e forest
are seen glimpses of the rolling prairie. Down in the hollow, where the
stables stand, are always to be seen a few horses and cows, feeding or
lazily chewing their cud in the rich pasturage, giving an air of repose
to the scene, which contrasts forcibly with the view of the wide plains
that roll out like a vast green sea from the back of the fort, studded
here and there with little islets and hillocks, around which may be seen
hovering a watchful hawk or solitary raven.

The climate of Red River is salubrious and agreeable. Winter commences
about the month of November, and spring generally begins in April.
Although the winter is very long, and extremely cold (the thermometer
usually varying between ten and thirty degrees below _zero)_, yet, from
its being always _dry_ frost, it is much more agreeable than people
accustomed to the damp thawy weather of Great Britain might suppose.

Winter is here the liveliest season of the year. It is then that the
wild, demi-savage colonist leads the blushing half-breed girl to the
altar, and the country about his house rings with the music of the
sleigh bells, as his friends assemble to congratulate the happy pair,
and dance for three successive days. It is at this season the hardy
_voyageurs_ rest from their toils, and, circling round the blazing fire,
recount many a tale of danger, and paint many a wild romantic scene of
their long and tedious voyages among the lakes and rapids of the
interior; while their wives and children gaze with breathless interest
upon their swarthy, sunburned faces, lighted up with animation as they
recall the scenes of other days, or, with low and solemn voice, relate
the death of a friend and fellow _voyageur_ who perished among the
foaming cataracts of the wilderness.

During the summer months there are often very severe thunderstorms,
accompanied with tremendous showers of hail, which do great mischief to
the crops and houses. The hailstones are of an enormous size--upwards
of an inch in diameter; and on two or three occasions they broke all the
windows in Fort Garry that were exposed to the storm.

Generally speaking, however, the weather is serene and calm,
particularly in autumn, and during the delicious season peculiar to
America called the Indian summer, which precedes the commencement of
winter.

The scenery of Red River, as I said before, is neither grand nor
picturesque; yet, when the sun shines brightly on the waving grass and