1894.] Geography and Travels. 505 
Bryant considers this narrow elevated basin to be of glacial origin, the 
presence of great numbers of boulders and the rounded appearance of 
the hill summits pointing to a period of ice movement. 
The middle of Lake Wanakopow marks the limit of Mr. Holme’s 
exploration. On his map he places the Grand Falls thirty miles above 
the head of the lake, with the river entering the lake from the west. 
Mr. Bryant found, however, that the river enters from the southwest, 
and the distance from the lake to the rapids below the fall is fifty-three 
miles. © 
Finding it impossible to draw the boat through the wide shallow 
rapids which they afterwards found extended for twenty-five miles 
before the fall, the explorers resolved to find an old trail they had 
heard of from a reliable Indian at the Northwest River Post, which 
leads from this point on the river through a chain of lakes on the table- 
land, thence to the waters of the Grand River some miles above the 
Grand Falls. The plan was to follow the old trail for several days 
then leave it and strike across country in the direction of the river. 
. A search of three days for the trail was at last successful and the 
x party advanced across five lakes and four “carries.” At the north- 
western extremity of the sixth lake they left the trail and prepared for 
the tramp across country, which, according to Mr. Bryant, 1s of the 
most desolate character. Itis undulating, sparsely covered with stunted 
spruce trees, Labrador tea-plants, blue-berry bushes, etc., among which 
great weather-worn rocks gleam, while on all sides white patches of 
caribou moss give a snowy effect to the scene. Shallow lakes reflect 
: the fleeting clouds, their banks lined with boulders, and presenting a 
labyrinth of channels and island passages. Low hills rise at intervals, 
but the general effect of the landscape is that of, flatness and monotony. 
No living thing was encountered. Just before sunset a column of mist 
rising like smoke against the western sky proved the accuracy of their 
reckoning, but it was impossible to reach the river that night. 
The next day, Sept. 2d, after a rough march over rocks and ial 
they emerged from the forest near the spot where the river plunge 
into the chasm with a deafening roar. The following a by 
Mr. Bryant is so vivid that we cannot refrain from ere it entire. 
“Standing at the rocky brink of the chasm, a wild and a 
scene lay before us, a scene possessing elements of sublimity and wit 
details not to be apprehended in the first moments of wondering aa 
 plation. Far up stream one beheld the surging, fleecy waters a 
_ pestuous billows, dashing high their crests of foam, all forced a a 
resistless power towards the steep rock, whence they took their wild leap 
