CHAPTER XVL TWO SHOTS, ^j^HE first half of September passed rapidly away. Had %4'p^ Fort Hope been situated at the Pole itself, that is to say, ^^^^^ twenty degrees farther north, the Polar night would have set in on the 21st of that month. But under the seventieth parallel the sun would be visible above the horizon for another month. Nevertheless, the temperature was already decidedly colder, the thermometer fell during the night to 31° Fahrenheit; and thin coatings of ice appeared here and there, to be dissolved again in the day-time. But the settlers were able to await the coming of winter without alarm; they had a more than sufficient store of provisions, their supply of dried venison had largely increased, another score of morses had been killed, the tame rein-deer were warmly and com- fortably housed, and a huge wooden shed behind the house was filled with fuel. In short, everything was prepared for the Polar night. And now all the wants of the inhabitants of the fort being pro- vided for, it was time to think of the interests of the Company. The Arctic creatures had now assumed their winter furs, and were therefore of the greatest value, and Hobson organised shooting parties for the remainder of the fine weather, intending to set traps when the snow should prevent further excursions. They would have plenty to do to satisfy the requirements of the Company, for so far north it was of no use to depend on the Indians, who are generally the purveyors of the factories. The first expedition was to the haunt of a family of beavers, long since noted by the watchful Lieutenant, on a tributary of the stream already referred to. It is true, the fur of the beaver is not now as valuable as when it was used for hats, and fetched £16 per kilogramme (rather more than 21b.) ; but it still commands a high price as the animal is becoming very scarce, in consequence of the reckless way in which it has been hunted.
