North-West Continent of America. 



119 



which contrivance we reached a convenient situation. It 

 required, however, two hours to complete the repair, when 

 the weather became dark and cloudy, with thunder, 

 lightning, and rain j we, however, continued the last 

 course half a mile, and at six in the evening we were com- 

 pelled by the rain to land for the night. 



About noon we had landed on an island where there 

 were eight lodges of last year. The natives had prepared 

 bark here for five canoes, and there is a road along the 

 hills where they had passed. Branches were cut and 

 broken along it ; and they had also stripped off the bark of 

 the trees, to get the interior rind, which forms a part of 

 their food. 



The current was very strong through the whole of the 

 day, and the coming up along some of the banks was 

 rendered very dangerous, from the continual falling of 

 large stones from the upper parts of them. This place 

 appears to be a particular pass for animals across the river, 

 as there are paths leading to it on both sides, every ten 

 yards. 



Iii the course of the day we saw a ground hog, and two 

 cormorants. The earth also appeared in several places 

 to have been turned up by the bears in search of roots. 



Sunday 19. It rained very hard in the early part of the 

 night, but the weather became clear towards the morning, 

 when we embarked at our usual hour. As the current 

 threatend to be very strong, Mr. Mackay, the two hunters, 

 and myself, went on shore, in order to lighten the canoe, 

 and ascended the hills, which are covered with cypress, 

 and but little encumbred with underwood. We found a 

 beaten path, and before we had walked a mile fell in with 

 an herd of buffaloes, with their young ones ; but I would 

 sot suffer the Indians to fire on them, from an apprehen- 

 sion that the report of their fowling-pieces would alarm the 

 natives that might be in the neighbourhood ; for we were 

 at this time so near the mountains, as to justify our ex- 

 pectation of seeing some of them. We, however, sent 

 our dog after the herd, and a calf was soon secured by 

 him. While the young men were skinning the animal, we 

 heard two reports of fire-arms from the canoe, which we 

 answered, as it was a signal for my return : we then heard 

 another, and immediately hastened down the hill, with 

 our veal, through a very close wood. There we met one 

 of the men, who informed us that the canoe was at a small 



