£2 Journal of a Voyage through the 



pected that they were Talc, though they possessed a ttiorfc 

 brilliant whiteness : on our return, however, these appear- 

 ances were dissolved, as they were nothing more than 

 patches of snow. 



Our course had been West-South- West thirty miles, 

 and we proceeded with great caution, as we continually 

 expected to approach some great rapid or fall. This was 

 such a prevalent idea, that all of us were occasionally per- 

 suaded that we heard those sounds which betokened a 

 fall of water. Our course changed to West by North, 

 along the mountains, twelve miles, North by West twen- 

 ty-one miles, and at eight o'clock in the evening we went 

 on shore for the night on the North side of the river. We 

 saw several encampments of the natives, some of whicli* 

 had been erected in the present spring, and others at some 

 former period. The hunters only killed one swan and a 

 beaver : the latter was the first of its kind which we had 

 seen in this river. The Indians complained of the perse- 

 verance with which we pushed forward, and that they were* 

 fiot accustomed to such severe fatigue as it occasioned. 



Fridays* The rain was continual through the night, 

 and did not subside till seven this morning, when we em- 

 barked and steered North-North- West for twelve miles, 

 the river being inclosed by high mountains on either side. 

 We had a strong head-wind, and the rain was so violent 

 as to compel us to land at ten o'clock. According to my 

 reckoning, since my last observation, we had run two 

 hundred and seventeen miles West, and forty-four miles 

 North. At a quarter past two the rain subsided, and we 

 got again under way, our former course continuing for 

 five miles. Here a river fell in from the North, and in a 

 short time the current became strong and rapid, running 

 with great rapidity among rocky islands, which were the 

 first that we had seen in this river, and indicated our near 

 approach to rapids and falls. Our present course was 

 North- West by North ten miles, North- West three miles. 

 West-North- West twelve miles, and North- West three 

 miles, when we encamped at eight in the evening, at the 

 foot of an high hill, on the north shore, which in some 

 parts rose perpendicular from the river. I immediately 

 ascended it, accompanied by two men and some Indians, 

 and in about an hour and an half, with very hard walking, 

 we gained the summit, when I was very much surprised 

 to find it crowned by an encampment. The Indians in- 



