LAND STORM GRAND RAPID. f)3 



Towards evening the wind abated, and I made 

 sure of resuming the march in the night ; but 

 the clouds soon grew heavier, and sent forth, at 

 intervals, hollow-sounding gusts of wind, the 

 harbingers of a strong gale, which the morning 

 of the 30th ushered in. The lake resembled 

 one rolling sheet of foam, which contrasted 

 strongly with the dark slaty sky to windward : 

 the mosquitoes had vanished ; six or eight gulls, 

 unable any longer to sustain their flight in search 

 of food, had huddled together on the lee side of 

 a projecting sand-bank; and two crows, wearied 

 with exertion, sat perched on the waving branches 

 of a tall pine, unscared by the approach of in- 

 truding feet. It was altogether an impressive 

 scene of picturesque and melancholy wildness. 

 I assembled the men in the tent, and read 

 divine service. In the evening a fire-fly was seen. 



July 1st An opportune change in the wea- 

 ther allowed us to get away ; and, having passed 

 the limestone rocks bordering that part of the 

 lake, we shortly arrived at the Grand Rapid, the 

 interesting particulars of which are too well and 

 too minutelv described in Sir John Franklin's 



a/ 



Narratives, to require or even justify a repetition 

 here. 



Some " freemen " # , Indians, and other idlers, 



* Persons who, having been in the Company's employ, 

 have obtained their discharge, and are living on their own 

 exertions. 



