North-West Continent of America. 



formed me, that it is the custom of the people who have 

 no arms to choose these elevated spots for the places of 

 their residence, as they can render them inaccessible to 

 their enemies, particularly the Knisteneaux, of whom 

 they are in continual dread. The prospect from this height 

 was not so extensive as we expected, as it was terminated 

 by a circular range of hills, of the same elevation as that 

 on which we stood. The intervals between the hills were 

 covered with small lakes, which were inhabited by great 

 numbers of swans. We saw no trees but the pine and the 

 birch, which were small in size and few in number. 



We .were obliged to shorten our stay here, from the 

 swarms of musquitoes which attacked us on all sides, and 

 were, indeed, the only inhabitants of the place. We saw 

 several encampments of the natives in the course of the 

 day, but none of them were of this year's establishment. 

 Since four in the afternoon the current had been so strong 

 that it was, at length, in an actual ebullition, and produced 

 an hissing noise like a kettle of water in a moderate state 

 of boiling. The weather was now become extremely cold, 

 which was the more sensibly felt, as it had been very sultry 

 some time before and since we had been in the river. 



Saturday 4. At five in the morning the wind and wea- 

 ther having undergone no alteration from yesterday, we 

 .proceeded North- West by West twenty -two miles, North- 

 West six miles, North- West by North four miles, and 

 West-North-West five miles : we then passed the mouth 

 of a small river from the North, and after doubling a point, 

 South-West one mile, we passed the influx of another 

 river from the South. We then continued our course North- 

 North- West, with a mountain a-head, fifteen miles, when 

 the opening of two rivers appeared opposite to each other ; 

 we then proceeded West four miles, and North-West 

 thirteen miles* At eight in the evening, we encamp- 

 ed on an island. The current was as strong through the 

 whole of this day as it had been the preceding after- 

 noon ; nevertheless, a quantity of ice appeared along the 

 banks of the river. The hunters killed a beaver and a 

 goose, the former of which sunk before they could get to 

 him : beavers, otters, bears, &c. if shot dead at once, re- 

 main like a bladder, but if there remains enough of life 

 for them to struggle, they soon fill with water, and go ta 

 the bottom. 



