132 j ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
the River is stopped by mountainous Rocks 200 Yards in Length a 100 
feet high covered with Trees and the River rushes past on each Side. 
After 5 minutes paddling we arrived at the Second Portage of the 
Rivière Blanche! After passing this we had a strong Rapid to run when 
we found ourselves in smooth Water. The River for the Distance of 
three Miles is interrupted in its Course by a Bed of Rocks or Islands, 
partly covered with Trees, partly rugged, which form the most frightful 
. Rapids and Waterfalls a Part of which is evaded by the Portage but it 
is necessary to pass the Foot of them all, and each of them has a Story 
of Disaster and Loss of Canoes attached to it. The Scenery is here of 
the most romantic Character. In this short Distance there are seven 
Cataracts each of them stupendous and wild producing a Variety of bold 
romantic Scenery which cannot be described. The River is fully half 
a Mile in Breadth and the Bed high Rocks over which it forces itself. 
When the vast Body of the Water is considered being all the Waters from 
the Height of Land the wild romantic Scenery may be [imagined]. At 
? we landed at a small Post belonging to the North West Company on 
the Lake Bonnet. (Thirteen Bags of Pemmican and some Blankets and 
Cloths). We found some Indians who were intoxicated and who were 
very troublesome. The Man in Charge had been in the Service 30 Years. 
One of the Indian Women was singularly painted, the Forehead black, 
then a broad red Line which went over the Eyes and Eyebrows, then a 
White Line, the other Part of the Face black. At eight o’clock we 
passed the Pinawa running East North East and after ten minutes Pad- 
dling came to a small narrow Channel formed by Rocks and in a few 
Minutes arrived at the Aine? du Bonnet which is a Portage of ten Paces. 
Some Indians joined us to whom we gave Tobacco and Rum. One of 
them was a Chief and an old Hudson Bay Trader. At half-past nine we 
embarked. Ten minutes paddling brought us to the Roche Brulée 100 
Paces. We then paddled 20 minutes when we arrived at the Portage 
du Bonnet which is nearly a mile over a rich Country and Oak Woods 
having a most beautiful Appearance and inviting to Settlers. Near it 
is a very fine Waterfall. We passed here a Freeman going to the Red 
River. At 11 we were again embarked and in five minutes arrived at 
tle Roche du Bonnet® which is 80 Paces alongside a Waterfall. Half 
an Hours paddling brought us to the Portage de Terre Blanche which 

2 If we take Chute de Cantor (above) to be the 2nd Portage de la Riv. Blanche, 
this must be the last Portage de la Riv. Blanche of Henry, the Petite Roche Coupée, 
being Henry’s Petit Rocher de Riv. Blanche. Henry (Coues), vol. I., p. 32 and note. 
2 Or Anse; the writing is very indistinct. I cannot trace this in Henry, Keating, 
or Mackenzie. 
3 Probably Henry’s Galet de Bonnet. Henry (Coues), I. 33. 
