OF THE POLAR SEA. 



239 



us, who was residing with a party of Cree- 

 Indians, to secure the meat and furs they 

 should collect, for the North-West Com- 

 pany. He accompanied us as far as the 

 stage on which his meat was placed, and 

 then gave us a very pressing invitation to 

 halt for the day and partake of his fare; 

 which, as the hour was too early, we de- 

 clined, much to the annoyance of our Cana- 

 dian companions, who had been cherish- 

 ing the prospect of indulging their amazing 

 appetites at this well-furnished store, ever 

 since the man had been with us. He gave 

 them, however, a small supply previous to 

 our parting. The route now crossed some 

 ranges of hills, on which fir, birch, and 

 poplar, grew so thickly, that we had much 

 difficulty in getting the sledges through the 

 narrow pathway between them. In the 

 evening we descended from the elevated 

 ground, crossed three swampy meadows, 

 and encamped at their northern extremity, 

 within a cluster of large pine-trees, the 

 branches of which were elegantly decorated 

 with abundance of a greenish yellow lichen. 



