July 21.

We embarked at four A.M. and pursued our course down the river.  The rocks ceased at the last portage and below it the banks are composed of alluvial soil which is held together by the roots of trees and shrubs that crown their summits.  The river is about a mile wide and the current is greatly diminished.  At eight we landed at the mouth of the Salt River and pitched our tents, intending to remain there that and the next day for the purpose of fishing.  After breakfast, which made another inroad on our preserved meats, we proceeded up the river in a light canoe to visit the salt springs, leaving a party behind to attend the nets.  This river is about one hundred yards wide at its mouth.  Its waters did not become brackish until we had ascended it seven or eight miles but, when we had passed several rivulets of fresh water which flowed in, the main stream became very salt, at the same time contracting its width to fifteen or twenty yards.  At a distance of twenty-two miles, including the windings of the river, the plains commence.  Having pitched the tent at this spot we set out to visit the principal springs and had walked about three miles when the mosquitoes compelled us to give up our project.  We did not see the termination of the plains toward the east, but on the north and west they are bounded by an even ridge about six or seven hundred feet in height.  Several salt springs issue from the foot of this ridge and spread their waters over the plain which consists of tenacious clay.  During the summer much evaporation takes place and large heaps of salt are left behind crystallised in the form of cubes.  Some beds of grayish compact gypsum were exposed on the sides of the hills.

The next morning after filling some casks with salt for our use during winter we embarked to return, and had descended the river a few miles when, turning round a point, we perceived a buffalo plunge into the river before us.  Eager to secure so valuable a prize we instantly opened a fire upon him from four muskets and in a few minutes he fell, but not before he had received fourteen balls.  The carcass was towed to the bank and the canoe speedily laden with meat.  After this piece of good fortune we descended the stream merrily, our voyagers chanting their liveliest songs.  On arrival at the mouth of the river we found that our nets had not produced more than enough to supply a scanty meal to the men whom we had left behind, but this was now of little importance as the acquisition of meat we had made would enable us to proceed without more delay to Slave Lake.  The poisson inconnu mentioned by Mackenzie is found here.  It is a species of the Genus Salmo, and is said by the Indians to ascend from the Arctic Sea but, being unable to pass the cascade of the Slave River, is not found higher than this place.  In the evening a violent thunderstorm came on with heavy rain, thermometer 70 degrees.

At a very early hour on the following morning we embarked and continued to paddle against a very strong wind and high waves under the shelter of the bank of the rivers until two P.M. when, having arrived at a more exposed part of the stream, the canoes took in so much water that we were obliged to disembark on a small island.  The river here is from one mile and a quarter to one mile and three-quarters wide.  Its banks are of moderate height, sandy, and well wooded.