Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-07-03

NONh tBf5sCeSteii VI IL W SNOW Alt@E oTHsI ~
our obligations to them. WE were ashamed OF
the scene before us, the entrails of the moose
and its young, which had been buried at our feet,
bore testimony of the nocturnal reyels OF the
wolves. during the time we had slept. THIS
was a fresh subject OF derision for the Indians,
whose appettes, however, would not suffer
them to waste long upon lis, TING 81 precious.
They soon finished what tile wolves had be.
gun, aud with as little aid from the art OF
cookery, eating both the young moose, and the
contents ct the psuncb, raw"
The intensity of the cold was so great,
that the fish were Immediately frozen
when taken out of the water. If in this
completely frozen state, they were thaw-
ed before the fire, they perfectly recov-
cred their animation. A carp was OBJ
served to leap about vigorously, afterit
had been frozen six and thirty hours
The lowest state of the thermometer
was 81 l-2' below zero, being a l-2o
below the coolest weather observed by
Parry. We cannot but complain that
Capt F. did not keep us more regularly
informed, in his journal, of the state of
the thermometer. 1t is very unsatisfac-
tory to be informed that this day is UNI
usually cold, or this dayis milder, &C.;
for it is truly difficult to judge of the
state of the thermometer by our person
al feelings. Capt. f. fully illustrates this
when he says, "this day is sultry," and
thermometer stood at f30.
'They "a small party had tedious and
fatiguirg journey TO fort Providence, and for
some days were destitute of provision Bean-
alonr, he b.I al e..
the last s. hours, leaving his Indian compan-
ions encamDed at the last woods, they being
unwilling to accompany hin. across the barren
grounds during the storm that had prevailed
for several days, and blew with unusual VIC
| lence OH the day of his arrival His locks we're
matted with snow, and he was incf,isted with
ice from head to foot, 50 that we scarcely re-
cogn'zed him when he burst in upon u.s."
Few descriptions are more attractive
than that OF the Esquimaux dwellings:
'fhe winter habita.ions OF the Esqumaux,
who visit Churchill river, are built of snow, and
| Judging from oi'e built by our guide to day,
| they are very comfortable hoGses Having Sc
lected spot on the river, where the snow
was about two feet deep: and sufficiently coru-
| pact, he Commenced by tracing out q circle
| twelve feet in diameter. The snow in the in.
| terror ofthe circle was next dividend by broad
| knife hay ing long handle, into slabs three
feet long, six inches thick, and two feet deep,
being the thickness of the layer of sdiow-
| These slabs were tenacious enough 70 admit
| of being moved about without breaking, or e.
ven losing the sharpness Of their angles, apd
they hada slight degree u curvature, cores
poMling with that OF the circle from which they
were cut. They we're piled upon each other
| exactly like courses of hewR stune around the
circle which was traced out, and care was taken
to smooth the beds of the different courses
| with the knife, and to cut them ~ to give
the wall slight inclination inwards, by which
contrivance the building acquired the proper
ties Of dome. The dome was closed some
What suddenly and fatty by cutting the upper
slabs in wedge form, instead OF the more
rectangular share of those below. The roof
was about eight feet high, and the last spef-
ture was shut up by small conicai piece. The
whole was buin from within, and each slab WIS
! cut SO that it retained its position without re-
4uiring support till another was placed beside
H. the lighlness of the slabs greatly facilitating
the operation. When the buildings was thrown
over it, to close up every chnk, and low door
was cut through the wall with knife. A bed
place was next tornted, and neatly faced up
with slabs of snow, which was then covered
by Il thin layer Of pine branches, to prevent
them from melting by the heat of the body;
at each end of the bed, pillar of sn.w was
erected to place lamp upon, and lastly a
porch was built before the door, and a piece
OF clear ice was placed in an aperture cut in
the wall for window. The purity of the ma
terial OF which the house was framed, the eie-
gance OF the construction ami the translucency
OF its walls which transmitted a very pleasant
light, gaze it an appearance far superior to a
marble building, and one might survey it with
feelings somewhat akin to these produced by
the contemplation of Grecian temple, rear.1
by fhdasf be, lare triumphs ofarts inmita-' :
IN their kinds"
| Some idea may be formed of the de-
gree of cold and fatigue they sustained
from the following paragraph. Mr.. Back
says, Il had the pleasure to find my
friends (at Fort Enterprise)all III good
health, after an absence of nearly FIVE
months, during which time | had tray
eiled nearly riO4 miles, on snow shoes,
aud had no other covering at night, il
the woods, Than blanket and deer skin,
with the thermometer frequently at 400
and once at SO below zero, and some
times passing two or three nights with
out tasting food"
July 2t-"The horizontal refraction
varied SO much this morning, that the
upper limb of the sun twice appeared
at the horizon before it finally rose"
We should have been glad to know the
state of the thermometer at this time,
but are not informed.
On the return of our travellers from
the coast they were reduced to the most
trighttul degree of famine. Few histo-
! rics record more severe suherinos. as