224 THE ARCTIC PRAIRIES 



portant landmark. It is a glacial dump about 50 

 feet above the general level, which again is 100 feet 

 above the water, visible and recognizable from nearly 

 all parts of the lake. 



Thus we went on day by day, sometimes detained by 

 head or heavy winds, but making great progress in the 

 calm, which nearly always came in the evening; 30 



Ptarmigan Head from the east 



and 35 miles a day we went, led on and stimulated by 

 the thirst to see and know. "I must see what is over 

 that ridge," "I must make sure that this is an island," 

 or " May be from that lookout I shall see Lake Aylmer, 

 or a band of Caribou, yes, or even a band of Musk-ox." 

 Always there was some reward, and nearly always it 

 was a surprise. 



From time to time we came on Snowbirds with 

 their young broods, evidently at home. Ptarmigan 

 abounded. Parry's Groundsquirrel was found at 

 nearly all points, including the large islands. The Lap- 

 longspur swarmed everywhere; their loud "chee 

 chups" were the first sounds to greet us each time we 

 neared the land. And out over all the lake were Loons, 

 Loons, Loons. Four species abound here; they cater- 

 waul and yodel all day and all night, each in its own 

 particular speech. From time to time a wild hyena 

 chorus from the tranquil water in the purple sunset 

 haze suggested that a pack of goblin hounds were 

 chivying a goblin buck, but it turned out always to 



