchill River. 



Blue-berry. [454] The Blu£-berry ^ is about the size of a Hurtle- 



berry, and grows on bushes which rise to eighteen inches 

 or two feet, but in general are much lower. They are seldom 

 ripe till September, at which time the leaves turn to a beauti- 

 ful red ; and the fruit, though small, have as fine a bloom as 

 any plum, and are much esteemed for the pleasantness of their 

 flavour. 



Partridge- The Partridge-berry ^ is nearly as large as the Cranberry 



^"^' imported from Newfoundland, and though of a beautiful 



transparent red, yet has a disagreeable taste. These berries 

 are seldom taken, either by the Indians or English ; and many 

 of the latter call them Poison-berries, but several birds are 

 fond of them. They grow close to the ground, like the 

 Cranberry, and the plant that produces them is not very 

 unlike small sage, either in shape or colour, but has none of 

 its virtues. 



I had nearly forgotten another species of Berry ,^ which is 

 found on the dry ridges at Churchill in considerable numbers. 

 In size and colour they much resemble the Red Curran, and 

 grow on bushes so much like the Creeping Willow, that 

 people of little observation scarcely know the difference ; 

 particularly as all the fruit is on the under-side of the branches, 

 and entirely hid by the leaves. I never knew this Berry eaten 

 but by a frolicksome Indian girl ; and as it had no ill effect, 

 it is a proof it is [455] not unwholesome, though exceedingly 

 unpleasant to the palate, and not much less so to the smell. 



Hips. Hips^ of a small size, though but few in number, are also 



[' Vaccinium uliginosuni Linn. A low blueberry of wide distribution. The 

 fruit is excellent.] 



]^ Probably Comandra livida Rich.] 



P Evidently, from his description, Hearne here refers to the Alpine bear- 

 berry, Arctous alpina (Linn.). It is abundant throughout the region.] 



[* Apparently referring to the common rose of the region, Rosa acicularis 

 Lindl. An abundant and very beautiful species.] 



