14 _ Thirty Years 



was occasionally enlivened by the bright purple tints 

 of the dogwood, blended with the browner shades of 

 the dwarf birch, and frequently intermixed with the 

 gay yellow flowers of the shrubby cinquefoil. With 

 all these charms, the scene appeared desolate from the 

 want of the human species. The stillness was so 

 great, that even the twittering of the Whisheij-john- 

 eesh, or cinereous crow, caused us to start. Our voy- 

 age to-day was sixteen miles on a S. W. course. 



Sept. 14. — We had much rain during the night, 

 and also in the morning, which detained us in our 

 encampment later than usual. We set out as soon 

 as the weather cleared up, and in a short time arrived 

 at the head of Steel River, where it is formed by the 

 junction of Fox and Hill Rivers. These two rivers 

 are nearly of equal width, but the latter is the most 

 rapid. Mr. M'Donald, on his way to Red River, in a 

 small canoe, manned by two Indians, overtook us at 

 this place? It maybe mentioned as a proof of the 

 terity of tli'' Indians, and the skill witli which 

 they steal upon their game, that they had en the 

 preceding day, with do other anus than a hatchet, 

 killed two deer, a hawk, a curlew, and a sturgeon. 

 Three of the Company's boats joined us in the cou 

 of the morning, and we pursued our course up Hill 

 r in company. The water in this river was so 



low. and the rapids so bad, tint we were obliged 



