DOWN THE PEACE RIVER 123 



followed us from Chipewyan House, who was going to Green 

 Lake to trade. A bargain was soon made and it was agreed to 

 start early the next morning. Edward was accompanied by two 

 boys, a son and a nephew, and had a very nice birch bark canoe 

 which would carry us all in safety. 



The distance from Methye Portage to Isle-a-la-Crosse is 

 computed as being one hundred and thirty miles. I was warned 

 by Mr. MacMurray that Edward Big Belly was not a good Indian, 

 and to be careful of my provisions, while I accompanied him in 

 the canoe. I found out later that he was only a bad Indian be- 

 cause he preferred dealing at Green Lake rather than leaving his 

 furs with Mr. MacMurray. The next morning, I started for 

 Green Lake and, as we left the land, the wind increased and, being 

 fair, a blanket was hoisted and our canoe sped like a thing of life 

 across the lake. The wind kept increasing and by the time we 

 reached Beaver River it had risen so much that, had we been in a 

 wooden canoe, we must have been swamped. The wind, still 

 increasing, we rushed up the river at railroad speed and camped 

 in the evening on one of the long, narrow islands with which the 

 river is filled. I quote again from my diary: 



"We started with four days' provisions, but hoped to make 

 the distance in three. My companions know nothing of English 

 but are kind and competent. We were early astir on the morning 

 of the 23rd. For the first three hours after starting, there was 

 swift water, alternately with still pools, and at the second forks of 

 the river, which we reached a little before noon, the main stream 

 continued about one hundred yards wide, though the volume of 

 the water was sensibly diminished." 



At the first streak of dawn on the 25th, we were off and, after 

 passing two short rapids, all current ceased and the river looked 

 like a stagnant pool and, as we proceeded further up, the current 

 still got less and, in the afternoon, about 2 p.m., we came to the 

 discharge of Green Lake. On reaching Green Lake, Mr. Sinclair, 

 the officer in charge of the post, told me that the lake was raised 

 more than twenty feet every spring by the influx of Beaver River. 



Mr. Sinclair received me most kindly and at once took steps 

 to enable me to continue my journey. The only available animals 



