OF THE POLAR SEA. 279 
The thermometer was this day 100° in the sun, 
and the heat was extremely oppressive, from our 
constant exposure to it. We crossed three port- 
ages in the Great River, and encamped at the 
last ; here we met the director of the North-West 
Company’s affairs in the north, Mr. Stuart, on 
his way to Fort William, in a light canoe. He 
had left the Athabasca Lake only thirteen days, 
and brought letters from Mr. Franklin, who de- 
sired that we would endeavour to collect stores 
of every kind at Isle 4 la Crosse, and ‘added a 
favourable account of the country, to the north- 
ward of the Slave Lake. 
On the 16th, at three A.M., we continued. our 
course, the river increasing to the breadth of half 
a mile, with many rapids between the rocky 
islands. The banks were luxuriantly clothed 
with pines, poplars, and birch trees, of the largest 
size ; but the different shades of green were un- 
distinguishable at a distance, and the glow of 
autumnal colours was wanting to render the va- 
riety beautiful. 
Having crossed two portages at the different 
extremities of the Island Lake, we ran through 
two extensive sheets of water under sail, called 
the Heron and Pelican Lakes; the former of 
whi is fifteen miles in length, and the latter 
five ; but its extent to the southward has not been 
