E. Petitot on the Athabasca District, 31 



cascades and foaming sheets called the Great Rapid, the right 

 bank is again broken by the " Miyotinaw," and the left by the 

 "Nistaukam" (Mustuch or Bison River), whilst another ^Red- 

 deer or La Biche River), at least the sixth of the name in the 

 district, also enters the Rapid on the left bank. 



The large Clear-water river affluent is called " Otthap-des," or 

 River of the Groves, by the Chipewyans, and "Little Athabasca" 

 by the Canadians. Inclosed between sandy banks 400 feet high, 

 which it washes and eats away, revealing bare rocks of the most 

 picturesque character conceivable, this fresh and limpid stream is 

 literally buried under the natural bowers of vegetation following 

 its shores and climbing the walls of its canon. Nowhere have I 

 seen more pleasing views, more crystal like yet impetuous waters 

 more turbulent rapids and cascades, or more shady and varied 

 woods. Its bed is covered with fresh-water mussels (Unio) 

 which, however, the Indians do not eat, and its forests contain 

 moose and bear. A pretty spring of sulphurous and saline 

 waters rises from five different sources in the prairie near the 

 river, and could be made the site of an excellent sanitary bathing 

 establishment. 



A trading-post called The Forks is situated at the junction of 

 the Clear-water with the Athabasca. Beyond the Clear-water the 

 latter receives on its right bank the Saline and Pierre-a-Calumets 

 rivers, and on its left bank the Beaver, Red and Cypress rivers. 

 The sandy banks of the Athabasca vary from 200 to 400 feet 

 in elevation, and present many formations, all apparently belong- 

 ing to the transition period. 



Below the drainage of Lake La Biche and Wide River, on the 

 left bank, a red-coloured exposure of the schistose and oblique 

 stratifications which dip into the muddy current suggests the 

 action of ancient subterranean fires, called " boucanes " by the 

 Canadians. Here are found sulphates of iron and magnesia, 

 nitrous deposits, and native carbonate of soda. In one place 

 along the miry bank, a number of jets of hot steam find a vent 

 through the mud, and make the waters of the river bubble. 

 These traces of plutonic action are then transferred to the right 

 bank, both above and below the confluence of the Clear-water, 

 where there is a chain of volcanoes on a small scale, in the form of 



