3^ THE FUR COUNTRY, JolifFe. Neither shouts nor flourishings of the whip had the slightest effect on the jaded animals. From time to time the travellers lightened the sledges by walking a little way. This mode of locomotion suited the hunters, who were now gradually approaching the best districts for game in the whole of English America. Mrs Paulina Barnett and Madge took a great interest in the chase, whilst Thomas Black professed absolute indiffer- ence to all athletic exercise. He had not come all this distance to hunt the polecat or the ermine, but merely to look at the moon at the mo- ment when her disc should cover that of the sun. When the queen of the night rose above the horizon, the impatient astronomer would gaze at her with eager eyes, and one day the Lieutenant said to him — " It would be a bad look-out for you, Mr Black, if by any un- lucky chance the moon should fail to keep her appointment on the 16th July 1860."
- ' Lieutenant Hobson," gravely replied the astronomer, "if the
moon were guilty of such a breach of good manners, I should indeed have cause to complain." The chief hunters of the expedition were the soldiers Marbre and Sabine, both very expert at their business. Tlieir skill was won- derful ; and the cleverest Indians would not have surpassed them in keenness of sight, precision of aim, or manual address. They were alike trappers and hunters, and were acquainted with all the nets and snares for taking sables, otters, wolves, foxes, bears, <fec. No artifice was unknown to them, and Captain Craventy had shown his wisdom in choosing two such intelligent men to accompany the little troop. Whilst on the march, however, Marbre and Sabine had no time for setting traps. They could not separate from the others for more than an hour or two at a time, and were obliged to be content with the game which passed within range of their rifles. Still they were fortunate enough to kill two of the large American ruminants, seldom met with in such elevated latitudes. On the morning of the 15th May the hunters asked permission to follow some fresh traces they had found, and the Lieutenant not only granted it, but himself accompanied them with Mrs Paulina Barnett, and they went several miles out of their route towards the east. The impressions were evidently the result of the passage of about half-a-dozen large deer. There could be no mistake about it; Marbre
