414 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. XI. 



these, imagining they could easily pass the English 

 boat, were not a little surprised and mortified, on 

 putting it to the proof, to find the boat taking and 

 maintaining the lead, both under sail and with oars. 

 This river has been so well described by Mackenzie, 

 that a very few observations will be sufficient. They 

 found, what this traveller mentions, a quantity of 

 wood-coal, which was now perceived to be on fire, 

 and its smell very disagreeable. When tried at 

 winter-quarters it was found to emit little heat, and 

 unfit for the blacksmith's use. The banks contain 

 also a kind of unctuous mud, which the Indians 

 use occasionally as food, during the seasons of 

 famine, and even at other times chew as an amuse- 

 ment. It is said to have a milky taste, and that the 

 flavour is not disagreeable. Franklin also mentions 

 a dark bituminous liquid oozing from the rocks, 

 and two streams of sulphureous water flowing into 

 the Mackenzie, where the Bear Lake River joins it ; 

 also, lower down, the eastern bank is composed of 

 thin strata of bituminous shale. 



Near a place called the " Ramparts," is a defile 

 of seven miles, where the river rushes with great 

 violence between perpendicular walls of limestone. 

 Here they fell in with a party of Hare Indians, all 

 neatly clothed in new leathern dresses, highly orna- 

 mented with beads and porcupine quills, both sexes 

 alike, who brought fish, berries, and meat. At 

 Fort Good Hope, the lowest of the Company's esta- 



