26 Thirig Years. 
— 
Having launched the boats over the rock, we com- 
menced the descent of the Echemamis. This small 
stream has its course through a morass, and in dry 
seasons its channel contains, instead of water, merely 
a foot or two of thin mud. On these occasions it is 
sustomary to build dams, that it may be rendered 
navigable by the accumulation of its waters. As the 
beavers perform this operation very effectually, en- 
deavors have been made to encourage them to breed 
in this place, but it has not hitherto been possible to 
restrain the Indians from killing that useful animai 
whenever they discover its retreats, On the present 
occasion there was no want of water, the principal 
impediment we experienced being from the narrowness 
of the channel, which permitted the willows of each 
bank to meet over our heads, and obstruct the men at 
the oars, After proceeding down the stream for some 
time, we came to a recently constructed beaver-dam 
through which an opening was made sufficient to 
admit the boat to pass. We were assured that the 
beach would be closed by the industrious creature in a 
single night. We encamped about eight miles fiom, 
the source of the river, having come during the day 
seventeen miles and a half. 
On the 4th we embarked amidst a heavy rain, and 
pursued ‘our route aown the Echemamis. In many 
parts the morass, by which the river is nourished, and 
