OF THE POLAR SEA. 



183 



CHAPTER IV. 



Leave Cumberland House — Mode of Travelling in 

 Winter — Arrival at Carlton House — Stone Indians 

 — Visit to a Buffalo Pound — Goitres — Departure 

 from Carlton House — Isle a la Crosse— Arrival at 

 Fort Chipewyan. 



On the 18th January we set out from Cum- 

 berland House for Carlton House ; but pre- 

 viously to detailing the events of the journey, 

 it may be proper to describe the necessary 

 equipments of a winter traveller in this 

 region, which I cannot do better than by 

 extracting the following brief, but accurate 

 account of it, from Mr. Hood's journal : — 

 " A snow-shoe is made of two light bars 

 of wood, fastened together at their extremi- 

 ties, and projected into curves by transverse 

 bars. The side bars have been so shaped 

 by a frame, and dried before a fire, that the 

 front part of the shoe turns up, like the 



