138 Journal of a Voyage through the 



evening. This necessary business being completed, we 

 traversed to the North shore, where I disembarked with 

 Mr. Mackay, and the hunters, in order to ascend an ad- 

 jacent mountain, with the hope of obtaining a view of the 

 interior part of the country. I directed my people to pro- 

 ceed with all possible diligence, and that, if they met with 

 any accident^ or found my return necessary, they should 

 fire two guns. They also understood, that when they 

 should hear the same signal from me, they were to an- 

 swer, and wait for me, if I were behind them. 



When we had ascended to the summit of the hill, we 

 found that it extended onwards in an even, level country } # 

 so that, encumbered as we were, with the thick wood, no 

 distant view could be obtained ; I therefore climbed a very 

 lofty tree, from whose top I discerned, on the right, a ridge 

 of mountains covered with snow, bearing about North- 

 West ; from thence another ridge of high land, whereon 

 no snow, was visible, stretched towards the South ; be- 

 tween which, and the snowy hills on the East side, there 

 appeared to be an opening, which we determined to be the 

 course of the river. 



Having obtained all the satisfaction that the nature of 

 the place would admit, we proceeded forward to overtake 

 the canoe, and after a warm walk, came down upon the 

 river, when we discharged our pieces twice, but received 

 no answering signal. I was of opinion, that the canoe was 

 before us, while the Indians entertained an opposite notion. 

 I, however, crossed another point of land, and came again 

 to the water-side about ten. Here we had a long view of 

 the river, which circumstance excited, in my mind, some 

 doubts of my former sentiments. We repeated our signals, 

 but without any return ; and as every moment now in- 

 creased my anxiety, I left Mr. Mackay and one of the 

 Indians at this spot, to make a large fire, and send branches 

 adrift down the current, as notices of our situation, if the 

 canoe was behind us ; and proceeded with the other Indian 

 across a very long point, where the river makes a consi- 

 derable bend, in order that I might be satisfied if the canoe 

 was a-head. Having been accustomed, for the last fort- 

 night to very cold weather, I found the heat of this day 

 almost insupportable, as our way lay over a dry sand, 

 which was relieved by no shade, but such as a few scatter- 

 ed cypresses could afford us. About twelve we arrived 

 once more at the river, and the discharge of our pieces was 



