North-West Continent of America. 



night and day, except when he was upon the water. The 

 man, however, who had .agreed to go in his place soon 

 repented of his engagement, and endeavoured to persuade 

 us that some of his relations further down the river, would 

 readily accompany us, and were much better acquainted 

 with the river than himself. But, as he had informed us ten 

 minutes before that we should see no more of his tribe, we 

 paid very little attention to his remonstrances, and com- 

 pelled him to embark. 



In about three hours a man overtook us in a small canoe, 

 and we suspected that his object was to facilitate, in some 

 way or other, the escape of our conductor. A bout twelve 

 we also observed an Indian walking along the North-East 

 shore, when the small canoes paddled towards him. We 

 accordingly followed, and found three men, three women, 

 and two children, who had been on an hunting expedition. 

 They had some flesh of the rein-deer, which they offered 

 to us, but it was so rotten, as well as offensive to the smell, 

 that we excused ourselves from accepting it. They had 

 also their wonderful stories of danger and terror, as well 

 as their countrymen, whom we had already seen ; and we 

 were now informed, that behind the opposite island there 

 was a Manitoe or spirit, in the river, which swallowed 

 every person that approached it. As it would have em- 

 ployed half a day to have indulged our curiosity in pro- 

 ceeding to examine this phenomenon, we did not deviate 

 from our course, but left these people with the usual pre- 

 sents, and proceeded on our voyage. Our course and 

 distance this day were West twenty-eight miles, West- 

 North- West twenty-three miles, West-South- West six 

 miles, West by North five miles, South- West four miles, 

 and encamped at eight o'clock. A fog prevailed the greater 

 part of the day, with frequent showers of small rain. 



