THE ATHAEASOA EIVER REGION 131 



the borer. It was then spouting with a great noise like 

 the blowing-off of steam, and, situated at such a distance 

 from the shaft at the Landing and from the Point Brule 

 spiracle described, indicated, throughout the district, avail- 

 able resources of light, heat and power so vast as almost to 

 beggar imagining. 



Mr. Eoss having obtained on the 14th the adhesion of the 

 Crees to the Treaty at Wahpooskow, it was now decided 

 that the Scrip Commission should make the canoe trip to 

 that lake, whilst Mr. Laird and party would go on to Atha- 

 basca Landing on their way home. Accordingly Matcheese 

 — " The Teaser " — a noted Indian runner, was dispatched 

 with our letters to the Landing, 120 miles up the river. This 

 Indian, it was said, had once rvm from the Landing to 

 Edmonton, ninety-five miles, in a single day, and had been 

 known to carry 500 pounds over a portage in one load. I 

 myself saw him shoulder 350 pounds of our outfit and 

 start off with it over a rough path. He was slightly built, 

 and could not have weighed much over nine stone, but was 

 what he looked to be, a bundle of iron muscles and nerves. 



On the 29th Mr. Laird and party bade us good-bye, and 

 an hour later we set out on our interesting canoe trip to the 

 Wahpooskow, a journey which led us into the heart of the 

 interior, and proved to be one of the most agreeable of our 

 experiences. 



