412 AUDUBON 



ument of unhewn stones, supporting a wooden cross. In 

 a word, reader, the person whom I thus unexpectedly dis- 

 covered was engaged in prayer. Such an incident in that 

 desolate land was affecting, for there one seldom finds 

 traces of human beings; and the aid of the Almighty, 

 although necessary everywhere, seems there peculiarly 

 required to enable them to procure the means of subsis- 

 tence. My curiosity having been raised, I betook my- 

 self to my boat, landed on the rock, and scrambled to the 

 place, where I found the man still on his knees. When 

 his devotions were concluded, he bowed to me, and ad- 

 dressed me in very indifferent French. I asked him why 

 he had chosen so dreary a spot for his prayers. "Be- 

 cause," answered he, "the sea lies before me, and from 

 it I receive my spring and summer sustenance. When 

 winter approaches, I pray fronting the mountains on the 

 main, as at that period the Caribous come towards the 

 shore, and I kill them, feed on their flesh, and form my 

 bedding of their skins." I thought the answer reason- 

 able, and as I longed to know more of him, followed him 

 to his hut. It was low, and very small, formed of stones 

 plastered with mud to a considerable thickness. The 

 roof was composed of a sort of thatching made of weeds 

 and moss. A large Dutch stove filled nearly one half the 

 place; a small port -hole then stuffed with old rags, served 

 at times instead of a window; the bed was a pile of Deer- 

 skins; a bowl, a jug, and an iron pot were placed on a 

 rude shelf; three old and rusty muskets, their locks fas- 

 tened by thongs, stood in a corner; and his buckshot, 

 powder, and flints, were tied up in bags of skin. Eight 

 Esquimaux dogs yelled and leaped about us. The strong 

 smell that emanated from them, together with the smoke 

 and filth of the apartment, rendered my stay in it ex- 

 tremely disagreeable. 



Being a native of France, the good man showed much 

 politeness, and invited me to take some refreshment. 



