Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/370

340 to 70° in the shade; the snow disappeared, as though by magic, from the surface of the ice and of the ground, forming many brooks and rills of water; the willows timidly put forth their buds, and the woods grew vocal with the voice of song. Even in the remotest corners of creation, nature has its notes of praise to Him who sustains the whole. On the first day of the month I measured the ice in the strait to the eastward, where our nets were set. It was still five feet thick, but in these narrow parts was rapidly undermined by the current caused by Dease River, which broke up on the 3rd.

The change of weather brought a few Indians from the eastward with a little meat, and others, from different quarters, begging for provisions. In fact, throughout the entire season, a large proportion of our purchases from one set of natives always went in charity to another. The fish now began to come forth from the depths of the lake, and resort to the mouths of streams, where nets and lines were employed by ourselves and the natives for our daily subsistence. The unwonted fine weather seemed to animate all. Our men and the natives played at ball, and other out-of-door games. In the evening Mr. Dease's violin was oftener heard than during the