THE ATHABASCA KIVEK EEGION 127 



of a deep ring of branches, leaving the top and bottom ones 

 intact. The tree seems to thrive all the same, and is a very 

 noticeable, and not infrequent, object throughout the whole 

 Thickwood Indian country. 



Just opposite the cliif referred to, the Little Buffalo, a 

 swift creek, enters between two bold shoulders of hills, and 

 on its western side are the wonderful gas springs. The 

 '' amphitheatre " sweeps around to, and is cloven by, that 

 stream, its elevation on the west side being lofty, and deeply 

 grooved from its summit downward, the whole locality at 

 the time of our visit being covered with raspberry bushes 

 loaded with fruit. 



The gas escapes from a hole in the ground near the water's 

 edge in a pillar of flame about thirty inches high, and which 

 has been burning time out of mind. It also bubbles, or, 

 rather, foams up, for several yards in the river, rising 

 at low. water even as far out as mid-stream. There is a 

 level plateau at the springs, several acres in extent, backed 

 by a range of hills, and if a stake is driven anywhere into 

 this, and withdrawn, the gas, it is said, follows at once. They 

 are but another unique feature of this astonishing stream. 



For a long distance the upper prairie level exposes good 

 soil, always clay loam, and there can be little doubt that 

 there is much fertile land in this district. That night we 

 slept, or tried to sleep, in the boat, and made a very early 

 start on a raw, cloudy morning, the tracking being mainly 

 in the water. We now passed great cliffs of sandstone, some 

 almost shrouded in the woods, and came upon many peculiar 

 circular stones, as large as, and much resembling, mill-stones. 

 Towards evening we passed Pointe la Biche, and met Mr. 

 Connor, a trader, with two loaded York boats, going north, 

 and whom we silently blessed, for he brought additional 

 mail for ourselves. What can equal the delight in the wil- 

 derness of hearing from home! It was impossible to make 

 Grand Kapids, and we camped where we were, the night 

 cold and raw, but enlivened by the reading and re-reading 

 of letters and newspapers. 



