FROM JUL Y 25 TH TO AUGUST 20 TH. 203 forwards. A good many reindeer, still wild, now fell into the trap half way between the fort and Port Barnett. It will be remembered that a large bear was once taken in it ; but nothing of the kind occurred this season — none fell victims but the reindeer, whose flesh was salted and laid by for future use. Twenty at least were taken, which in the ordinary course of things would have gone down to the south in the winter. One day, however, the reindeer-trap suddenly became useless in consequence of the conformation of the soil. After visiting it as usual, the hunter Marbre approached Hobson, and said to him in a significant tone — " I have just paid my daily visit to the reindeer-trap, sir." " Well, Marbre, I hope you have been as successful to-day as yesterday, and have caught a couple of reindeer," replied Hobson. "No, sir, no," replied Marbre, with some embarrassment. " Your trap has not yielded its ordinary contingent then ] " " No, sir ; and if any animal had fallen in, it would certainly have been drowned ! " " Drowned ! " cried the Lieutenant, looking at the hunter with an anxious expression. " Yes, sir," replied Marbre, looking attentively at his superior ; " the pit is full of water." " Ah ! " said Hobson, in the tone of a man who attached no im- portance to that ; " you know your pit was partly hollowed out of ice ; its walls have melted with the heat of the sun, and then " "Beg pardon for interrupting you, sir," said Marbre; "but the water cannot have been produced by the melting of ice." "Why not, Marbre?" " Because if it came from ice it would be sweet, as you explained to me once before. Now the water in our pit is salt ! " Master of himself as he was, Hobson could not help changing countenance slightly, and he had not a word to say. " Besides," added Marbre, " I wanted to sound the trench to see how deep the water was, and to my great surprise, I can tell you, I could not find the bottom." "Well, Marbre," replied Hobson hastily, "there is. nothing so wonderful in that. Some fracture of the soil has established a com- munication between the sea and the trap. So don't be uneasy about it, my brave fellow, but leave the trap alone for the present, and be content with setting snares near the fort."
