222 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. xiv. 



Western Canada grew on the steep slope of the hill, and 

 at its base, on a deep rich soil evidently derived from the 

 decomposition of the felspathic rock. The hill-side faced 

 the east, and it was clothed with a forest which had escaped 

 the numerous fires which have devastated the greater part 

 of the country. Not far from our ' snow-white rock ' the 

 face of the hill changed, and became a vast mural preci- 

 pice between 300 and 400 feet high, of a dark-purple 

 colour, but frequently much shattered and broken into 

 masses, which seemed on the point of falling. Eeturning to 

 camp we found them all ready for continuing our journey, 

 and in a few minutes were again on our way. The lake 

 passed, we entered a shallow and rapid river, up which 

 we were compelled to wade and drag the canoes. We 

 camped where a party of Nasquapees had made their fire 

 a few days before, and left the bones of large trout, geese, 

 and ducks, the remnants of their savage meal. 



The portage before us was a formidable one, and well 

 named Kes-ca-po-swe-ta-gan, or the Burnt Portage, usher- 

 ing us into the burnt country : its length was one mile and 

 three quarters, and its altitude 329 feet, or 1,754 feet above 

 the ocean. A large part of the tract of land over which 

 we passed had escaped the devastating fires, and was beau- 

 tifully ornamented with free-growing larch and spruce, 

 with the unfailing caribou moss in the richest abundance. 

 The erratics, however, were the most striking features of 

 the scene ; for, besides being very numerous, they were of 

 extraordinary size, and exquisitely painted with green and 

 grey circles of time-stains and other lichens. When 

 hunting for partridge in a lovely valley, fair and beautiful 

 to the eye, I frequently sank two and even three feet 



