330 A SERIES OF CASCADES. 



anxiously examined, in the hope that a passage 

 might be found through one of them, the land 

 was found continuous, and still bore to the east- 

 ward. By 10 a.m. the mountains had dwindled 

 to hills, which soon gave place to sand-banks, 

 especially to the right ; an ominous indication of 

 the future course of the stream. The lake, 

 which I have named after my friend Captain 

 Beechey, visibly decreased in breadth ; and at 

 length discharged itself by what, from the loud 

 roar that was heard long before we got to it, was 

 conjectured to be a fall, but which was found 

 to be in fact an awful series of cascades, nearly 

 two miles in length, and making, in the whole, 

 a descent of about sixty feet. The right bank 

 was the most favourable for a portage, which 

 we commenced without loss of time, while the 

 two steersmen were despatched to examine the 

 falls. Their report was, " that it was possible 

 the boat might be got down, but they did not 

 see how she ever could be got up again - 9 " a con- 

 sideration of no great moment yet, when we were 

 not out of walking distance from the house, what- 

 ever it might become afterwards. Accordingly, 

 having completed the portage, and made another 

 cache of pemmican and fat, to which was added 

 a spare oar, the trial was made with the boat. 

 She was first lifted over some obstacles, and then 

 lowered cautiously down the different descents ; 



