1821.] 



The Werneriun Society of Eclinhuigh. 



at pleasure; treat iug tlieui nvtlier as 

 parts of the scaffolding of the biuldinir 

 of science, thau as belonging either to 

 its foundations, materials, or orna- 

 ments : — Tiiat they will look, where it 

 be possible, to practical applications in 

 science ; not, however, forgetting the 

 dignity of their pursuit, the noblest 

 end of which is to exalt the powers of 

 the human mind, and to increase the 

 sphere of intellectual enjoyment by 

 enlarging our views of nature, and of 

 the power, wisdom, and goodness of 

 the Author of nature. 



WERNERIAN SOCIETY o/EDINBURGH. 



Nut/ce of the Progress of tlte Arctic 

 Land Ejcpedition under the command 

 of Lieutenant Fkanklin. /« a 

 Letter to Professor J AMnaow.' 

 After leaving York Fort, the expe- 

 dition ascended Hayes, Steel, and Hill 

 Rivers, which, with a series of small 

 lakes, and their connecting streams, 

 form one continued line of water com- 

 munication to the Painted Stone. Over 

 the low rock, which has obtained this 

 name, the boats were launched into a 

 rivulet named the Ecliemamis, which 

 we descended till its junction with a 

 branch of Nelson River. Proceeding 

 up this branch, and passing through 

 Play-green and Wiunepeg lakes, they 

 entered the Saskatchewan, and navi- 

 gated it as far as Cumberland House, 

 the wintering station of the expedition. 

 Vork Fort is situated on a point 

 of alluvial land whicli separates the 

 mouths of Hayes and Nelson Rivers. 

 Throughout the whole length of Hayes 

 River, the counti-y has an uniform low, 

 flat, swampy appearance. Tlie soil con- 

 sists of decayed moss, immediately 

 under wliich there is a thick bed of 

 tenacious bluish clay, containing im- 

 bedded rolled stones. The stream 

 continually encroaching upon some 

 points, and depositing its spoils in 

 others, renders its banks alternately 

 steep and shelving; but in geneial, 

 the bed of the river is scooped out in 

 this clay to tiie depth of thirty or forty 

 feet. The plain above; is covered with 

 stunted larches, poplars, alders, and 

 willows. Hayes River is formed by 

 the junction of tlie Shanxmatfwa and 

 Steel Rivers; and the latter branch is 

 in like manner proiluccd by the union 

 of Fox and Hill Rivers. J)uring the 

 ascent of Steel River, the banks gra- 



• Printed in Brewster and Jiiuieson's 

 Journal. 



Monthly Mag. No. 350. 



57 



dually increase in height ; and in the 

 lower part of Hill River, they exceed 

 .'iOO feet. These high clayey hanks are 

 broken into conical hills by the deep 

 ravines which open into the river. The 

 travellers had no opp!)rtunity of judg- 

 ing of the nature of the interior ; but 

 where^'cr the current had worn away 

 the bank, the section exhibited only 

 the clay above mentionedw 



About 90 miles from the sea-shore, 

 a ridge of primitive rocks presented 

 itself, crossing the bed of the river, 

 and producing a fall termed the Rocky 

 Passage. Above this spot, the banks 

 of the Hill River gradually decrease 

 in height, the channel continuing uni- 

 formly rocky, and at length tlie super- 

 incumbent clay entirely disappears, 

 leaving the rocks on the borders of the 

 stream either quite naked, or partially 

 covered with soil, and clothed with 

 trees. Eight or nine miles above the 

 rock-portage, there is a small range of 

 conical hills, the most remarkable of 

 whicli is termed the Hill^ and gives the 

 name to the river. It is from 500 to 

 600 feet high. Above this Iiill, tlie 

 shores were low and rocky, but the 

 woods concealed the infei-ior from our 

 view. The rocks seem to be primitive ; 

 and the flatness of the country was as- 

 cribed to the abundance of the water, 

 M'hicli, filling the valleys, generally 30 

 deep in this formation, leaves (lie sum- 

 mits of the ridges alone uncovered. 

 Thirty-five lakes are visible from the 

 top of the Hill. No material variety 

 in the appearance of tlie land was ob- 

 served before tliey arrived at the 

 Painted Stone; and even after crossing 

 into Nelson River, the same species of 

 rock was seen exposed; 



At the entrance of Lake Winnipeg, 

 an alluvial stratum again covers the 

 rocks to an unknown depth. It differs 

 a little from tlic clay throngh which 

 Hayes River runs, in being of a white 

 coloiii', and probably in containing acon- 

 siderable portion of calcareous inatter. 

 Calcareous rocivs make their appearance 

 in great abundance on the western side 

 of Lake Winnipeg, flie whole country 

 for at least 300 miles along the course 

 of the Suskatchewan appearing toi be 

 composed solely of fiieni. There is a 

 fine section of them at the Grand Rapid, 

 near the mouth of tiie river. At this 

 place, the stream forces its way througli 

 a chasm abcnit 60 fe(;t deep, the rodcs 

 on each side being disposed in thin 

 strata, dipping to the nortlnvjud at an 

 angle of 10". The rocks yield readily 

 H to 



