﻿1847. KOUTES THROUGH THE INTERIOR. 33 



kenzie. From thence there is a continuous water- 

 course to the sea, through the Elk or Athabasca 

 River, Athabasca Lake, Slave River and Lake, and 

 the Mackenzie proper. 



The length of this interior navigation from Mon- 

 treal to the Arctic Sea is, in round numbers, four 

 thousand four hundred miles, of which sixteen 

 hundred miles are performed on the Mackenzie 

 and its affluents, from Methy Portage northwards, 

 and in which the only interruptions to boat navi- 

 gation are a few cascades and rapids in Clear- water 

 and Slave Rivers. 



During the existence of the North-west, X-Y, 

 and other fur companies trading from Canada, 

 supplies were conveyed to their northern posts by 

 the way of the Ottawa river and great Canada 

 lakes ; but they reached the distant establish- 

 ments on the Mackenzie only in the second summer, 

 having been deposited in the first year at a depot 

 on Rainy River. Owing to the shallowness of 

 the streams, and badness of the portage roads 

 over the heights between Lake Superior and Rainy 

 Lake, the transport of goods requires to be 

 performed in canoes, with much manual labour, 

 and is, consequently, very expensive. On this 

 account the Hudson's Bay Company, who are now 

 the sole possessors of the northern fur trade, no 

 longer take their trading goods from Canada, but 



VOL. I. - D 



