A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



seconds these disappeared, and a complete circle was displayed, 

 bounding the horizon at an elevation of fifteen degrees. There was 

 a quick lateral motion in the attenuated beams of which this zone 

 was composed. Its colour was a pale yellow, with an occasional 

 tinge of red. 



On the 8th of April the Indians saw some geese in the vicinity 

 of this lake, but none of the migratory birds appeared near to the 

 houses before the 15th, when some swans flew over. These are 

 generally the first that arrive ; the weather had been very stormy 

 for the four preceding days, and this in all probability kept the 

 birds from venturing farther north than where the Indians had first 

 seen them. : 



In the middle of the month the snow began to waste daily, and 

 by degrees it disappeared from the hills and the surface of the lake. 

 On the 17th and 19th the Aurora appeared very brilliant in patches 

 of light, bearing ~N.W. An old Cree Indian having found a beaver 

 lodge near to the fort, Mr. Keith, Back, and I, accompanied him 

 to see the method of breaking into it, and their mode of taking 

 those interesting animals. The lodge was constructed on the side 

 of a rock in a small lake, having the entrance into it beneath the 

 ice. The frames were formed of layers of sticks, the interstices 

 being filled with mud, and the outside was plastered with earth 

 and stones, which the frost had so completely consolidated, that 

 to break through required great labour, with the aid of the ice 

 chisel, and the other iron instruments which the beaver hunters 

 use. The chase, however, was unsuccessful, as the beaver had pre- 

 viously evacuated the lodge. 



The first geese we observed flying near to the fort were seen on 

 the 21st, and some were brought to the house on the 30th, but 

 they were very lean ; on the 25th flies were seen sporting in the 

 sun, and on the 26th the ice on the lake, near the channel of the 

 river, was overflowed, in consequence of the Athabasca river having 



