OF THE POLAR SEA. 



41 



a stone placed near the centre of this portage on which figures were 

 annually traced, and offerings deposited, by the Indians ; but the stone 

 has been removed many years, and the spot has ceased to be held in 

 veneration. Here we were overtaken by Governor Williams, who 

 left York Factory on the 20th of last month in an Indian canoe. He 

 expressed much regret at our having been obliged to leave part of 

 our stores at the Hock depot, and would have brought them up with 

 him had he been able to procure and man a boat, or a canoe of suf- 

 ficient size. 



Having launched the boats over the rock, we commenced the 

 descent of the Echemamis. This small stream has its course through 

 a morass, and in dry seasons its channel contains, instead of water; 

 merely a foot or two of thin mud. On these occasions it is customary 

 to build dams, that it may be rendered navigable by the accumulation 

 of its waters. As the beavers perform this operation very effectually, 

 endeavours have been made to encourage them to breed in this place, 

 but it has not hitherto been possible to restrain the Indians from 

 killing that useful animal whenever they discover its retreats. On 

 the present occasion there was no want of water, the principal im- 

 pediment we experienced being from the narrowness of the channel, 

 which permitted the willows of each bank to meet over our heads, 

 and obstruct the men at the oars. After proceeding down the stream 

 for some time, we came to a recently constructed beaver-dam through 

 which an opening was made sufficient to admit the boat to pass. 

 We were assured that the breach would be closed by the industrious 

 creature in a single night. We encamped about eight miles from the 

 source of the river, having come during the day seventeen miles and 

 a half. 



On the 4th we embarked amidst a heavy rain, and pursued our 

 route down the Echemamis. In many parts the morass, by which 

 the river is nourished, and through which it flows, is intersected by 

 ridges of rock which cross the channel, and require the boat to be 



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