226 



Harmon's journal. 



Sunday, February 21. Rocky Mountain Port- 

 age Fort. Here I arrived this afternoon, accom- 

 panied by five Canadians and one Carrier. We 

 left Stuart's Lake on the 6th inst. and are on our 

 way to Dunvegan, where I am going to transact 

 some business with Mr. John M c Gillivray, who is 

 there. As the mountains, on both sides of the 

 river, for the distance of seventy or eighty miles, 

 are very lofty, there is generally a strong wind 

 passing, either up or down the stream, which, at 

 this season, renders it extremely cold and disagree- 

 able travelling. On the 18th, we were in the 

 heart of those mountains ; and we had to encoun- 

 ter such a strong head wind, that my upper lip 

 became very much frozen, without my having 

 perceived it at the time. It is now much swolen, 

 and very painful. We all caught severe colds, in 

 consequence of a fall of snow upon us, to the depth 

 of eight inches, after we had encamped and re- 

 signed ourselves to sleep, the second night after 

 leaving Stuart's Lake ; and I have become unable 

 to speak, excepting in a whisper. It requires in- 

 deed, a strong constitution, to conflict with the 

 hardships, incident to our mode of life. 



We here find no person, excepting two Cana- 

 dians. Mr. A. R. M c Leod, who has charge of 

 this place, is now absent on a visit to his hunter's 

 tent, which is five days' march from this. From 



