74 Thirty Years 
characters of winter ; how much more charming must 
it be when the trees are in leaf, and the ground is ar- 
rayed in summer verdure! Some faint idea of the 
difference was conveyed to my mind by witnessing the 
effect of the departing rays of a brilliant sun. The 
distant prospect, however, is surpassed in grandeur by 
the wild scenery which appeared immediately below 
our feet. There the eye penetrates into vast ravines 
from two to three hundred feet in depth, that are 
clothed with trees, and lie on either side of the nar- 
row pathway descending to the river over eight suc- 
cessive ridges of hills. At one spot, termed the Cocks- 
comb, the passenger stands insulated as it were on a 
small slip, where a false step might precipitate him 
‘ into the glen. From this place Mr. Back took an in- 
teresting and accurate sketch of the view, to enable 
him to do which, we encamped early, having come 
twenty-one miles. 
The Methye Portage is about twelve miles in extent, 
and over this space the canoes and all their cargoes 
are carried, both in going to and from the Athabasca 
department. It is part of the range of mountains 
which separates the waters flowing south from those 
flowing north. According to. Sir Alexander Macken- 
zie, “‘ this range of hills continues in a 8, W. direction 
until its local height is lost between the Saskatcha- 
wan and Elk Rivers, close on the banks of the former, 
