244 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



.54° 16' 10" N., long. 107° 29' 52" W., var. 

 22° 6' 35" E. 



February 20. — Having been equipped 

 with carioles, sledges, and provisions, from 

 the two posts, we this day recommenced 

 our journey, and were much amused by the 

 novelty of the salute given at our departure, 

 the guns being principally fired by the 

 women in the absence of the men. Our 

 course was directed to the end of the lake, 

 and for a short distance along a small river ; 

 we then crossed the woods to the Beaver 

 River, which we found to be narrow and 

 very serpentine, having moderately high 

 banks. We encamped about one mile and 

 a half further up among poplars. The 

 next day we proceeded along the river ; it 

 was winding, and about two hundred yards 

 broad. We passed the mouths of two 

 rivers whose waters it receives ; the latter 

 one, we were informed, is a channel by 

 which the Indians go to the Lesser Slave 

 Lake. The banks of the river became 

 higher as we advanced, and were adorned 

 with pines, poplars, and willows. 



