MAP OF MACKENZIE'S RIVER. 
56S 
Rocky Mountain Indians, Number about 160 souls, — 
speak a dialect of Chepewyan. 
Strong-Bow Indians. They frequent the country from 
Fort Nelson to the forks of Mackenzie's Iliver, and muster 
about 280 souls. They speak Chepewyan, as do all those 
tribes that are known in that quarter, except the Lou° 
cheux. 
Ranges of Mountains. — The natives speak of there being 
eleven distinct ranges of the Rocky Mountains, which lie 
parallel to each other, and have a general direction from 
north to south. 
Edible Earth. — An edible earth is found below the 
Jbrks^ which is described as unctuous clay, which the In- 
dians eat from choice. 
Meteoric Stone.-^l^\\Q Strong-Bow Indians observed a 
meteoric stone, several feet in diameter, to fall from the 
sky. It had a bad smell, and its fall was attended with a 
report like thunder. The year is unknown, but it was 
since 1795, when the traders first established themselves 
there. 
Petrifying *S'^Hw^.— There is a petrifying spring about 
forty miles above the forks. The petrifactions are as white 
as snow, and the spring issues from a stone of a light-grey 
colour,'which is used for grinding tools, and is supposed to 
be a kind of calcareous sandstone. The river cuts this bed 
of stone into two, and produces a small cascade. 
Flints or Calcedonies. — Above the Montague de Bou- 
leau, on the Riviere aux Liards, there are many stones 
described as flints, but which appear, in general, rather to 
be varieties of calcedony ; the colours are black, blue, 
milk-white, and veined, clouded and striped; the blackish 
varieties are softer than the others; and all have a thin 
yellowish coat or crust. Fhnt or calcedony is found in all 
parts of Mackenzie's river, and is used by the natives to tip 
their arrows with 
