it necessary to raise the houses in the fort
several feet in the air upon blocks of wood; and the squares are
intersected by elevated wooden platforms, which form the only promenade
the inhabitants have during the summer, as no one can venture fifty
yards beyond the gates without wetting his feet. Nothing bearing the
most distant resemblance to a hillock exists in the land. Nelson River
is a broad stream, which discharges itself into Hudson Bay, near the
mouth of Hayes River, between which lies a belt of swamp and willows,
known by the name of the Point of Marsh. Here may be found, during the
spring and autumn, millions of ducks, geese, and plover, and during the
summer billions of mosquitoes. There are a great many strange plants
and shrubs in this marsh, which forms a wide field of research and
pleasure to the botanist and the sportsman; but the lover of beautiful
scenery and the florist will find little to please the eye or
imagination, as Nature has here put on her plainest garb, and flowers
there are none.

Of the feathered tribes there are the large and small grey Canada goose,
the laughing goose (so called from the resemblance of its cry to
laughter), and the wavie or white goose. The latter are not very
numerous. There are great numbers of wild ducks, pintails, widgeons,
divers, sawbills, black ducks, and teal; but the prince of ducks (the
canvas-back) is not there. In spring and autumn the whole country
becomes musical with the wild cries and shrill whistle of immense hosts
of plover of all kinds--long legs, short legs, black legs, and yellow
legs--sandpipers and snipe, which are assisted in their noisy concerts
by myriads of frogs. The latter are really the best songsters in Hudson
Bay [see note 2]. Bitterns are also found in the marshes; and
sometimes, though rarely, a solitary crane finds its way to the coast.
In the woods, and among the dry places around, there are a few grey
grouse and wood partridges, a great many hawks, and owls of all sizes--
from the gigantic white owl, which measures five feet across the back
and wings, to the small grey owl, not much bigger than a man's hand.

In winter the woods and frozen swamps are filled with ptarmigan--or, as
they are called by the trappers, white partridges. They are not very
palatable; but, nevertheless, they form a pretty constant dish at the
winter mess-table of York Factory, and afford excellent sport to the
inhabitants. There are also great va