50 Extract from the “ Journal of a Survey to explore [Juuy, 
pines and mosses have had time to fix their roots, and afford 
fuel and shelter. A very long and deep snow avalanche reaches 
from the peaks above the left bank down to the river, and con- 
ceals it. Onthe opposite side of the river, the cliffs are of great 
height and mural, except in one place where a tremendous fall 
has taken place, encumbering and obstructing the bed of the 
river. But these ruins are so frequent, that the traveller scram- 
bles through them with little regard, except where the freshness 
of the fracture of the fallen masses of rock warns him to mend 
his pace, and get as soon as possible out of danger. 
May 30.—Birch tree, halting place, forward. Thermometer, 
sunrise, 32°. 
Set off from the middle of the snow bed. 
A torrent eight feet wide, five inches deep, joins the river. 
Its edges are frozen. 
Cross a high avalanche of snow, which conceals the river; it 
is very hard frozen. The bed of the river begins to be wider; 
large icicles hang among the rocks. ; 
Ford a rivulet or torrent from the left 11 feet wide. Rocky 
and rough. Gradual ascent. 
Gradually ascending among rocks. To the left, high cliffs of 
granite, but not so steep as before. To the right, snowy peaks; 
their summits about 6000 or 7000 feet high, distant about two. 
miles. The river bed is here about two furlongs wide, and full 
of stones. River certainly diminished in size ; it is very rapid, 
its bed being an ascent. We are now above the line of vegeta- 
tion of trees, and past the last firs. The birches remain, but 
they are only large bushes ; laurels also are seen, and a sort of, 
I believe, lichen, which grows in the rocks. The noble three- 
peaked snowy mountain shines in our front, and is the grandest 
and most splendid object the eye of man ever beheld. As na 
person knows these peaks or their names, we assume the privi- 
lege of navigators, and call them St. George, St. Patrick, and 
St. Andrew. St. George bears 129°; St. Patrick 132° 30’. 
N.B. On going further, we saw another lower peak between 
St. George and St. Patrick, which we called St. David, and the 
mountain collectively the Four Saints. 
A fall of the river of 12 feet over rocks, and a succession of 
smaller falls. The inclination of the bed of the riveris consider- 
able ; it is filled with blocks of granite, white, yellow, and red, 
and we saw some flint. Very difficult moving here. Great slips 
of the mountain to the left. _ 
Most difficult. Over masses of rock, which have fallen from 
above to the stream. This station is full of peril, being a very 
recent slip of the whole face of the mountain to the left. The 
broken summits cannot be less than 4000 feet high; blocks 
threaten to fall, and are indeed now continually coming down 
I have not seen so dangerous a slip. The ruin extends about 
half a mile; every person made the greatest haste to get past 
