ACKOSS THE SUB-AECTICS OF CANADA 



ermines were observed darting about among the rocks. The 

 formation of the coast was found to consist largely of a re- 

 markable-looking ferruginous conglomerate, and, despite the 

 extremely barren and dreary aspect of the country, a large 

 variety of beautiful little flowers was collected. 



At nightfall, after a long day's struggle with the opposing 

 elements, as we were hauling the canoes ashore towards the 

 shelter of some rocky cliffs, we were suddenly set upon by a 

 pack of huge grey wolves. A great, gaunt, hungry-looking 

 brute with dilated eye-balls led the attack. He was the 

 largest wolf in the pack, and a daring brute ; but for once, at 

 least, he met his master, as he was promptly bored from end 

 to end with a slug from my brother's rifle. The leader of the 

 pack having been thus dispatched, the others fled, but avenged 

 themselves by howling at us all night long from the surround- 

 ing hills. 



With the pack several little wolves had been seen, and 

 when the old ones beat their retreat an effort was made to 

 capture them; but unsuccessfully, for just as young part- 

 ridges suddenly and mysteriously disappear in the leafy 

 woods when danger threatens, so did these young wolves dis- 

 appear among the rocks, and though we searched carefully, 

 we could not get sight of one. 



I have said the wolves here encountered were grey. This 

 seemed a little peculiar, since any that we had seen for some 

 time past had been of the white Arctic variety, which do not 

 travel together in packs, like those of the timber country. 



At this locality, which was close to the north-west extremity 

 of Dubawnt Lake, the country was more than ordinarily 

 broken, and was distinctively marked by the existence of 

 several great hills of sand. The highest of these sand moun- 

 tains 1 became ambitious to climb, in order to obtain a view 

 of the surroundiug country and have a look for the outlet of 

 the lake. In the open coimtry one can often, in an hour or 

 two, obtain more information in this way from a prominent 



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