OF THE POLAR SEA. 247 



only about seven miles. In the evening we en- 

 camped at the lower end of a narrow chasm 

 through which the river flows for upwards of a 

 mile. The walls of this chasm are upwards of 

 two hundred feet high, quite perpendicular, and 

 in some places only a few yards apart. The 

 river precipitates itself into it over a rock, form- 

 ing two magnificent and picturesque falls close to 

 each other. The upper fall is about sixty feet 

 high, and the lower one at least one hundred; but 

 perhaps considerably more, for the narrowness 

 of the chasm into which it fell prevented us from 

 seeing its bottom, and we could merely discern 

 the top of the spray far beneath our feet. The 

 lower fall is divided into two, by an insulated 

 column of rock which rises about forty feet above 

 it. The whole descent of the river at this place 

 probably exceeds two hundred and fifty feet. 

 The rock is very fine felspathose sandstone. It 

 has a smooth surface and a light red colour. I 

 have named these magnificent cascades " Wil- 

 berforce Falls," as a tribute of my respect for 

 that distinguished philanthropist and christian. 

 Messrs. Back and Hood took beautiful sketches 

 of this majestic scene. 



The river being surveyed from the summit of 

 a hill, above these falls, appeared so rapid and 

 shallow, that it seemed useless to attempt pro 



