One day was used in making the length of the lake, and at the camp at its head Young and Smith turned back.  A very badly swelled hand and arm caused by jamming his thumb had prevented Young from getting any sleep and threatened speedily to become worse.  This in connection with the loss of provisions in the upset made it expedient to send the two men back.  The returning party was given the best boat, the best of the outfit and provisions for six days, in which time they could easily reach the mouth of the river.  Meantime Cary and Cole pushed on into what was to prove the most eventful part of their journey.

The lake is simply the river valley with the terraces cleaned out, and was probably made when the river was much higher, at a time not far removed from the glacial period.  The head of the lake is full of sand bars and shoals, much resembling the mouth of the river as it opens out into Goose bay.  On both sides of the lake mountains rise steeply for one thousand or twelve hundred feet.  Its average width is from two to three miles and it has three long bends or curves.  Only one deep valley breaks the precipitous sides, but many streams flow in over the ridge, making beautiful waterfalls.

The river as it enters the lake is about half a mile wide, but soon increases to a mile.  Twenty miles were made by the advance the day the parties separated, and at night, almost at the place where the falls were reported, nothing but smooth water could be seen for a long stretch ahead.  Sunday, the 9th, twenty-five miles were made the good rowing continuing, by burnt lands, and banks over which many cascades tumbled.  Monday, the last day’s advance in the boats was made, the water becoming too swift to be stemmed, This day Cary got the second ducking of the trip—­a very good record in view of the roughness of the work and the smallness of the boats.  During this and the day previous an otter, a crow and a robin were seen.  As a rule the river was almost entirely deserted by animal life.

[Mount Hyde] The next day the boat and the provisions, excepting a six days supply carried in the packs, were carefully cached, and at 10:45 camp was left and the memorable tramp begun.  Each man carried about twenty-five pounds.  The stream was followed a short distance, then the abrupt ascent to the plateau climbed, old river beaches being found all the way up.  Ascending a birch knoll, the river was in view for quite a long distance and a large branch seen making in from the west.  To the north the highest mountain, in fact the only peak in the vicinity, was seen towering up above the level plateau.  Towards this peak, christened Mt.  Hyde, the party tramped, and arriving at the top saw the country around spread out like a map.  Way off towards the northwest a large lake was seen from which Grand River probably flows, and nearer was a chain of small, shallow and rocky ponds.  The country is rocky, covered with deep moss and fairly well wooded, with little underbrush.