OF THE POLAR SEA. 63 
The Painted Stone is a low rock, ten or twelve 
yards across, remarkable for the marshy streams 
which arise on each side of it, taking different 
courses. On the one side, the water-course which 
we had navigated from York Factory commences. 
This spot may therefore be considered as one of 
the smaller sources of Hayes’ River. On the 
other side of the stone the Echemamis rises, and 
taking a westerly direction falls into Nelson 
River. It is said that there was formerly a 
stone placed near the centre of this portage on 
which figures were annually traced, and offerings 
deposited, by the Indians ; but the stone has been 
removed many years, and the spot has ceased to 
be held in veneration. Here we were overtaken 
by Governor Williams, who left York Factory on 
the 20th of last month in an Indian canoe. He 
expressed much regret at our having been obliged 
to leave part of our stores at the Rock depét, and 
would have brought them up with him had he 
been able to procure and man a boat, or a canoe 
of sufficient size. : 
Having launched the boats over the rock, we 
commenced the descent of the Echemamis. This 
_ small stream has its course through a morass, and 
in dry seasons its channel contains, instead of 
water, merely a foot or two of thin mud. On 
these occasions it is customary to build dams, 
