1906-7. TRANSACTIONS. 43 



Norman for upwards of two miles along the right bank of the river 

 smoke is distinctly observed from fires still burning far down in 

 seams of coal. 



It is worthy of note that Sir Alexander Mackenzie makes 

 mention of these fires in his narrative as existing in 1789 when 

 he explored and gave his name to the river 



About sixty miles below Wrigley we pass the mouth of Salt 

 river which flows from the east. It is so named from deposits of 

 salt that exist some miles above the mouth. Rock salt is said to 

 exist on the Great Bear river above Norman. 



At 7 p.m., July 18th, we reached Fort Norman at the mouth 

 of the Great Bear River which is the outlet of Great Bear Lake. 

 Fort Norman is distant from Fort Wrigley 184 miles and 1398 

 miles from Athabaska Landing. Its situation is very picturesque. 

 The mountain peaks stand up in bold relief out of a vast level plain. 

 Bear Mountain on the north side of Great Bear River and east of 

 the Mackenzie is the most conspicuous. 



It was 11.30 p.m. when we left Fort Norman, but there was 

 no darkness, only a subdued light such as we have in more southern 

 latitudes shortly after sunset. The steamer ran all night and on 

 rising on the morning of the 19th we were over half way between 

 our last port and Fort Good Hope. Between Norman and Good 

 Hope we have mountains on both sides of the river, and as we ap- 

 proach the latter and at about six miles above the Fort we enter 

 the "upper ramparts of the Mackenzie." The great river is here 

 contracted for some four miles to a width of about a quarter of a 

 mile. On each side rise perpendicular walls of limestone rock to a 

 height of from 100 to 500 feet which resemble huge fortifications. 

 The river is here very deep and a m^ile or two below the ramparts 

 where it takes a sharp turn to the left Fort Good Hope appears in 

 view like another Gibraltar. 



At 3.30 p.m. we reached Fort Good Hope 174 miles below 

 Fort Norman, 1572 from Athabaska Landing and only 26 south 

 of the Arctic Circle. Its situation on a level plateau is charming. 

 The banks are about thirty feet high and the soil is similar to that 

 all along the river, being a- rich deposit very much resembling 

 the soil of our great prairies. I saw potatoes in flower, cabbages, 

 onions, beats, etc., in the gardens, and on an island nearby very 

 good spruce timber which is cut into lumber by whip-saws. 



The steamer left Good Hope at 1 a.m., July 20th, and when 

 we arose in the morning we found we had passed the Arctic Circle 



