178 Thirty Years 



before he reached the encampment its rays gilded the 

 tops of the hills. 



The night was warm and we were much annoyed by 

 the niusquitoes. 



June 15. — We this morning experienced as much 

 difficulty as before in prevailing upon the Indians to 

 remain behind, and they did not consent to do so until 

 I had assured them that they should lose the reward 

 which had been promised, if they proceeded any far- 

 ther, until we had prepared the Esquimaux to receive 

 them. We left a Canadian with them; and proceeded 

 on our journey, not without apprehension that they 

 would follow us, and derange our whole plan by their 

 obstinacy- Two of the officers and a party of the 

 men walked on the shore, to lighten the canoes. The 

 river, in this part, flows between high sand-stone cliffs, 

 reddish slate clay rocks, and shelving banks of white 

 clay, and is full of shoals and dangerous rapids. One 

 of these was termed Escape Rapid, from both the 

 canoes having narrowly escaped foundering in its high 

 waves. Wo had entered the rapid before wo wore 

 aware, and the steepness of the cliffs preventing us 

 from landing, wo were indebted to the swiftness of our 

 .it for our preservation. Two waves made a com- 

 plete breach over the canoes ; a third would in all 

 probability have filled and overset them, which must 

 have proved fatal to every one in them. The powder 



