THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. 243 



had been employed for several years exploring, sur- 

 veying, and road -making in that district, had im- 

 pressed upon the military authorities, when the plan 

 of operations for the Expedition was being decided 

 upon, that this river could not be made use of owing 

 to the dangerous nature of its rapids and the magni- 

 tude of its falls. However, when it was found that 

 the road could not possibly be ready in time, an ex- 

 ploring party of one company, under Captain Young, 

 60th Rifles, was sent up it in boats to ascertain the 

 practicability of using it for the conveyance of boats 

 and stores. The weather was most unpropitious ; it 

 poured continuously : the men were never dry, hav- 

 ing constantly to work up to their waists in water ; 

 the labour was excessive, but the perseverance of the 

 above-mentioned officer, capable of overcoming any 

 difficulties, was duly rewarded. This discovery was 

 a happy event, as it rendered us independent of the 

 road. 



As numerous portages have to be got over before 

 we land the reader in the province of Manitoba, it 

 is perhaps better to describe here the mode of cross- 

 ing one, the work on all being alike in character, 

 and only varying in amount according to the distance 

 to be traversed and the nature of the intervening 

 ground. The bulkiest articles taken with us were 

 the boats, which were all about 30 feet long, and 

 made in proportion. They were built with keels, 

 and in form were very much like those used in our 



