XxIl INTRODUCTION. 
the Coppermine River and Peel’s River, which issues from the Rocky 
Mountains, in latitude 67°. Immediately after the junction of Peel’s 
River the Mackenzie separates into numerous branches, which flow to 
the sea through a great delta, composed of alluvial mud. Here from 
the richness of the soil, and from the river bursting its icy chains, 
comparatively very early in the season, and irrigating the low delta 
with the warmer waters brought from countries ten or twelve degrees 
further to the southward, trees flourish, and a more luxuriant vege-. 
tation exists than in any place in the same parallel on the American 
continent. In latitude 68° there are many groves of handsome white 
spruce firs, and in latitude 69°, on the shores of the sea, lofty and dense 
willow-thickets cover the flat islands ; while currants and gooseberries 
grow on the drier hummocks, accompanied by some showy epilobiums 
and perennial lupins. ‘The moose-deer, American hare, and beaver, 
accompany this display of vegetation to its limits. The whole course 
of the Mackenzie from the source of the Elk River to the sea, is about 
two thousand miles in length. 
These are the principal rivers of the fur countries, but there are 
three others of shorter course, upon which some part of the collections 
of specimens were obtained, viz. Hayes River, which rises near Lake 
Winipeg, and holding an almost parallel course to Nelson’s River, falls 
into the same part of Hudson’s Bay. York Factory, which will be 
often mentioned in the following pages, stands on the low alluvial 
point that separates the mouths of these two rivers. The next river 
which I have to mention is the Missenippi, or, as it is occasionally 
named, the English River, which falls into Hudson’s Bay at Churchill. 
Its upper stream, named the Beaver River, rises in a small ridge of 
hills, which separates the north branch of the Saskatchewan from a 
bend of the Elk River. The Coppermine is the last river which 
requires a particular notice. It has its origin not far from the east 
end of Great Slave Lake, and, taking a northerly course, flows through 
the Barren-grounds to the Arctic Sea. It is a stream of no great 
magnitude in comparison with some of the branches of the Mackenzie : 
there are few alluvial deposits'on its banks, and there is not, conse- 
