ITINERARY. 413 



madly bounding onwards — the consciousness of risk 

 to be incurred by a single error or accident, and the 

 mingled cries of the boatmen, half French-Canadian, 

 half English, present as wild a scene as could be 

 witnessed. 



The Puise, Crooked, Middle, and Knee rapids, 

 Knee and Sandy lakes, the Serpent Rapid, the 

 Serpent and Moose lakes, the Pin, Birchwood, 

 and Canot Tourne rapids, were successively passed on 

 the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ; then proceeded we through 

 the Lake of the Bear islets, this having, although called 

 a lake, a strong current running through, and several 

 rapids in it, of which I pause only to mention the 

 Rapide qui ne parle pas, so called from its silent, 

 though swift course, and the Cardinal, whose ways 

 were very crooked. Next, passing the Willow 

 Portage, we entered Trout Lake, and the Trout and 

 Ecore rapids, pulled through the Lake des Ecores, 

 and descended the Bigstone river, in which were 

 several rapids ; then came the Lakes des Cotes and 

 du Diable, followed by a rapid and a portage also 

 assigned to his Satanic Majesty. We now reached 

 the other rapid, separating the smaller Diable from 

 the Otter Lake. It was very deep, although turbulent, 

 and little hazard was incurred in running it, but its 

 ascent is not so safe. I was told that Sir John 



