They Are
Log-Houses, Built Without Much Regard To Comfort, Surrounded By Lofty
Stockades And Flanked With Wooden Bastions.
The difficulty of conveying
glass into the interior has precluded its use in the windows where its
place is poorly supplied by parchment, imperfectly made by the native
women from the skin of the reindeer.
Should this post however continue to
be the residence of Governor Williams it will be much improved in a few
years, as he is devoting his attention to that point. The land around
Cumberland House is low but the soil, from having a considerable
intermixture of limestone, is good and capable of producing abundance of
corn and vegetables of every description. Many kinds of pot-herbs have
already been brought to some perfection and the potatoes bid fair to
equal those of England. The spontaneous productions of nature would
afford ample nourishment for all the European animals. Horses feed
extremely well even during the winter and so would oxen if provided with
hay which might be easily done.* Pigs also improve but require to be kept
warm in the winter. Hence it appears that the residents might easily
render themselves far less dependent on the Indians for support and be
relieved from the great anxiety which they too often suffer when the
hunters are unsuccessful. The neighbourhood of the houses has been much
cleared of wood from the great demand for fuel; there is therefore little
to admire in the surrounding scenery, especially in its winter garb; few
animated objects occur to enliven the scene; an occasional fox, marten,
rabbit or wolf and a few birds contribute the only variety.
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