74 Thirty Years 



characters of winter ; how much more charming must 

 it be when the trees are in leaf, and the ground is ar- 

 rayed in summer verdure ! Some faint idea of the 

 difference was conveyed to my mind by witnessing the 

 effect of the departing rays of a brilliant sun. The 

 distant prospect, however, is surpassed in grandeur by 

 the wild scenery which appeared immediately below 

 our feet. There the eye penetrates into vast ravines 

 from two to three hundred feet in depth, that are 

 clothed with trees, and lie on either side of the nar- 

 row pathway descending to the river over eight suc- 

 cessive ridges of hills. At one spot, termed the Cocks- 

 comb, the passenger stands insulated as it were on a 

 small slip, where a false step might precipitate him 

 into the glen. From this place Mr. Back took an in- 

 teresting and accurate sketch of the view, to enable 

 him to do which, we encamped early, having come 

 twenty-one miles. 



The Methye Portage is about twelve miles in extent, 

 and over this space the canoes and all their cargoes 

 arc carried, both in going to and from the Athabasca 

 department. It is part of the range of mountains 

 which separates the waters flowing smith from those 

 flowing north. According to Sir Alexander Macken- 

 zie. " this ranee of hills continues in a 8. W. direction 

 until its local height is hist, between the Saskatcha- 



\\;in and Elk I livers, close on the banks of the former, 



