J 92 



Harmon's journal. 



just as we got through the mountain, we passed 

 Finlay's or the North Branch, which appears to 

 be of about the same magnitude as the South 

 Branch, which we are following. These two 

 branches take their rise in very different direc- 

 tions. The source of the South Branch, is in the 

 Rocky Mountain, ,at the distance of nearly two 

 hundred miles from the place where we now are. 

 The North Branch runs out of a very large lake, 

 called by the Natives Musk- qua Sa-ky-e-gun, or 

 Bears Lake. This lake, which is so large that the 

 Indians never attempt to cross it in their canoes, 

 and which, those who reside at the east end of it, 

 affirm, extends to the Western Ocean, is situated 

 nearly west from the place where the two bran- 

 ches form a junction, at the distance, as is thought 

 of about one hundred and fifty miles. Both bran- 

 ches, before their junction, run along the foot of 

 the mountain, as if in search of a passage through. 



Thursday, November 1. M c Leod's Lake Fort. 

 This place is situated in 55° North Latitude, and 

 J 24° West Longitude. The country lying be- 

 tween this place and Finlay's Branch, is thickly 

 covered with timber, on both sides of the riv- 

 er ; and, on the right, in coming up, the land is 

 low and level. Mountains, it is true, are to be 

 seen; but they appear at a considerable distance. 

 We have not seen a large animal, nor even the 



