NORTHERN OCEAN. 
269 
either man or beaft, except in fome flacks, or y770, 
gulleys, that have been wore down by hay 
rains, backwaters, or deluges; and even thofe 
flacks are, for the moft part, very difficult to af- 
cend, on account of the number of large trees 
which lie in the way. 
There are feveral low iflands in this river, which 
are much frequented by the moofe, for the fake 
of the fine willows they produce, which furnifh 
them with a plentiful fupply of their favourite 
food during the Winter. Some of thofe iflands 
are alfo frequently by a number of rabbits; but 
as larger game could be procured in great plenty, 
thofe fmall animals were not deemed worthy our 
notice at prefent. 
Befide the grand river already mentioned, there 
are feveral others of lefs note, which empty them- 
felves into the great Athapufcow Lake: There 
are alfo feveral {mall rivers and creeks on the 
North Eaft fide of the Lake that carry off the fu- 
perfluous waters, fome of which, after a variety 
of windings through the barren grounds to the 
North of Churchill River, are loft in the marfhes 
and low grounds, while others, by means of ma- 
ny {mall channels and rivulets, are difcharged into 
other rivers and lakes, and at laft, doubtlefs, find 
their way into Hudfon’s Bay. Thefe rivers, 
though numberlefs, are all fo full of fhoals and 
ftones, as not to be navigable for an Indian canoe 
to any confiderable diftance ; and if they were, it 
would be of little or no ufe to the natives, as none 
of 
