OF THE POLAR SEA. 



45 



The westerly winds detained us all the morning of the 9th, but, 

 at two P.M., the wind chopped round to the eastward ; we imme- 

 diately embarked, and the breeze afterwards freshening, we reached 

 the mouth of the Saskatchawan at midnight, having run thirty-two 



miles. 



Sunday, October 10. — The whole of this day was occupied in 

 getting the boats from the mouth of the river to the foot of the 

 grand rapid, a distance of two miles. There are several rapids in 

 this short distance, during which the river varies its breadth from 

 five hundred yards to half a mile. Its channel is stony. At the 

 grand rapid, the Saskatchawan forms a sudden bend, from south to 

 east, and works its way through a narrow channel, deeply worn into 

 the limestone strata. The stream, rushing with impetuous force 

 over a rocky and uneven bottom, presents a sheet of foam, and 

 seems to bear with impatience the straitened confinement of its 

 lofty banks. A flock of pelicans, and two or three brown fishing 

 eagles, were fishing in its agitated waters, seemingly with great 

 success. There is a good sturgeon fishery at the foot of the rapid. 

 Several golden plovers, Canadian gros-beaks, cross-bills, wood- 

 peckers, and pin-tailed grouse, were shot to-day; and Mr. Back 

 killed a small striped marmot. This beautiful little animal was 

 busily employed in carrying in its distended pouches the seeds of 

 the American vetch to its winter hoards. 



The portage is eighteen hundred yards long, and its western extre- 

 mity was found to be in 53° 08' 25" North latitude, and 99° 28' 02" 

 West longitude. The route from Canada to the Athabasca joins 

 that from York Factory at the mouth of the Saskatchawan, and 

 we saw traces of a recent encampment of the Canadian voyagers. 

 Our companions in the Hudson's Bay boats, dreading an attack from 

 their rivals in trade, were on the alert at this place. They examined 

 minutely the spot of encampment, to form a judgment of the num- 

 ber of canoes that had preceded them ; and they advanced, armed, 



