North-West Continent of America* 165 



CHAPTER VII. 



Rainy night. Proceed on the great river. Circumstances 

 of it. Account of courses. Come to rapids. Observe 

 several smokes. See a fight of xvhite ducks. Pass over a 

 carrying-place with the canoe, &c. The difficulties of 

 that passage. Abundance of wild onions. Re-embark on 

 the river. See some of the natives. They desert their 

 camp, and fly into the woods. Courses continued. Kill a 

 red deer, &c. Circumstances of the river. Arrive at an 

 Indian habitation. Description of it. Account of a cu- 

 rious machine to catch fish. Land to procure bark for the 

 purpose oj constructing a new canoe. Conceal a quantity 

 of pemmican for provision on our return. Succession of 

 courses, , Meet with some of 'the natives. Our intercourse 

 with them. Their information respecting the river, and 

 the country. Description of those people. 



ilew/aj 18?' } It rained throughout the night, and till seven 

 in the morning ; nor was I sorry that the weather gave me 

 an excuse for indulging my people with that additional 

 rest, which their fatigues, during the last three days, ren- 

 dered so comfortable to them. Before eight, however, we 

 were on the water, and driven on by a strong curre nt, 

 when we steered East-South-East half a mile, South- West 

 by South half a mile, South-South-East half a mile, South- 

 West half a mile, went round to North- West half a mile, 

 backed South-South-East three quarters of a mile, South- 

 South- West half a mile, South by East a quarter of a 

 mile, and South- West by South three quarters of a mile. 

 Here the water had fallen considerably, so that several 

 mud and sand-banks were visible. There was also an hill 

 a-head, West-South- West. 



The weather was so hazy that we could not see across 

 the river, which is here about two hundred yards wide. 

 We now proceeded South by West one third of a mile, 

 when we saw a considerable quantity of beaver work along 

 the banks, North-North- West half a mile, South-West 

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

 third of a mile, West by South one third of a mile, South 

 by East^half a mile. Mountains rose on the left, imme- 



