Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/384

356 happy omen to rally the spirits of our Indian companions, which were depressed by an evil dream that had visited one of them. He saw, in his virion, flames issuing from the mouth of a rude monumental figure of stones, erected by our people at a place where the ice detained us several days, and consuming himself with the rest of the party. When the cliff broke down, "Hark," I exclaimed, "the demon that troubled you has fallen!" After this we heard no more about him. It would have been in vain to attempt reasoning down their superstitious belief in dreams. Even the white men of our crews believed in ghosts, witchcraft, second-sight, and other similar absurdities; and nothing would induce our steersman M'Kay, though otherwise a bold fellow, to pass a single night alone.

From the rugged heights of Cape Barrow we beheld, with equal astonishment and delight, the wide extent of Coronation Gulph partially open, whereas long after this period the year before the whole party might have crossed it on foot! Besides the inferior severity of the preceding winter, the present summer was considerably warmer than that of 1838, which satisfactorily accounts for the wonderful difference in the state of the ice. The only drawback to our enjoyment of this improved aspect of affairs was the swarms of musquitoes