STORY OF A FUR COUNTRY NORTH OF CANADA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1853, 27 May 1887, Page 35

STORY OF A FUR COUNTRY NORTH OF CANADA.

By One of Our Little Folks. From the 18th July Lieutenant Hobsdn took the bearings daily, to find out how far Victoria Island was from the mainland. On the 19th he announced that the island had drifted several miles further west. Mac Nab ■was ordered to make a large boat, Hobson telling him that he intended to explore the coast as far as Eussian America in the summer. The same day he intended to set out on an excursion round the island, but in the evening a terrible storm came on, and he was obliged to put off his trip. During the night of the 22nd July the tempest suddenly ceased, and the next^day the lieutenant was able to start on his journey. Mrs Barnett and Sergeant Long were to accompany him. The party first went to Cape Esquimaux, where they rested for a time. On leaving the Cape Hobson reminded Mrs Barnett of the party of Esquimaux they met there the day before, and of the surprise the men showed at finding a fort on Victoria Peninsula. Hobson now understood what they meant, and the reason will be better explained when we come to Kalumah's explanation after she was saved, first by a bear and then by Mrs Barnett, from being drowned. The party did not. go very quickly, as they had to examine the ground as they proceeded. Sergeant Long planted slips of willows here and there to serve as beach marks. From Walrus Bay instead of seeing the long and slightly curved coast lins forming the shore of Liverpool Bay they now ■ saw the sea, the continent having disappeared. Victoria Island ended in an abrupt angle where it had broken off. All were j eager to reach the angle. As they advanced the ground became higher, a fact which explained the reason Avhy the isthmus held so long, as it was thicker there than anywhere else. When the angle was reached the ocean lay stretched out before their eyes. Hobson determined to camp that night at Washburn : Bay, 18 miles away. Of that bay nothing remained but the curve formed by the coast line .of the island. While the sergeant was preparing the night quarters, Lieutenant Hobson by stepping down to a bank made by a landslip was able to find out how Victoria Island was formed. Its foundation consisted of layers of ice which the rigour of an Arctic winter had made thicker and thicker. The wind had brought the earth and seeds, and nothing but a terrible earthquake, such as the one of January Bth, could have severed it from the mainland. Long was determined not to sleep in the open air, but to dig a hole. He had, however * scarcely dug loin when the I ice which formed a cavern where he wasii working gave way under' him, and had he' not been able to hold on by his knife he would have slipped under the island. Hobson, hearing his cries, soon rescued him from his perilous position. But the brave sergeant was not in the least disheartened by his bath, and would have dug another burrow had' Mrs Barnett allowed him. That night the party camped under some pines and willows. (To he continued.}