270 A JOURNEY TO THE 



1772. ward, and left the River at that part where it begins to tend 

 J^""^^- due South. 



In consequence of this determination of the Indians, we con- 

 tinued our course to the Eastward ; but as game of all kinds 

 was very plentiful, we made but short days [271] journies, 

 and often remained two or three days in one place, to eat up 

 the spoils or produce of the chace. The woods through 

 which we were to pass were in many places so thick, that it 

 was necessary to cut a path before the women could pass with 

 their sledges ; and in other places so much of the woods had 

 formerly been set on fire and burnt, that we were frequently 

 obliged to walk farther than we otherwise should have done, 

 before we could find green brush enough to floor our tents. 

 February. From the fifteenth to the twenty-fourth of February, we 



isth-24ih. ^^Ij^^^ along a small river that empties itself into the Lake 

 Clowey,^ near the part where we built canoes in May one 

 thousand seven hundred and seventy-one. This little river is 

 that which we mentioned in the former part of this Journal, 

 as having communication with the Athapuscow Lake : but, 

 from appearances, it is of no consequence whence it takes its 

 rise, or where it empties itself, as one half of it is nearly dry 

 three-fourths of the year. The intervening ponds, however, 

 having sufficient depth of water, are, we may suppose, favour- 

 able situations for beaver, as many of their houses are to be 

 found in those parts. 

 24th. On the twenty-fourth, a strange Northern Indian leader, 

 called Thlew-sa-nell-ie, and several of his followers, joined us 

 from the Eastward. This leader presented Matonabbee and 

 myself with a foot of tobacco each, and a two-quart [272] keg 

 of brandy, which he intended as a present for the Southern 



[1 When the geography of the country between Athabasca and Great Slave 

 Lakes becomes known, it may be possible to follow him here, but his map 

 gives no indication of any stream in this vicinity flowing into Lake Clowey. 

 He appears to have thought so little of the small river that he did not take the 

 trouble to map it.] 



