246 Thirty Years 
ing, an assortment of iron materials, beads, looking- 
glasses, and other articles were put up in a conspicu- 
ous situation for the Esquimaux, and the English 
Union was planted on the loftiest sand-hill, where it 
might be seen by any ships passing in the offing. 
Here also, was deposited in a tin box, a letter contain- 
ing an outline of our proceedings, the latitude and 
longitude of the principal places, and the course we 
intended to pursue towards Slave Lake. 
Embarking at eight A.M. we proceeded up ‘the 
river, which is full of sandy shoals, but sufficiently 
deep for canoes in the channels, It is from one hun- 
dred to two hundred yards wide, and is bounded by 
high and steep banks of clay. We encamped at a 
cascade of eighteen or twenty feet high, which is pro- 
duced by a ridge of rock crossing the river, and the 
nets were set. A mile below this cascadé Hood’s River 
is joined by a stream half its own size, which I have 
called James’ Branch. Bear and deer tracts had been 
numerous on the banks of the river when we were here 
before, but nota single recent one was to be seen at this 
time. Crédit, however, killed a small deer at some 
distance inland, which, with the addition of berries, 
furnished a delightful repast this evening. The 
weather was remarkably fine, and the temperature so 
mild, that the musquitoes again made their appear- 
ance, but not in any great numbers. Our distance 
made-to-day was not more than six miles, 
