Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/85

 winter; the little farm is productive, and the few domestic cattle maintained were in excellent condition. I noticed a number of ravens stalking about quite familiarly among the people and the dogs, and almost making their way into the houses. They are considered useful, during the heats of summer, in cleansing the beach of fish refuse, and are therefore treated with nearly as much consideration as the stork was by the ancients and is at this day in Holland.

On the 13th I sent back my Carlton auxiliaries, after all hands had been gratified by a "ball," at which one of my companions, who was a capital fiddler, officiated as chief musician. A party of Chipewyans came in with an assortment of furs. They had been living in abundance on moose-deer, and were clothed in the same manner as the people of the establishment. The Chipewyans are the most provident of all the northern tribes; and, since the union of the rival companies in 1821, their numbers are decidedly on the increase. The longitude of the place, deduced from three sets of lunar distances, with stars on either side of the moon, was 107° 54′ 30″ W., differing only six seconds from that found by Sir John Franklin in 1825.

On the 20th the long-looked for couriers arrived, with letters from Mr. Dease,