80 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
at 8 o’elock. Ascend it for about 2 miles and encamp at 11 a.m. 
Experienced some difficulty in finding the proper track. 
May— 
Tuesday, 1st.—Fine weather. Start at 4 past 4 a.m. Snow not 
less than between 4 and 5 feet deep. Continue to ascend the Grand 
Cote by very short stages for about 2 miles till we meet the Rocky Hills 
on the right at 8 a.m. when we incline to the left a little and having 
journeyed I should say between 3 and 4 miles encamp nearly a mile on 
this side of the height of land‘ at noon. We experienced again much 
difficulty in finding and keeping our road. In fact we could not ascend 
50 yards before the people were wandering in every direction in search 
of the track. What few marks have been made to point out the way 
I conceive are concealed by the depth of snow. Kill a partridge. 
Wednesday, 2nd.—Fine weather. Resume our journey at 3 a.m. 
in order to avail ourselves of the crust on the snow. Course north east. 
Travel at a good pace for about 17 miles? and stop at 11 a.m. to break- 
fast and give the people a rest during the heat of the day. Two-thirds 
of the distance across the grand batture.* Hang up our snow shoes on 
a tree, there appearing no need of them further. Since passing the height 
of land the snow has very rapidly diminished. At our last encampment 
it was 5 feet deep and here there is only a little remaining on the ice on 
the banks of the River. What is left still smoothens our road which 
passes often over rough rocks. We however had to use our snow shoes 
occasionally thro’ the small points of woods. Being here informed by 
the people that it is customary to send somebody ahead to meet the man 
with the horses and advertize him of our approach I send off Roy light for 
that purpose. Make a fresh start ourselves at 2 p.m. and continue over 
Battures and thro’ woods and swamps between 6 and 7miles and encamp 
at 4 past 6. One of the swamps entirely frozen over. Traversed the Atha” 
river* 6 times to-day, twice knee deep; current strong. We went out of our 
road alittle in the last part of the day’s march and got into very bad woods. 
Roy returns after dark to our camp on horseback having found J. Cardin- 
alle at Campment d’Orignal with 9 horses. Send him back on foot to de- 
sire Cardinalle to bring up the horses as soon as possible in the morning.5 

‘The summit of the Athabaska pass; at an elevation of 6,025 feet. As the 
Boat Encampment is about 2,000 feet above sea-level, he has ascended 4,000 feet. 
* He is now descending Whirlpool river, a branch of the Athabaska. 
5 He is travelling on the gravel bars of Whirlpool river, except where forced by 
the water to take to the woods. 
“ He has now passed the confluence of the Athabaska and Whirlpool rivers and” 
is descending the former. 
5 Douglas’ account of the journey was published in the Companion to the 
Botanical Magazine. As itis very rare, the portion relating to the journey from Boat 
Encampment to the Athabaska is reprinted on page 128 et seq. 
