1849. SURVEYS RAE RIVER. 123 



Richardson last autumn) ; and on proceeding three miles 

 up it, came to the lodges, six in number, of our Eskimo 

 visitors, who said that they had been so much alarmed at 

 seeing the boat under sail that they were on the point of 

 running away. 



" As there was no possibility of our making much progress 

 along shore until the ice wasted a little more, I devoted 

 the two following days to an examination of this river; 

 the Eskimo whom I have already mentioned as our active 

 assistant last year willingly agreeing to accompany us. 

 At the distance of 9J miles from the river's mouth, there 

 is a perpendicular fall of 10 feet, which extends across the 

 stream, except a few yards on the north side, where the 

 rock slopes so much that, during the spring-floods, salmon 

 and white fish are able to ascend, affording the natives a 

 fine opportunity of spearing them. Here I left the boat 

 and four of the men, whilst in company with the other 

 two, and our Eskimo guide, I traced the river 19^ geo- 

 graphical miles further. Its course is nearly due west, 

 and very straight ; about the size of the Dease River, and 

 varying in breadth from 80 to 200 yards, with a very 

 strong current, and sufficient depth of water for a boat 

 drawing 14 or 15 inches. It flows over a bed of limestone, 

 and is bounded on the north, at the distance of half a mile 

 or less from its banks, by precipices of basalt from 100 to 

 200 feet high, superimposed on limestone of the same kind 

 as that which forms the bed of the river. 



"At the extreme west point of ouv journey, we found a 

 party of ten Eskimos with their families, who informed us 

 that the stream maintained the same course and size as far 

 as they had seen it, which was somewhat more than three 

 days' march, or about sixty miles ; how much further they 

 knew not, as they had never been to its source. Two of 



