OF THE POLAR SEA. 



147 



from her subterraneous dwelling, (for such the Chipewyans suppose 

 it to have been,) she was astonished by observing a luminous glit- 

 tering appearance on a distant hill, which she knew was not pro- 

 duced by the reflection of the sun, and being at a loss to assign any 

 other cause for it, she resolved on going up to the shining object, 

 and then found the hill was entirely composed of metal. She broke 

 off several pieces, and perceiving that it yielded so readily to her 

 beating, it occurred to her this copper (for that was the metal,) 

 would be very serviceable to her countrymen, if she could find them 

 again. While she was meditating on what was to be done, the 

 thought struck her that it would be advisable to attach as many 

 pieces of copper to her dress as she could, and then proceed into 

 the interior, in search of some inhabitants, who, she supposed, would 

 give her a favourable reception, on account of the valuable treasure 

 she had brought. 



" It happened that she met her own relations, and the young men, 

 elated with the account she had given of the hill, made her instantly 

 return with them ; which she was enabled to do, having taken the 

 precaution of putting up marks to indicate the path. The party 

 reached the spot in safety, but the story had a melancholy cata- 

 strophe. These youths, overcome by excess of joy, gave loose to 

 their unrestrained passions, and offered the grossest insults to their 

 kind benefactress. She powerfully resisted them for some time, and 

 when her strength was failing, she fled to the point of the mountain, 

 as the only place of security. Immediately she had gained the sum- 

 mit, the earth opened, and ingulphed both herself and the mountain, 

 to the utter dismay of the men, who were not more astonished at 

 its sudden disappearance, than sorrowful for this just punishment 

 of their wickedness. Ever since this event, the copper has only 

 been found in small detached pieces on the surface of the earth." 



On the 10th of May we were gratified by the appearance of spring, 



u 2 



