206 THE ARCTIC PRAIRIES 



England meadows. There were stretches where the 

 herbage was rank as on the Indiana prairies, and the 

 average pasture of the bleaker parts was better than 

 the best of central Wyoming. A cattleman of the 

 West would think himself made if he could be sure of 

 such pastures on his range, yet these are the Barren 

 Grounds. 



At 3 we passed the splendid landmark of Beaver 

 Lodge Mountain. Its rosy-red granite cliffs contrast 



Beaver Lodge Mountain. Aug. 7, 1907 



wonderfully with its emerald cap of verdant grass 

 and mosses, that cover it in tropical luxuriance, and 

 the rippling lake about it was of Mediterranean hues. 



We covered the last 9 miles in 1 hour and 53 minutes, 

 passed the deserted Indian village, and landed at Last 

 Woods by 8.30 p. m. 



The edge of the timber is the dividing line between 

 the Hudsonian and the Arctic zones. It is the begin- 

 ning of the country we had come to see ; we were now 

 in the land of the Caribou. 



At this point we were prepared to spend several 

 days, leave a cache, gather a bundle of choice firewood, 

 then enter on the treeless plains. 



That night it stormed; all were tired; there was no 

 reason to bestir ourselves; it was 10 when we arose. 

 Half an hour later Billy came to my tent and said, 

 "Mr. Seton, here's some deer." I rushed to the door, 



