32 Canadian Record of Science. 



descending it. This was, however, effected by noon of the 

 13th, when the Begh-ula Elver was reached. 



The formation of the banks of the Lockhart for some 

 distance after we fell upon it, consisted of a bituminous coal, 

 resting on a bed of limestone, with an upper layer of veget- 

 able mould covering a bed of from two to ten feet of clay, 

 underneath which the carboniferous stratum appeared. 

 Lower down, the formation was perceived to be stratified 

 shale and the beach sandy, and near its debouchement the 

 banks were composed of a dark blue and gravel-mixed clay. 

 The banks were high and sloping and in <parts steep ; a few 

 small islands and sandy battures occurred, and the current 

 was smooth and swift, broken only by a few shallows which 

 form rapids at a lower stage of the water. 



Rabbits were in great numbers, as well as geese, ducks 

 and swans. Two out of seven black bears were shot, six 

 reindeer fired at and missed, and an otter, a beaver, a 

 mink and two wolves were seen. The surrounding country 

 is doubtless a fine tract for fur-bearing- animals, and I be- 

 lieve but little hunted owing to its distance from Good 

 Hope, the Hare Indian country being situated more to the 

 southward. The Lockhart is said to be navigable from its 

 source and only broken by a few not very formidable rapids 

 in its upper portion. 



The Begh-ula, or Anderson River, was found to be 

 drifting thick and the beach lined with ice. Perceiving a 

 fire on the opposite side of the river, we crossed over with 

 much difficulty and there found an assemblage of some fifteen 

 or eighteen Indians, mostly Batard Loucheux belonging to 

 Fort Good Hope. From these we ascertained that the river 

 had only broken up the previous day. I therefore got up 

 my tent, the pickets of which could not be driven home, and 

 employed the remainder of the 13th in engaging some 

 Indians required to make up our complement, as well as in 

 making other necessary arrangements. 



It was a party of these Indians who paid a visit to the 

 Esquimaux of this river in April last. They informed us, 

 that on that occasion they had a rather narrow escape with 



