{GArRY] DIARY OF NICHOLAS GARRY 147 
Dinner; wet miserable day; at half-past two entered Airy’ Lake; almost 
marsh, low shore, small Channel with Rocks. Passed a Canoe with 
Goods for Rainy Lake; 25 Pieces of Goods. Passed Mr. Dean for Slave 
Lake. Airy Lake Portage 50 Paces. Entered the Tchimaines? or Still 
Water; about 30 Miles in Length, low Banks, Pine, 15 yards broad, no 
Rapids, very shoaly, Boats often detained several Days. Apprehension 
that the Communication may be quite stopped, rendering it the more 
necessary that the great Route (the Nelson River) should be explored. 
At 8 we encamped. 
Friday the 17th [August]. At 2 we embarked in the same River, 
narrow Stream full of small Islets, Banks low and marshy, Reeds, Wil- 
lows, and Stunted Pine. The Indians from Oxford House hunt here. 
The River is full of Beaver; it belongs to the Island Lake District. Mr. 
Todd last year, Mr. Sayre, this. Came to a narrow Channel with so 
little water that we could scarcely pass. It will be necessary to repair 
the Dams this Winter. After passing narrow Channel came to broader 
Water, East Side rather high bare Rocks. At 12 arrived at Painted 
Stone Portage, which is the Height of Land but so low that it is a Level. 
The Tochimaines runs from here into the Nelson River, thus we have 
been ascending the Stream. After crossing this Portage we found our- 
selves in a narrow Channel called Painted Stone River. Passed Mr. 
West and Mr. McDonell. Two Boats sent from England by Mr. Colville; 
will not answer, not sufficiently large, and only carry 35 Pieces of 90 
Pounds. Boats of the Country take 50 costing only 30£ while these 
cost 80£. Mr. West and Mr. McDonald dined with us on a Rock. Beau- 
tiful Moss with a red Flower [?]; great Quantity of Tripe de Roche.* 
On leaving Painted Stone River entered a small Lake called White 
Fall Lake. Entered a narrow Channel—Ducks—several Eagles. At 
half past five arrived at White Fall Portage, 3? of a Mile. Mr. Franklin 
was nearly drowned here, having fallen into the Water near the Rapid 
where, tho’ a good Swimmer, he must have perished had not one of his 
Men caught him by a Boat Hook.* Crossing this Portage we entered 
the Lake Winipigos, narrow Channel through Rocks, then the Lake. At 
? we arrived at a small Stream, which brought us to the Hill Portage 
which is a 100 Paces over a Rock to avoid a dangerous Rapid. Our 
Men run this with the Assistance of a Line. We encamped about 1 Mile 
from this Portage and on the Banks of the Weepinnipannisch River. 

1 Hairy Lake. 
2 Echamamish, or Echiamamis R. 
3 Several species of lichens belonging to Gyrophora and Umbilicaria go by this 
mame. 
4 Franklin’s First Journey to Polar Sea (London, 1823), p. 40. 
