58 



HARMON'S JOURNAL. 



Saturday, 18. Second crossing place in the Swan 

 River. In the morning we left the fort. The 

 country which we have passed through, is low ; 

 and the timber, consisting of poplar, aspin, birch, 

 willow, pine and an inferiour kind of maple, is 

 small. Of the sap of the maple, sugar is made ; 

 but its quality is not equal to that, produced 

 from the real maple. 



Monday, 20. Bird Mountain. Here Mons. 

 Perigne and others are building a fort. Yester- 

 day and to day, our way has been through prai- 

 ries, interrupted occasionally, by small groves of 

 wood. Cranes and Pheasants are to be seen in 

 the prairies ; and to day, I have also seen and 

 fired at eight Elk, without having killed any of 

 them. They are about the size of a cow, and of 

 a light grey colour. The males, which have long 

 branching horns, are animals of a noble and majes- 

 tick appearance. 



Wednesday, 22. The foot of a high hill, and 

 near a small Lake. The waters of this lake 

 have a sulphureous taste. In the morning, we 

 left Swan River on our right, after having 

 crossed it on a raft, made by tying several dry 

 trees together. Since leaving that river the 

 country appears more hilly, and almost destitute 

 of timber of any kind. Cranes and pheasants 

 are to be seen, every where. 



