ACEOSS THE SUB-AKCTICS OF CANADA 



Schott, we lost no more time at Fort McMurray, but at seven 

 o'clock next morning the little expedition, consisting now of 

 eight men and three canoes, pushed out into the river, and, 

 with a parting salute, sped away with the current, which being 

 swift, and our canoemen fresh, enabled us in a short time to 

 place many miles between us and the Fort. At five o'clock 

 in the evening, having then descended the river a distance of 

 about sixty miles, we were delighted to meet the steamer 

 Grahame on her up-stream trip from Fort Chipewyan to 

 McMurray to receive the goods brought down the rapids by 

 the scows. The steamer, being in charge of Dr. McKay, the 

 Hudson's Bay Company's officer from Chipewyan, who had 

 been informed of our expedition, was at once brought to a 

 stand in the river, and we were kindly invited on board. 

 When I commenced to clamber up the steamer's deck, whose 

 hand should be offered to assist me but that of an old friend 

 and fellow-shipmate for two years in Hudson Straits — Mr. 

 -J. W. Mills. The acquaintance of Dr. McKay and of the 

 Bishop of Athabasca, who happened to be on board, was also 

 made, and with these genial companions an hour quickly and 

 Tery pleasantly passed. Mr. Mills, who was attired in the 

 uniform of a steamboat captain, had lately been appointed to 

 the command of the steamer Wrigley, plying on the lower 

 section of the river, below Fort Smith, to which place he was 

 to be taken by the Grahame on her return trip from Fort 

 McMurray. Before parting company, the Doctor promised 

 "to meet us again at Chipewyan on the 19th, and after this 

 short meeting, and many parting good wishes, we resumed 

 our separate ways. 



Notwithstanding the hour's delay and the fact that rain 

 fell all day, we made the very good run of seventy-two miles. 

 As we swept along with the winding river the most beaiitiful 

 and varied scenes were continually presented. The banks, 

 "though not so high as above Fort McMurray, were bold and 

 thickly clad with spruce and poplar woods. Taking advan- 



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