﻿92 MISSINIPI June, 



servants, who was drowned here last year. His 

 body was thrown out a little below the rapid. 



We next crossed the Rapid lightening-place, and 

 afterwards mounted four several rapids, connected 

 with the Barrel Portage. In the afternoon the 

 Island Portagq^ was made, where the river, being 

 pent in for a short space between high, even, rocky 

 banks, is there only five or six hundred yards wide, 

 and has a strong current, requiring much exertion 

 from the canoe-men in paddling round the head- 

 lands. Elsewhere, except at the rapids during this 

 day's voyage, Churchill River has more the character 

 of a lake. In the evening we crossed the portage 

 of the Rapid River, one hundred and sixty paces 

 long, which has its name from a tributary stream 

 on which the Hudson's Bay Company have a post, 

 that is visible from the canoe-route. Afterwards 

 we passed the lightening-place of the Rapid River, 

 and encamped five or six miles further on, at 

 half-past eight o'clock. 



Our Iroquois, being tired with the day's journey 

 and longing for a fair wind to ease their arms, 

 frequently in the course of the afternoon, scattered 

 a little water from the blades of their paddles as an 

 ofiering to La Vieille^ who presides over the winds. 

 The Canadian voyagers, ever ready to adopt the 

 Indian superstitions, often resort to the same 

 practice, though it is probable that they give 



