402 Thirty Years 



and deprived us of all rest. On our arrival, next 

 morning, at the place of the first rapids, there was 

 scarcely any appearance of broken water, and the sand- 

 bank on which Augustus had been so perilously situa- 

 ted in the preceding autumn, was entirely covered. 

 This was, of course, to be ascribed to the spring floods ; 

 the increase of water to produce such a change, must 

 have exceeded six feet. In the afternoon we were 

 overtaken by a violent thunder-storm, with heavy 

 rain, which made us apprehensive for the pemmican, 

 that spoils on being wet. It unfortunately happened 

 that a convenient place for spreading out the bags 

 that were injured could not be found, until we reached 

 the Hare-Skin River, below the Rampart Defile, which 

 was at nine o'clock. They were spread out the next 

 morning, with the other perishable parts of the cargo, 

 and we remained until they were dry. We embarked 

 at ten, and, aided by a- favorable breeze, made good 

 progress until six p.m., when the threatening appear- 

 ance of the clouds induced us to put on shore, and we 

 had but just covered the baggage before heavy rain 

 fell, that continued throughout the night. Four 

 Hare Indians came to the encampment, to whom dried 

 meat and ammunition wen- given, as they were in 

 want of food from being unable 1" Bet their nets in 

 tin- present high state of the water. These were tin- 

 only nativ.-s seen Bince our departure from Fort Nor- 



