158 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



Wentzel would remain with him. This 

 gentleman was accordingly left with a Cana- 

 dian attendant, and they promised not to 

 pass a range of hills then in view to the 

 northward, unless we sent notice to them. 



The river during the whole of this day's 

 voyage flowed between alternate cliffs of 

 loose sand intermixed with gravel and red 

 sand-stone rocks, and was everywhere shal- 

 low and rapid. As its course was very 

 crooked, much time was spent in examining 

 the different rapids previous to running 

 them, hut the canoes descended, except at 

 a single place, without any difficulty. Most 

 of the officers and half the men marched 

 along the land to lighten the canoes and 

 reconnoitre the country, each person being 

 armed with a gun and a dagger. Arriving 

 at a range of mountains which had termi- 

 nated our view yesterday, we ascended it 

 with much eagerness, expecting to see the 

 rapid that Mr. Hearne visited near its base, 

 and to gain a view of the sea ; but our dis- 

 appointment was proportionably great, when 

 we beheld beyond a plain, similar to that we 



