ld hag advanced towards me, the perfect
embodiment of a nightmare, with a fearful grin on her countenance. I
shut my eyes. Suddenly a bright idea flashed across my mind: I stooped
down, with apparent goodwill, to salute her; but just as our lips were
about to meet, I slightly jerked up my head, and she kissed my _chin_.
Oh, happy thought! They were all quite satisfied, and attributed the
accident, no doubt, to their own clumsiness--or to mine!

This ceremony over, we each chose partners, the fiddle struck up, and
the ball began. Scotch reels were the only dances known by the majority
of the guests, so we confined ourselves entirely to them.

The Indian women afforded us a good deal of amusement during the
evening. Of all ungraceful beings, they are the most ungraceful; and of
all accomplishments, dancing is the one in which they shine least.
There is no rapid motion of the feet, no lively expression of the
countenance; but with a slow, regular, up-and-down motion, they stalk
through the figure with extreme gravity. They seemed to enjoy it
amazingly, however, and scarcely allowed the poor fiddler a moment's
rest during the whole evening.

Between eleven and twelve o'clock our two tables were put together, and
spread with several towels; thus forming a pretty respectable
supper-table, which would have been perfect, had not the one part been
three inches higher than the other. On it was placed a huge dish of
cold venison, and a monstrous iron kettle of tea. This, with sugar,
bread, and a lump of salt butter, completed the entertainment to which
the Indians sat down. They enjoyed it very much--at least, so I judged
from the rapid manner in which the viands disappeared, and the incessant
chattering and giggling kept up at intervals. After all were satisfied,
the guests departed in a state of great happiness; particularly the
ladies, who tied up the remnants of their supper in their handkerchiefs,
and carried them away.

Before concluding the description of our Christmas doings, I may as well
mention a circumstance which resulted from the effects of the ball, as
it shows in a curious manner the severity of the climate at York
Factory. In consequence of the breathing of so many people in so small
a room for such a length of time, the walls had become quite damp, and
ere the guests departed moisture was trickling down in many places.
During the night this moisture was frozen, and on rising the following
morning I