The Klotz Overland Hudson's Bay Expedition. 329 



and lynx. In the river, with nets, they catch sturgeon, whitefish, 

 pike, suckers, gold-eyes, and perch. From the first the squaws 

 take out the isinglass, which is one of the most valuable articles 

 of commerce at the post. There was a neat little mission church at 

 the Fort, but it was burned to the ground on the 26th of May, 1 884, 

 caused by bush-fires in the neighbourhood. 



From Fort a la Corne to Cumberland House, a distance of about 

 one hundred and seventy-five miles, the country is full of interesting 

 features. The river for a long distance preserves a uniform width 

 of about nine hundred feet, contains no sand-bars, and but few 

 rapids of a very insignificant character. At the largest of the latter, 

 a la Corne Rapids, the steamer has occasionally to make use of a 

 head-line to overcome the current. On the north bank of the 

 river, not far below Fort a la Corne, there are a number of iron 

 springs, and the deflection of the magnetic needle in the neighbour- 

 hood indicates valuable iron deposits. 



One of the greatest difficulties to be met with in travelling down 

 the Saskatchewan in late years, is the fire, which at certain seasons 

 abounds almost everywhere, rendering great insecurity. Mr. Klotz's 

 party were frequently compelled by the fires to shift camp, and on 

 more than one occasion they were exposed to great danger, being 

 surrounded by fire on every hand, from which the air was hot and 

 filled with smoke to such a degree that it was almost unbearable. 



Another difficulty to be met with, by persons travelling by 

 canoes, is the scarcity of good camping grounds. Frequently a sand- 

 bar in the midst of tall, dusty willows, or a clump of boulders, or a 

 wet beach, or a swampy flat, will have to be selected. In these 

 places one will get mud and sand to the full. The latter is often 

 raised by the wind into clouds of dust which penetrates one's clothing 

 and makes life disagreeable. Mr. Klotz said : " We had sand in our 

 bread, sand in our bacon, and in our tea and our beds — sand every- 

 where." This of course may be avoided in the lower country, where 

 the banks are low and easily ascended, and where one may camp in 

 the woods. 



As you descend the river it becomes larger, and the banks, which 

 are two hundred and eighty feet high at the Forks, gradually 



