338 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
noes, yet I conceive its course is too much inter- 
rupted by cascades and rapids for its ever being 
used as a channel for the conveyance of merchan- 
dise. Whilst the crews were employed in making 
a portage over the foot of Prospect Hill, we as- 
cended to the top of it, and as it is the highest 
ground in the neighbourhood, its summit, which 
is about five hundred feet above the water, com- 
mands an extensive view. 
_ Akaitcho, who was here with his family, point- 
ed out to us the smoke of the distant fires whi 
the hunters had made. The prospect from the 
hill is agreeably diversified by an intermixture of 
hill and valley, and the appearance of twelve lakes 
in different directions. On the borders of these 
lakes a few thin pine groves occur, but the coun- 
try in general is destitute of almost every vege- 
table, except a few berry-bearing shrubs and 
lichens, and has a very barren aspect. The hills 
are composed of gneiss, but their acclivities are 
- covered with a coarse gravelly soil. There are 
many large loose stones both on their summits 
and acclivities, composed of the same materials 
as the solid rock. . 
We crossed another lake in the evening, en- 
camped, and set the nets. The chief made a 
large fire to announce our situation to the hunters. 
August 13.—We caught twenty fish this morn- 
