SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. 263 



Mr. Brummond, " a few mosses ; and, on 

 Christmas day, I had the pleasure of find- 

 ing a very minute gymnostomum, hitherto 

 undescribed." We shall not, we hope, be 

 classed with those who see nothing but food 

 for merriment in such devotion — in the true 

 heroism of science. The following passage 

 may afford some idea of a winter thus passed 

 at the feet of the Rocky Mountains. 



4 6 Soon after reaching our wintering- 

 ground, provisions became very scarce, 

 and the hunter and his family went off in 

 quest of animals, taking with them the man 

 who had charge of my horses to bring me a 

 supply as soon as they could procure it. 

 / remained alone for the rest of the winter, 

 except when my man occasionally visited me 

 with meat; and I found the time hang very 

 heavy, as I had no books, and nothing could 

 be done in the way of collecting specimens of 

 natural history, I took, however, a walk 

 every day in the woods, to give me some 

 practice in the use of snow shoes. The winter 

 was very severe, and much snow fell until the 

 end of March, when it averaged six feet in 



