122 



Journal of a Voyage through the 



purpose of setting snares for the elk, and of which we 

 could not discover the extent. After we had travelled for 

 some hours through the forrest, which consisted of the 

 spruce, birch, and the largest poplars I had ever seen, we 

 sunk down upon the river, where the bank is low, and 

 near the foot of a mountain ; between which, and a high 

 ridge, the river flows in a channel of about one hundred 

 yards broad ; though, at a small distance below, it rushes 

 on between perpendicular rocks, where it is not much 

 more than half that breadth. Here I remained, in great 

 anxiety, expecting the arrival of the canoe, and after some 

 time I sent Mr. Mackay with one of the Indians down the 

 river in search of it, and with the other I went up it to 

 examine what we might expect in that quarter. In about 

 a mile and a half I came to a part where the river washes 

 the feet of lofty precipices, and presented, in the form of 

 rapids and cascades, a succession of difficulties to our 

 navigation. As the canoe did not come in sight we re- 

 turned, and from the place where I had separated with 

 Mr. Mackay, we saw the men carrying it over a small 

 rocky point. We met them at the entrance of the narrow 

 channel already mentioned ; their difficulties had been 

 great, indeed, and the canoe had been broken, but they 

 had persevered with success, and having passed the carry- 

 ing-place, we proceeded with the line as far as I had 

 already been, when we crossed over and encamped on the 

 opposite beach, but there was no wood on this side of the 

 water, as the adjacent country had been entirely overrun 

 by fire. We saw several elks feeding on the edge of the 

 opposite precipice, which was upwards of three hundred 

 feet in height. 



Our course to-day was about South-South- West two 

 miles and an half, South-West half a mile, South- West 

 by South one mile and an half, South by West half a mile, 

 South-West half a mile, and West one mile and an half. 

 There was a shower of hail, and some rain from flying 

 clouds. I now dispatched a man with an Indian to visit 

 the rapids above, when the latter soon left him to pursue 

 a beaver, which was seen in the shallow water on the in- 

 side of a stony island ; and though Mr. Mackay, and the 

 other v Indian joined him, the animal escped from their 

 pursuit. Several others were seen in the course of the 

 day, which I by no means expected, as the banks are 



