A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean Part 34

[Sidenote: The White Fox.]

WHITE FOXES, when killed at any considerable distance from the sea coast, (where they cannot possibly get any {366} thing to prey upon, except rabbits, mice, and partridges,) are far from being disagreeable eating. And on Marble Island I have shot them when they were equal in flavour to a rabbit; probably owing to their feeding entirely on eggs and young birds; but near Churchill River they are as rank as train-oil.

[Sidenote: The Lynx, or Wild Cat.]

The LYNX, or WILD CAT,[130] is very scarce to the North of Churchill; but is exactly the same as those which are found in great plenty to the South West. I have observed the tracks of this animal at Churchill, and seen them killed, and have eaten of their flesh in the neighbourhood of York Fort. The flesh is white, and nearly as good as that of a rabbit.

They are, I think, much larger than that which is described in the Arctic Zoology; they never approach near the settlements in Hudson's Bay, and are very destructive to rabbits; they seldom leave a place which is frequented by rabbits till they have nearly killed them all.

[Sidenote: The Polar or White Bear.]

The POLAR or WHITE BEAR,[131] though common on the sea-coast, is seldom found in its Winter retreats by any of our Northern Indians, except near Churchill River; nor do I suppose that the Esquimaux see or kill any of them more frequently during that season; for in the course of many years residence at Churchill River, I scarcely ever saw a Winter skin brought from the Northward by the sloop. Probably the Esquimaux, if they kill any, may {367} reserve the skins for their own use; for at that season their hair is very long, with a thick bed of wool at the bottom, and they are remarkably clean and white. The Winter is the only season that so oily a skin as the Bear's can possibly be cleaned and dressed by those people, without greasing the hair, which is very unpleasant to them; for though they eat train-oil, _&c._ yet they are as careful as possible to keep their clothes from being greased with it. To dress one of those greasy skins in Winter, as soon as taken from the beast, it is stretched out on a smooth patch of snow, and there staked down, where it soon freezes as hard as a board: while in that state, the women sc.r.a.pe off all the fat, till they come to the very roots of the hair. It is sometimes permitted to remain in that position for a considerable time; and when taken from the snow, is hung up in the open air. The more intense the frost, the greater is its drying quality; and by being wafted about by the wind, with a little sc.r.a.ping, it in time becomes perfectly supple, and both pelt and hair beautifully white. Drying deer, beaver, and otter skins, in this manner render their pelts very white, but not supple; probably owing to the close texture and thickness of their skins; whereas the skin of the bear, though so large an animal, is remarkably thin and spungy.[BY]

[Sidenote: The Black Bear.]

{368} BLACK BEARS[132] are not very numerous to the North West of Churchill. Their manner of life is the same as the rest of the species, though the face of the country they {369} inhabit, differs widely from the more mild climates. In Summer they proul about in search of berries, _&c._ and as the Winter approaches, retire to their dens, which are always under-ground; and generally, if not always, on the side of a small hillock. The Bears that inhabit the Southern parts of America are said to take up their Winter abode in hollow trees; but I never saw any trees in my Northern travels, that could afford any such shelter.

The places of retreat of those Bears that burrow under-ground are easily discovered in Winter, by the rime that hangs about the mouth of the den; for let the snow be ever so deep, the heat and breath of the animal prevents the mouth of the den from being entirely closed up. They generally retire to their Winter quarters before the snow is of any considerable depth, and never come abroad again (unless disturbed) till the thaws are considerable, which in those high lat.i.tudes is seldom till the latter end of March, or the beginning of April; so that the few Black Bears that inhabit those cold regions may be said to subsist for four months at least without food. I have been present at the killing [of] two of them in Winter; and the Northern Indian method is similar to that said to be in use among the Kamtschatkans; for they always blocked up the mouth of the den with logs of wood, then broke open the top of it, and killed the animal either with a spear or a gun; but the latter method is reckoned both cowardly and wasteful, as it is not possible for the Bear either to make its escape, or to do the Indians the least injury. {370} Sometimes they put a snare about the Bear's neck, and draw up his head close to the hole, and kill him with a hatchet. Though those animals are but scarce to the North of Churchill, yet they are so numerous between York Fort and c.u.mberland House, that in one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four I saw eleven killed in the course of one day's journey, but their flesh was abominable. This was in the month of June, long before any fruit was ripe, for the want of which they then fed entirely on water insects, which in some of the lakes we crossed that day were in astonis.h.i.+ng mult.i.tudes.[BZ][133]

The method by which the Bears catch those insects is by swimming with their mouths open, in the same manner as the whales do, when feeding on the sea-spider. There was not one of the Bears killed that day, which had not its stomach as full of those insects (only) as ever a hog's was with grains, and when cut open, the stench from them was intolerable. I have, however, eaten of some killed at that early season which were very good; {371} but they were found among the woods, far from the places where those insects haunt, and had fed on gra.s.s and other herbage. After the middle of July, when the berries begin to ripen, they are excellent eating, and so continue till January or February following; but late in the Spring they are, by long fasting, very poor and dry eating.

The Southern Indians kill great numbers of those Bears at all seasons of the year; but no encouragement can prevent them from singeing almost every one that is in good condition: so that the few skins they do save and bring to the market, are only of those which are so poor that their flesh is not worth eating.[CA] In fact, the skinning of a Bear spoils the meat thereof, as much as it would do to skin a young porker, or a roasting pig. The same may be said of swans (the skins of which the Company have lately made an article of trade); otherwise thousands of their skins might be brought to market annually, by the Indians that trade with the Hudson's Bay Company's servants at the different settlements about the Bay.

[Sidenote: The Brown Bear.]

BROWN BEARS[134] are, I believe, never found in the North-Indian territories: but I saw the skin of an enormous {372} grizzled Bear at the tents of the Esquimaux at the Copper River;[135] and many of them are said to breed not very remote from that part.

[Sidenote: The Wolverene.]

The WOLVERENE[136] is common in the Northern regions, as far North as the Copper River, and perhaps farther. They are equally the inhabitants of woods and barren grounds; for the Esquimaux to the North of Churchill kill many of them when their skins are in excellent season: a proof of their being capable of braving the severest cold. They are very slow in their pace, but their wonderful sagacity, strength, and acute scent, make ample amends for that defect; for they are seldom killed at any season when they do not prove very fat: a great proof of their being excellent providers. With respect to the fierceness of this animal which some a.s.sert, I can say little, but I know them to be beasts of great courage and resolution, for I once saw one of them take possession of a deer that an Indian had killed, and though the Indian advanced within twenty yards, he would not relinquish his claim to it, but suffered himself to be shot standing on the deer. I once saw a similar instance of a lynx, or wild cat, which also suffered itself to be killed, before it would relinquish the prize. The Wolverenes have also frequently been seen to take a deer from a wolf before the latter had time to begin his repast after killing it. Indeed their amazing strength, and the length and sharpness of their claws, render them capable of making a strong resistance against {373} any other animal in those parts, the Bear not excepted. As a proof of their amazing strength, there was one at Churchill some years since, that overset the greatest part of a large pile of wood, (containing a whole Winter's firing, that measured upwards of seventy yards round,) to get at some provisions that had been hid there by the Company's servants, when going to the Factory to spend the Christmas holidays. The fact was, this animal had been lurking about in the neighbourhood of their tent (which was about eight miles from the Factory) for some weeks, and had committed many depredations on the game caught in their traps and snares, as well as eaten many foxes that were killed by guns set for that purpose: but the Wolverene was too cunning to take either trap or gun himself. The people knowing the mischievous disposition of those animals, took (as they thought) the most effectual method to secure the remains of their provisions, which they did not chuse to carry home, and accordingly tied it up in bundles and placed it on the top of the wood-pile, (about two miles from their tent,) little thinking the Wolverene would find it out; but to their great surprise, when they returned to their tent after the holidays, they found the pile of wood in the state already mentioned, though some of the trees that composed it were as much as two men could carry. The only reason the people could give for the animal doing so much mischief was, that in his attempting to carry off the booty, some of the small parcels of provisions had fallen down into the heart of the pile, and {374} sooner than lose half his prize, he pursued the above method till he had accomplished his ends. The bags of flour, oatmeal, and pease, though of no use to him, he tore all to pieces, and scattered the contents about on the snow; but every bit of animal food, consisting of beef, pork, bacon, venison, salt geese, partridges, _&c._ to a considerable amount, he carried away. These animals are great enemies to the Beaver, but the manner of life of the latter prevents them from falling into their clutches so frequently as many other animals; they commit vast depredations on the foxes during the Summer, while the young ones are small; their quick scent directs them to their dens, and if the entrance be too small, their strength enables them to widen it, and go in and kill the mother and all her cubs. In fact, they are the most destructive animals in this country.[CB]

[Sidenote: The Otter.]

OTTERS[137] are pretty plentiful in the rivers to the North of Churchill, as far as lat.i.tude 62; farther North I do not recollect to have seen any. In Winter they generally frequent those parts of rivers where there are falls or rapids, which do not freeze in the coldest Winters; because in {375} such situations they are most likely to find plenty of fish, and the open water gives them a free admission to the sh.o.r.e, where they sometimes go to eat the fish they have caught; but most commonly sit on the ice, or get on a great stone in the river. They are frequently seen in the very depth of Winter at a considerable distance from any known open water, both in woods and on open plains, as well as on the ice of large lakes; but it is not known what has led them to such places: perhaps merely for amus.e.m.e.nt, for they are not known to kill any game on the land during that season. If pursued when among the woods in Winter, (where the snow is always light and deep,) they immediately dive, and make considerable way under it, but are easily traced by the motion of the snow above them, and soon overtaken. The Indians kill numbers of them with clubs, by tracing them in the snow; but some of the old ones are so fierce when close pursued, that they turn and fly at their pursuer, and their bite is so severe that it is much dreaded by the Indians. Besides this method of killing them, the Indians have another, which is equally successful; namely, by concealing themselves within a reasonable gun-shot of the Otters usual landing-places, and waiting their coming out of the water. This method is more generally practised in moon-light nights. They also shoot many of them as they are sporting in the water, and some few are caught in traps.

The Otters in this, as well as every other part of the bay, vary in size and colour, according to age and season. {376} In Summer, when the hair is very short, they are almost black, but as the Winter advances, they turn to a beautiful dark auburn, except a small spot under the chin, which is of a silver gray. This colour they retain all the Winter; but late in the Spring (though long before they shed their coat) they turn to a dull rusty brown; so that a person who is acquainted with those changes can tell to a great nicety, by looking at the skins, (when offered for sale,) the very time they were killed, and pay for them according to their value. The number of their young is various, from three to five or six. They unite in copulation the same as a dog, and so do every other animal that has a bone in the _p.e.n.i.s_. I will here enumerate all of that description that I know of in those parts, _viz._ bears of all sorts, wolves, wolvereens, foxes, martins, otters, wejacks, jackashes, skunks, and ermines.[CC]

[Sidenote: The Jackash.]

JACKASH.[138] This animal is certainly no other than the lesser Otter of Canada, as its colour, size, and manner of life entirely correspond with the description of that animal in Mr. Pennant's Arctic Zoology. They, like the larger Otter, are frequently found in Winter several miles from any water, and are often caught in traps built for martins. They are supposed to prey on mice and partridges, the same as the martin; but when by the side of rivers or {377} creeks, they generally feed on fish.

They vary so much in size and colour, that it was very easy for Mr.

Pennant to have mistaken the specimen sent home for another animal. They are the easiest to tame and domesticate of any animal I know, except a large species of field-mice, called the Hair-tailed Mouse; for in a very short time they are so fond, that it is scarcely possible to keep them from climbing up one's legs and body, and they never feel themselves happier than when sitting on the shoulder; but when angry, or frightened, (like the skunk,) they emit a very disagreeable smell. They sleep very much in the day, but prowl about and feed in the night; they are very fierce when at their meals, not suffering those to whom they are most attached to take it from them. I have kept several of them, but their over-fondness made them troublesome, as they were always in the way; and their so frequently emitting a disagreeable smell, rendered them quite disgusting.

[Sidenote: The Wejack, and Skunk.]

Though the WEJACK[139][CD] and SKUNK[140] are never found in the Northern Indian country, yet I cannot help observing that foetid smell of the latter has not been much exaggerated by any Author. When I was at c.u.mberland {378} House, in the Fall of one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four, some Indians that were tenting on the plantation killed two of those animals, and made a feast of them; when the spot where they were singed and gutted was so impregnated with that nauseous smell which they emit, that after a whole Winter had elapsed, and the snow had thawed away in the Spring, the smell was still intolerable. I am told, however, that the flesh is by no means tainted with the smell, if care be taken in gutting, and taking out the bag that contains this surprising effluvia, and which they have the power of emitting at pleasure; but I rather doubt their being capable of ejecting their urine so far as is reported; I do not think it is their urine which contains that pestilential effluvia, for if that was the case, all the country where they frequent would be so scented with it, that neither man nor beast could live there with any degree of comfort.

[Sidenote: The Pine Martin.]

The COMMON PINE MARTIN[141] is found in most parts of this country, and though very scarce in what is absolutely called the Northern Indian territory, yet by the Indians strolling toward the borders of the Southern Indian country, are killed in great numbers, and annually traded for at Churchill Factory.

[Sidenote: The Ermine, or Stote.]

The ERMINE, or STOTE,[142] is common in those parts, but generally more plentiful on the barren ground, and open plains or marshes, than in the woods; probably owing to {379} the mice being more numerous in the former situations than in the latter. In Summer they are of a tawney brown, but in Winter of a delicate white all over, except the tip of the tail, which is of a glossy black. They are, for their size, the strongest and most courageous animal I know: as they not only kill partridges, but even attack rabbits with great success. They sometimes take up their abode in the out-offices and provision-sheds belonging to the Factories; and though they commit some depredations, make ample amends by killing great numbers of mice, which are very numerous and destructive at most of the settlements in the Bay. I have taken much pains to tame and domesticate this beautiful animal, but never could succeed; for the longer I kept it the more restless and impatient it became.

_Animals with Cutting Teeth._

[Sidenote: The Musk Rat.]

The MUSK RAT,[143] or MUSQUASH; or, as Naturalists call it, the MUSK BEAVER; is common in those parts; generally frequenting ponds and deep swamps that do not freeze dry in Winter. The manner of life of this species of animals is peculiar, and resembles that of the Beaver, as they are in some respects provident, and build houses to shelter themselves from the inclemency of the cold in Winter; but instead of making those houses on the banks of ponds or swamps, like the Beaver, they generally build them on the ice as soon as it is skinned over, and at a considerable {380} distance from the sh.o.r.e; always taking care to keep a hole open in the ice to admit them to dive for their food, which chiefly consists of the roots of gra.s.s: in the Southern parts of the country they feed much on a well-known root, called _Calamus Aromaticus_.[144] The materials made use of in building their houses are mud and gra.s.s, which they fetch up from the bottom. It sometimes happens in very cold Winters, that the holes in their houses freeze over, in spite of all their efforts to keep them open. When that is the case, and they have no provisions left in the house, the strongest preys on the weakest, till by degrees only one is left out of a whole lodge. I have seen several instances sufficient to confirm the truth of this a.s.sertion; for when their houses were broke open, the skeletons of seven or eight have been found, and only one entire animal. Though they occasionally eat fish and other animal food, yet in general they feed very clean, and when fat are good eating, particularly when nicely singed, scalded, and boiled. They are easily tamed, and soon grow fond; are very cleanly and playful, and smell exceedingly pleasant of musk; but their resemblance to a Rat is so great that few are partial to them.

Indeed the only difference between them and a common Rat, exclusive of their superior size, is, that their hind-feet are large and webbed, and the tail, instead of being round, is flat and scaly.

Though I have before said, that the Musk Beaver generally build their houses on the ice, it is not always the case; for in the Southern parts of the country, particularly {381} about c.u.mberland House, I have seen, in some of the deep swamps that were over-run with rushes and long gra.s.s, many small islands that have been raised by the industry of those animals; on the tops of which they had built their houses, like the beaver, some of which were very large. The tops of those houses are favourite breeding-places for the geese, which bring forth their young brood there, without the fear of being molested by foxes, or any other destructive animal, except the Eagle.

[Sidenote: The Porcupine.]

PORCUPINES[145] are so scarce to the North of Churchill River, and I do not recollect to have seen more than six during almost three years'

residence among the Northern Indians. Mr. Pennant observes in his Arctic Zoology,[146] that they always have two at a time; one brought forth alive and the other still-born;[CE] but I never saw an instance of this kind, though in different parts of the country I have seen them killed in all stages of pregnancy. The flesh of the porcupine is very delicious, and so much esteemed by the Indians, that they think it the greatest luxury that their country affords. The quills are in great request among the women; who make them into a variety of ornaments, such as shot-bags, belts, garters, bracelets, _&c._ Their mode of copulation is singular, for their {382} quills will not permit them to perform that office in the usual mode, like other quadrupeds. To remedy this inconvenience, they sometimes lie on their sides, and meet in that manner; but the usual mode is for the male to lie on his back, and the female to walk over him, (beginning at his head,) till the parts of generation come in contact. They are the most forlorn animal I know; for in those parts of Hudson's Bay where they are most numerous, it is not common to see more than one in a place. They are so remarkably slow and stupid, that our Indians going with packets from Fort to Fort often see them in the trees, but not having occasion for them at that time, leave them till their return; and should their absence be a week or ten days, they are sure to find them within a mile of the place where they had seen them before.

[Sidenote: Foxes of various Colours.]

FOXES[147] of various colours are not scarce in those parts; but the natives living such a wandering life, seldom kill many. It is rather strange that no other species of Fox, except the white, are found at any distance from the woods on the barren ground; for so long as the trade has been established with the Esquimaux to the North of Churchill, I do not recollect that Foxes of any other colour than white were ever received from them.

[Sidenote: Varying Hares.]

The VARYING HARES[148] are numerous to the North of Churchill River, and extend as far as lat.i.tude 72, probably farther. They delight most in rocky and stony {383} places, near the borders of woods; though many of them brave the coldest Winters on entire barren ground. In Summer they are nearly the colour of our English wild rabbit; but in Winter a.s.sume a most delicate white all over, except the tips of the ears, which are black. They are, when full grown and in good condition, very large, many of them weighing fourteen or fifteen pounds; and if not too old, are good eating. In Winter they feed on long rye-gra.s.s and the tops of dwarf willows, but in Summer eat berries, and different sorts of small herbage. They are frequently killed on the South-side of Churchill River, and several have been known to breed near the settlement at that place. They must multiply very fast, for when we evacuated Prince of Wales's Fort in one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, it was rare to see one of them within twenty or thirty miles of that place; but at our return, in one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, we found them in such numbers, that it was common for one man to kill two or three in a day within half a mile of the new settlement. But partly, perhaps, from so many being killed, and partly from the survivors being so frequently disturbed, they have s.h.i.+fted their situation, and are at present as scarce near the settlement as ever. The Northern Indians pursue a singular method in shooting those Hares; finding by long experience that these animals will not bear a direct approach, when the Indians see a hare sitting, they walk round it in circles, always drawing nearer at every revolution, till by degrees they get within gun-shot. The {384} middle of the day, if it be clear weather, is the best time to kill them in this manner; for before and after noon, the Sun's alt.i.tude being so small, makes a man's shadow so long on the snow, as to frighten the Hare before he can approach near enough to kill it.

The same may be said of deer when on open plains, who are frequently more frightened at the long shadow than at the man himself.

[Sidenote: The American Hare.]

The AMERICAN HARES,[149] or, as they are called in Hudson's Bay, RABBITS, are not plentiful in the Eastern parts of the Northern Indian country, not even in those parts that are situated among the woods; but to the Westward, bordering on the Southern Indian country, they are in some places pretty numerous, though by no means equal to what has been reported of them at York Fort, and some other settlements in the Bay.

The furr of those animals, when killed in the best part of the season, was for many years entirely neglected by the furriers; for some time past the Company have ordered as many of their skins to be sent home as can be procured; they are but of small value.

The flesh of those Hares is generally more esteemed than that of the former. They are in season all the Winter; and though they generally feed on the brush of pine and fir during that season, yet many of the Northern Indians eat the contents of the stomach. They are seldom sought after in Summer, as in that season they are not esteemed {385} good eating; but as the Fall advances they are, by feeding on berries, _&c._ most excellent. In Spring they shed their Winter coat, and during the Summer are nearly the colour of the English wild rabbit, but as the Winter advances they become nearly white. In thick weather they are easily shot with the gun; but the most usual method of killing them is by snares, set nearly in the manner described by Dragge in the First Volume of his North West Pa.s.sage.

[Sidenote: The Common Squirrel.]

The COMMON SQUIRRELS[150] are plentiful in the woody parts of this country, and are caught by the natives in considerable numbers with snares, while the boys kill many of them with blunt-headed arrows. The method of snaring them is rather curious, though very simple, as it consists of nothing more than setting a number of snares all round the body of the tree in which they are seen, and arranging them in such a manner that it is scarcely possible for the squirrels to descend without being entangled in one of them. This is generally the amus.e.m.e.nt of the boys. Though small, and seldom fat, yet they are good eating.

The beauty and delicacy of this animal induced me to attempt taming and domesticating some of them, but without success; for though several of them were so familiar as to take any thing out of my hand, and sit on the table where I was writing, and play with the pens, _&c._ yet they never would bear to be handled, and were very mischievous; gnawing the chair-bottoms, window-curtains, sashes, _&c._ to pieces. They are an article of trade in the {386} Company's standard, but the greatest part of their skins, being killed in Summer, are of very little value.

[Sidenote: The Ground Squirrel.]

The GROUND SQUIRRELS[151] are never found in the woody parts of North America, but are very plentiful on the barren ground, to the North of Churchill River, as far as the lat.i.tude 71, and probably much farther.

In size they are equal to the American Grey Squirrel, though more beautiful in colour. They generally burrow among the rocks and under great stones, but sometimes on the sides of sandy ridges; and are so provident in laying up a Winter's stock during the Summer, that they are seldom seen on the surface of the snow in Winter. They generally feed on the tufts of gra.s.s, the tender tops of dwarf willows, _&c._ and are for the most part exceedingly fat, and good eating. They are easily tamed, and soon grow fond; by degrees they will bear handling as well as a cat; are exceeding cleanly, very playful, and by no means so restless and impatient of confinement as the Common Squirrel.

[Sidenote: Mice of various kinds.]