66 EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



the main stream. This was built by Beaulieu, who was guide 

 and hunter of Franklin's second expedition. 



Salt River is from thirty to sixty yards in width, and for ten 

 miles above its mouth is without perceptible current. Beyond 

 that point the water is distinctly brackish. The stream winds 

 in horseshoe curves through a broad valley, timbered with 

 spruce and aspen. I collected a pair of half-grown horned 

 owls, a raven and several ducks, while ascending the river. The 

 Salt Plains are five miles in width and lie at the base of hills 

 rising to a considerable height. The springs were first described 

 by Richardson, who visited them in 1820. They are near the 

 base of a hill 1 and are enclosed by basins, from which the 

 water evaporates and leaves large quantities of pure crystal 

 salt. The clerk at Fort Smith annually sends a boat to the 

 springs for a load of salt, which is stored in bags at the mouth 

 of the river and taken on board the steamer for distribution 

 throughout Mackenzie River District. 



When in sight of this "mountain" we were compelled to turn 

 back, as the captain expected the "Wrigley" to arrive at Fort 

 Smith that evening. We reached the post on the evening of 

 the 28th, but the "Wrigley" did not arrive until the morning of 

 July 2d. Several officials of the Company, missionaries, retir- 

 ing servants en route to Winnipeg, and fourteen Hare Indians 

 from Good Hope, who were to work on the Athabasca River 

 transport, were on board. 



We started down the river at three o'clock a. m., July 5th. The 

 "Wrigley" had two pilots, called "guides" since the York boat 

 days, when the leader of the brigade really served in that ca- 

 pacity. One of these, "Old" John Hope, was a pure blood Cree; 

 the other, Jose Souiar, known as "Susy," was a French metis. 

 Owing to the high latitude, the "Wrigley" has continuous light 

 on her thirteen hundred mile run until late in the season, so 

 that one of these men was always at the wheel when the boat 

 was under way. 



The Slave River is about half a mile in width below the rap- 

 ids, except where it expands to include the somewhat numerous 

 wooded islands which resemble those in the lower Athabasca. 



During the day we rounded Le Grand Detour, traveling fif- 

 teen miles to gain a few hundred yards, and at Point Ennuyeux 



1 See illustration in Back, Narrative, p. 80. 



