In the Arctic Iier/ions. 75 



in latitude .3:5° 36' N., longitude 113° 45' \Y. ; when 

 it appears to take its course due north. 



At daylight on the 14th. we began to descend the 

 range of hills leading towards the river, and no small 

 care was required to prevent the sledges from being 

 broken in going down these almost perpendicular 

 heights, or being precipitated into the glens on each 

 side. As a precautionary measure the dogs were taken 

 off, and the Bledges guided by the men, notwithstand- 

 ing which they descended with amazing rapidity, and 

 the men were thrown into the most ridiculous attitudes 

 in endeavoring to Btop them. When we had arrived 

 at the bottom 1 could not hut feel astonished at 

 laborious task which the voyagers have twice in the 

 year to encounter at this place, in conveying their 

 stores backwards and forwards. We went across the 

 Clear Water River, which runs at, the hases of these 

 hills, and followed an Indian track along its northern 

 bank, by which we avoided the White .Mud and Good 

 Portages. We afterwards followed the river as far as 

 the Pine Portage, when we passed through a very ro- 

 mantic defile of rocks, which presenl d the appearance 

 of Gothic ruins, and their rude characters were happi- 

 ly contrasted with the softness of the Bnow, and the 

 darker foliage of the pines which crowned their sum- 

 mits. We next crossed the Cascade Portage, which 

 is the last oil the way to the Athabasca Lake, and we 



