96 Thirty Years 
into the Slave River, and having a favoring current 
passed swiftly along. This narrow stream is confined 
between low swampy banks, which support willows, 
dwarf birch, and alder. At five we passed its conflux 
with Peace River. The Slave River, formed by the 
union of these streams, is about three-quarters of a 
mile wide, We descended this magnificent river with 
much rapidity, and after passing through several nar- 
row channels, formed by an assemblage of islands, 
crossed a spot where the waters had a violent whirl- 
ing motion, which, when the river is low, is said to 
subside into a dangerous rapid ; on the present occa- 
sion, no other inconvenience was felt than the inabili- 
ty of steering the canoes, which were whirled about in 
every direction by the eddies, until the current carried 
them beyond their influence. We encamped at seven, 
on the swampy bank of the river, but had scarcely 
pitched the tents before we were visited by a terrible . 
thunder-storm ; the rain fell in torrents, and the vio- 
lence of the wind caused the river to overflow its 
banks, so that we were completely flooded. Swarms 
of musquitoes succeeded the storm, and their torment- 
ing stings, superadded to other inconveniences, induced 
us to embark, and, after taking a hasty supper, to 
pursue our voyage down the stream during the night. 
At six on the following morning we passed the 
