180 , Journal of a Voyage through the 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Renew our voyage, accompanied by two of the natives. Ac- 

 count of courses. State of the river. Arrive at a subter- 

 ranean house. See several natives. Brief description of 



■ them. Account of our conference with them. Saw other 

 natives. Description of them. Their conduct, &c. The 

 account which they gave of the country. The narrative 

 of a female prisoner. The perplexities of my situation. 

 Specimen of the language of ttvo tribes. Change the plan 

 of my journey. Return up the river. Succession of dan- 

 gers and difficulties. Land on an island to build another 

 canoe, 



June, 1793.-) A . . , . , , 



Saturday 22. 5 ^ T S1X m the morning we proceeded on our 



voyage, with two of the Indians, one of them in a small, 

 pointed canoe, made after the fashion of the Esquimaux^ 

 and the other in our own. This precaution was necessary 

 in a two-fold point of view, as the small canoe could be 

 sent a-head to speak to any of the natives that might be 

 seen down the river, and, thus divided, would s^ot be easy 

 for them both to make their escape. Mr. Mackay also 

 embarked with the Indian, which seenied to afford him 

 great satisfaction, and he was thereby enabled to keep us 

 company with diminution of labour. 



Our courses were South-South-East a mile and an half, 

 South-East half a mile, South by East four miles and an 

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

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

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

 quarter. The country, on the right, presented a very 

 beautiful appearance: it rose at first rather abruptly to the 

 height of twenty-five feet, when the precipice was suc- 

 ceeded by an inclined plain to the foot of another steep ; 

 which was followed by another extent of gently-rising 

 ground : these objects, which were shaded with groves of 

 fir, presenting themselves alternately to a considerable dis- 

 tance. 



We now landed near an house, the roof of which alone 

 appeared above ground ; but it was deserted by its inhabit- 

 ants, who had been alarmed at our approach. We ob« 



