[GARRY] DIARY OF NICHOLAS GARRY 133 
is about 300 Paces through a fine Oak Wood interspersed with Ash, 
Aspen, and Nut Trees the Branches borne down with the Nuts and run- 
ning along a fine Waterfall. In 12 Minutes we were again in the Canoe 
and in half an Hour arrived at the Portage de Chéne so called from the 
beautiful Oak Wood, through which the Portage runs along the Water- 
fall. This is I consider one of the finest I have seen from the great 
Length of the Fall and Breadth of the River and Unevenness of its rocky 
Bed. In a few minutes we passed another Portage of a few Minutes’ 
which brought us to the Foot of the Fall which from its foaming 
christalized Appearance is called the Chûte d’Argent. In half an Hour 
we arrived at a Décharge but our Steersman preferred running it and 
we had a narrow escape having just touched. A harder Knock would 
have broken our Canoe. A Rock we had not seen was in the middle of 
the Rapid. We then run another and at 7 we arrived at the last Portage 
which is called Les Eaux qui remuent.? This Portage is likewise 
through a Wood to avoid a Cataract along which the Road passes. The 
Fall is here very grand and is the last of a Succession of Waterfalls and 
Rapids one grander than the other, the last appearing to surpass the 
former whilst it is more before your eyes the whole forming the most 
magnificent grand Scenery, which the Mind cannot contemplate without 
Wonder and Astonishment. The general character of the Falls is :— 
The Banks are Rocks, not mountainous but bold, generally of a smooth 
oval Form; the River may be from a quarter to one mile in Breadth; the 
Falls are not of great Height, from 10 to 30 or 50 Feet, but their great 
Length over the most singular rocky Bed constitutes their Grandeur and 
Beauty; the Channels are obstructed by irregular Rocks and Islands 
partly wooded partly bare, the Waters appearing to contend for Mastery 
striving to run over them and this Contest produces all that the Imagi- 
nation can conceive. At half past three we started and at half past four 
arrived at Bas de la Riviére where the North West had a trading Post, 
now become Hudson Bay’s.* We found here Mr. J. W. Dean a Chief 
Trader to whom I delivered his Commission. The Post is placed in a 
very beautiful Situation and surrounded by cultivated Land where they 
grow Potatoes, Wheat and Vegetables. At the Moment we were there 
there were 50 Women and Children living at the Expense of the Com- 
pany. This is an immense Expense and some Steps should be taken to 
avoid it. This was a Sort of resting Port for the Athapascan Canoes. 

1 [Paces ?] 
? This, I suppose, is Henry’s last Eaux qui remuent and {Keating’s P. des 
Eaux mouvantes. Henry (Coues), I. p. 34. 
3 Fort Alexander. 
Sec. II., 1900. 9. 
