182 TAKE AN UNEXPECTED ROUTE. 



He had expected that our route would have been 

 by a small river, about a mile to the eastward, 

 invariably used by the Chipewyans or Yellow- 

 knives, whenever they proceed in that direction ; 

 and, as it may be supposed, quite unknown to 

 me until that moment. On subsequent in- 

 spection, however, it was found to be too 

 shallow for canoes, being merely the outlet to 

 some small lakes, and the waters of a picturesque 

 fall, from four to eight miles distant. There 

 were many small Indian canoes stowed under 

 the branches of the willows ; and as it was 

 the lowest and most favourable route to the 

 Barren lands, it was preferred, it seems, to those 

 by which I had passed. 



