390 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
Whole forests of timber are drifted down the 
stream, and choke up the channels between the 
islands at its mouth. We observed the traces of 
herds of buffaloes, where they had crossed the 
river, the trees being trodden down and strewed, 
as if by a whirlwind. 
At four P.M. we left the main branch of the 
Athabasca, entering a small river, called the 
Embarras. It is narrow and muddy, with pines 
of an enormous size on its banks. Some of them 
are two hundred feet high, and three or four feet 
in diameter. At nine P.M. we landed and en- 
camped ; but finding ourselves in a nest of mus- 
quitoes, we continued our journey before day- 
break; and at eight A.M., emerged into the 
Athabasca Lake. A strong wind agitated this 
sea of fresh water, which, however, we crossed 
without any accident, and landed on the north 
side of it, at Fort Chipewyan; where we had the 
satisfaction of finding our companions in good 
health, and of experiencing that sympathy in our 
anxiety on the state of our affairs, the reality of 
which was only to be expected from those whd 
were to share our future fortunes, 
