54 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
the wretched stuff with which they supplied us, 
the lake not yielding fish at this season. After a 
‘short delay at this post, we sailed through the 
remainder of Swampy Lake, and slept at the 
Lower Portage in Jack River; the distance sailed 
to-day being sixteen miles and a half. 
Jack River is only eight miles long ; but being 
full of bad rapids, it detained us considerably. 
At seven in the morning of the 24th, we crossed 
the Long Portage, where the woods, having 
caught fire in the summer, were still smoking. 
This is a common accident, owing to the neglect 
of the Indians and voyagers in not putting out 
their fires, and in a dry season the woods may 
be seen blazing to the extent of many miles. 
We afterwards crossed the Second, or Swampy 
Portage, and in the evening encamped on the 
Upper Portage, where we were overtaken by an 
Indian bringing an answer from Governor Wil- 
liams to a letter I had written to him on the 
{oth, in which he renewed his injunctions to the 
gentlemen of the boats accompanying us, to 
afford us every assistance in their power. The 
Aurora Borealis appeared this evening in form 
of a bright arch, extending across the zenith in a 
N.W. and S.E. direction. The extent of our 
‘woyage to-day was two miles. ? 
About noon, on the 25th, we entered Knee 
