190S.] 



EOUTES TEAVEESED ; 



MACKEXZIE. 



95 



its cargo. The rapids begin a short distance below Smith Landing, 

 and afford some magnificent scenery. Before the con>tniction of the 

 portage road all the freight for the north was transported through 

 these rapids, several portages being necessary, and even now many 

 of the private traders follow this route. A large colony of white 

 pelicans occupies a wooded island among the rapids. Avhich thus con- 

 stitutes one of the most northerly breeding stations of this interest- 

 ing species. Though much persecuted by the voyagers, this colony 

 has persisted apparently since the river was first descended, over a 

 centtiry ago. since Mackenzie calls one of the portages after these 

 birds. 



Smith Portage (see PI. VI, fig. 1) consists of a wagon road about 

 16 miles in length, over which most of the freight for the north, and 

 the returning fur. is carried by means of carts. Its course is generally 

 straight and lies a short distance from the bank of the river. Leav- 

 ing Smith Landing, it passes for a little distance over a low rocky 

 ridge, traverses a level, scantily wooded tract, and then crosses two 

 morasses, where in ordinary seasons the water reaches the body of the 

 cart. Halfway to Fort Smith the road ascends a sandy ridge and 

 passes for several miles throtigh a sandy undulating tract clothed 

 Avith Banksian pines and aspen poplars. Latterly, for a few miles, 

 it follows a poplar-clothed ridge, passing on the left a series of marshy 

 ponds, and emerges into the brushy 'prairie ° where Fort Smith is 

 situated. 



Fort Smith, established by R. MacFarlane, of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, in 1871. stands on the brink of the high sandy bank of 

 Slave River ( see PI. Till. fig. 1) . From this point one overlooks the 

 lower part of the rapids and the river, here a mile in width. An 

 immense eddy washing for ages against the bank has carved here a 

 deep bay.^ on whose shores stand the warehouses of the traders. At 

 this point the steamers plying on the lower vSlave and the Mackenzie 

 discharge their outward cargoes and take on the supplies to be distrib- 

 uted over the immense country to the north. 



Below Fort Smith the Slave flows between rather high banks of 

 sand and clay, which gradually diminish in height as the river 

 i> descended. About 7 miles below Fort Smith, Bell Rock, a cliff 

 of limestone, forms a part of the left bank, and is noteworthy as 

 being the only rock exposure between Smith Rapid and Great Slave 

 Lake. Two miles below, on the right, is Pointe de Gravois, where 

 several cabins have been built by the natives. The next point of 

 interest is Salt River, which enters the Slave from the west. 16 miles 

 below Fort Smith. This stream drains the Salt Plains, formerly a 

 favorite resort of the wood bison. On these plains, about 20 miles 

 from the mouth of Salt River, occur the salt springs, about which 

 the mineral may be gathered in a comparatively pure state. Most 



