168 Thirty Years 



canoes ; and we were also in danger of breaking them, 

 from the want of the long poles which lie along their 

 bottoms and equalize their cargoes, as they plunged 

 very much, and on one occasion the first canoe was 

 almost filled with the waves. But there was no re- 

 ceding after we had once launched into the stream, 

 and our safety depended on the skill and dexterity 

 of the bowmen and steersmen. The banks of the 

 river here are rocky, and the scenery beautiful ; con- 

 sisting of gentle elevations and dales wooded to the 

 edge of the stream, and flanked on both sides at the 

 distance of three or four miles by a range of round- 

 backed barren hills, upwards of six hundred feet high. 

 At the foot of the rapids the high lands receded to a 

 greater distance, and the river flowed with a more 

 gentle current, in a wider channel, through a level 

 and open country consisting of alluvial sand. In one 

 place the passage was blocked up by drift ice, still 

 covered to some depth with snow. A channel for the 

 canoes was made for some way with the hatchets and 

 poles ; but on reaching the more compact, part wo 

 wen; under the aecessity of transporting the canoes 

 and cargoes across it ; an operation of much hazard, 

 as tlic snow concealed the numerous holes which the 

 water had made in the ice. This expansion of the 

 river being mistaken by the guide fur a, lake, whieb 

 he spoke of us the last on our ionic to the sea, we 



