172 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



must have proved fatal to every one in them. 

 The powder fortunately escaped the water, which 

 was soon discharged when we reached the bottom 

 of the rapid. At noon we perceived Hepburn 

 lying on the left bank of the river, and landed 

 immediately to receive his information. As he 

 represented the water to be shoal the whole way 

 to the rapid (below which the Esquimaux were,) 

 the shore party were directed to continue their 

 march to a sandy bay at the head of the fall, and 

 there await the arrival of the canoes. The land 

 in the neighbourhood of the rapid, is of the most 

 singular form: large irregular sand hills bound- 

 ing both banks, apparently so unconnected that 

 they resemble icebergs ; the country around them 

 consisting of high round green hills. The river 

 becomes wide in this part, and full of shoals, 

 but we had no difficulty in finding a channel 

 through them. On regaining the shore party, 

 we regretted to find that some of the men had 

 Incautiously appeared on the tops of the hills, 

 just at the time Augustus was conversing with 

 one of the Esquimaux, who had again approached 

 in his canoe, and was ahnost persuaded to land. 

 The unfortunate appearance of so many people 

 at this instant, revived his fears, and he crossed 

 over to the eastern bank of the river, and fled 

 with the whole of his party. We learned from 



