218 Thirty Years 



evening, of serving out pemmican, which was done 

 with much reluctance, especially as we had some fresh 

 deers' meat remaining. The inlet, when viewed from 

 a high hill adjoining to our encampment, exhibited so 

 many arms, that the course we ought to pursue was 

 more uncertain than ever. It was absolutely necessary, 

 however, to see the end of it before we could deter- 

 mine that it was not a strait. Starting at three A.M., 

 on the 4th, we paddled the whole day through chan- 

 nels, from two to five or six miles wide, all tending to 

 the southward. In the course of the day's voyage we 

 ascertained, that the land which we had seen on v our 

 right hand since yesterday morning, consisted of sev- 

 eral large islands, which have been distinguished by 

 the names of Goulburn, Elliot, and Young ; but the 

 land on our loft preserved its unbroken appearance, 

 and when we encamped, we were still uncertain whe- 

 ther it was the eastern side of a deep sound or merely 

 a large island. It differed remarkably from the main 

 snore, being very rugged, rocky, and sterile, whereas 

 the outline of the main on the opposite side was even, 

 and its hills covered with a comparatively good sward 

 . and exhibited little naked rock. There was 

 no drift timber, but the shores Dear the encampment 

 strewed with small pieces of willow, which indi- 

 cated our vicinity to the month of a river. This find 



enabled us to make a hearty supper off a small deer 



killed this evcnii 



