56 



EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



River. 1 This grew narrower as we advanced until, after an 

 hour's rowing against a strong wind, it ended abruptly in a 

 clump of willows. The worthy Captain was conceded to be u a 

 good judge of water but a mighty poor judge of land." We 

 reached the main stream again just as darkness was setting in. 

 There was no dry ground on which to camp, or even to build a 

 fire. From our position nothing could be seen but an appar- 

 ently endless stretch of driftlogs with their spreading roots 

 anchored on the battures, except toward the southwest, where 

 miles of willows fringed the water courses. It had rained all 

 the afternoon, and the absence of a fire to dry our clothing was 

 severely felt. A small fire, large enough to boil a kettle of tea, 

 was made among the roots of the stranded stump to which we 

 had made fast for the night. Dropping down the river in the 

 morning we soon reached a channel with a strong current, 

 entering from the west, which proved to be the Embarras. 

 Ascending this for three or four miles we turned into a branch 

 flowing toward Chippewyan. We were compelled to wait two 

 days at its mouth until guides were sent to conduct us through 

 the ice-obstructed channels among the islands before the post. 



As we were passing the broad mouth of the Peace, several 

 members of the party discovered "a big moose walking on the 

 batture and coming this way." Rifles were hastily taken from 

 their cases and everyone dropped behind the gunwale of the 

 boat. Two metis in our party were about to wade toward it 

 when the supposed moose resolved itself into the uplifted roots 

 of a huge cottonwood driftlog! 



Our journey of five hundred and thirty miles had occupied 

 twenty days, including the delays at Athabasca Landing, the 

 Grand Rapids and the Cascade. Just before our arrival the 

 snow had been cleared off by a heavy rain, though many drifts 

 still remained on the northern slopes. 



1 The channel known as the Embarras River obtained its name from the 

 driftwood with which it is said to have been obstructed. "The 'Embarras' 

 in no place exceeds one hundred yards in breadth, and the slack current 

 makes it preferable as a route [in ascending the stream] to the main river, 

 where the current is very strong. Its banks in places are steep, and like 

 the Slave River, thickly clothed with willow and poplar, some of the latter 

 very large. The waters are abominably dirty." Pullen, British Arctic Blue 

 Book, 1852, Vol. 50, p. 62. 



