Harmon's journal, 



265 



West country. A few years since, they burned 

 one of our forts, and killed every person belonging 

 to it. 



On the 21st of June, I left Athabasca Lake, 

 at which period, there was still ice floating about 

 in it. In coming up Peace River, we saw many 

 of the buffaloe and red deer, and killed as many 

 of them as we wanted for our own consumption. 

 Black bears, also, were in plenty ; and of them, 

 we killed eleven. One day as I was walking along 

 the beach alone without my gun, a black bear, 

 that had cubs, pursued me for nearly a mile. 

 Happily for me, I could outrun her ; and I there- 

 fore escaped from her terrible paws. 



A little below the Rocky Mountain Portage, 

 along the side of the river, there is a kind of 

 marsh where earth, of a beautiful yellow colour 

 is found, which when burned, becomes a pretty 

 lively red. The natives use it as paint, for which 

 it answers tolerably well. We, also, use it to 

 paint our forts and houses. 



Saturday, October 4. This evening, an Indian 

 arrived from Frazer's Lake, bringing the disagree- 

 able intelligence, that yesterday in the afternoon^ 

 our fort there was consumed by fire. We have 

 reason to be thankful, however, that most of the 

 property which was in it, was saved. 



Thursday, 16. We have taken our vegeta- 

 34 



