North-West Continent of America, 



3 



place, where an huge rock rises above them. The low 

 land is covered with wood, such as white birch, pines of 

 different kinds, with the poplar, three kinds of willow, and 

 the Hard. 1 . 



The Peace River is upwards of a mile broad at this spot, 

 and its current is stronger than that of the channel which 

 communicates with the lake. It here, indeed, assumes 

 the name of the Slave River.* The course of this day- 

 was as follows ; — North- West two miles, North-North- 

 West, through islands, six miles, North four miles and a 

 half, North by East two miles, West by North six miles, 

 North one mile, North-East by East two miles, North 

 one mile. We now descended a rapid, and proceeded 

 North-West seven miles and a half, North- West nine 

 miles, North by West six miles, North-West by West 

 one mile and a half, North-West by North half a mile, 

 North-North- West six miles, North one mile, North- 

 West by West four miles, North-North-East one mile. 

 Here we arrived at the mouth of the Dog River, where 

 we landed, and unloaded our canoes, at half past seven in 

 the evening, on the East side, and close by the rapids. 

 At this station the river is near two leagues in breadth. 



Friday 5. At three o'clock in the morning we embark- 

 ed, but unloaded our canoes at the first rapid. When we 

 had reloaded, we entered a small channel, which is form- 

 ed by the islands, and, in about half an hour, we came to 

 the carrying place. It is three hundred and eighty paces 

 in length, and very commodious, except at the further end 

 df it. We found some difficulty in re-loading at this spot, 

 from the large quantity of ice which had not yet thawed. 

 From hence to the next carrying place, called the Portage 

 d' > Embarrass is about six miles, and is occasioned by the 

 drift wood filling up the small channel, which is one thou- 

 sand and twenty paces in length ; from hence to the next is 

 one mile and a half, while the distance to that which suc- 

 ceeds, does not exceed one hundred and fifty yards. It is 

 about the same length as the last ; and from hence to the 

 carrying place called the Mountain, is about four miles 

 further ; when we entered the great river. The smaller 



* The Slave Indians having been driven from their original country, 

 by their enemies the Knistenaux, along the borders of this part of the 

 river, it received that title, though it by no means involves the idea of 

 servitude, but was given to these fugitives as a term of reproach, that 

 denoted more than common savageness. 



