by high mountains.  Its breadth exceeded half a mile and was swelled to a mile in many places by long muddy islands in the middle covered with trees.  No more portages interrupted our course but a swift current hurried us towards the quarter in which our anticipated discoveries were to commence.  The passing cliffs returned a loud confusion of echoes to the sprightly canoe song and the dashing paddles and the eagles, watching with half-closed eyes on the pine-tops, started from their airy rest and prepared their drowsy pinions for the flight.

About twenty miles from the Forks are some salt pits and plains, said to be very extensive.  The height of the banks was reduced to twenty or thirty feet and the hills ranged themselves at an increased distance from the banks in the same variety as those of the Clear Water River.  At sunset we encamped on a small sandy island but the next morning made a speedy retreat to the canoes, the water having nearly overflown our encampment.  We passed two deserted settlements of the fur traders on opposite banks at a place called Pierre au Calumet.  Beyond it the hills disappeared and the banks were no longer visible above the trees.  The river carries away yearly large portions of soil which increases its breadth and diminishes its depth, rendering the water so muddy as to be scarcely drinkable.  Whole forests of timber are drifted down the stream and choke up the channels between the islands at its mouth.  We observed the traces of herds of buffaloes where they had crossed the river, the trees being trodden down and strewed as if by a whirlwind.

At four P.M. we left the main branch of the Athabasca, entering a small river called the Embarras.  It is narrow and muddy with pines of an enormous size on its banks.  Some of them are two hundred feet high and three or four feet in diameter.  At nine P.M. we landed and encamped but, finding ourselves in a nest of mosquitoes, we continued our journey before daybreak; and at eight A.M. emerged into the Athabasca Lake.  A strong wind agitated this sea of fresh water which however we crossed without any accident, and landed on the north side of it at Fort Chipewyan where we had the satisfaction of finding our companions in good health, and of experiencing that sympathy in our anxiety on the state of affairs, which was only to be expected from those who were to share our future fortunes.

CHAPTER 7.

DEPARTURE FROM CHIPEWYAN.  DIFFICULTIES OF THE VARIOUS NAVIGATIONS OF THE RIVERS AND LAKES, AND OF THE PORTAGES.  SLAVE LAKE AND FORT PROVIDENCE.  SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS, AND DISCONTENT OF THE CANADIAN VOYAGERS.  DIFFICULTIES WITH REGARD TO THE INDIAN GUIDES.  REFUSAL TO PROCEED. VISIT OF OBSERVATION TO THE UPPER PART OF COPPER-MINE RIVER.  RETURN TO THE WINTER QUARTERS OF FORT ENTERPRISE.

DEPARTURE FROM CHIPEWYAN.

July 18, 1820.