crossing the river, and the nets were set. A mile below this cascade
Hood’s Kiver is joined by a stream half its own size, which I have
called James’ Branch. Bear and deer tracks had been numerous
on the banks of the river when we were here before, but not a single,
recent one was to be seen at this time. Crédit, however, killed a
small deer at some distance inland, which, with the addition of
berries, furnished a delightful repast this evening. The weather
was remarkably fine, and the temperature so mild, that the mus-
quitoes again made their appearance, but not in any great numbers.
Our distance made to-day was not more than six miles.
The next morning the nets furnished us with ten white fish and
trout. Having made a further deposit of iron work for the Esquimaux
we pursued our voyage up the river, but the shoals and rapids
in this part were so frequent, that we walked along the banks the
whole day, and the crews laboured hard in carrying the canoes t«ius
lightened over the shoals or dragging them up the rapids, yet our
journey in a direct fine was only about seven miles. In the evening
we encamped at the lower end of a narrow chasm through which
the river flows for upwards of a mile. The walls of this chasm are
upwards of two hundred feet high, quite perpendicular, and in some
places only a few yards apart. The river precipitates itself into it
over a rock, forming two magnificent and picturesque falls close to
each other. The upper fall is about sixty feet high, and the lower
one at least one hundred; but perhaps considerably more, for the
narrowness of the chasm into which it fell prevented us from seeing
its bottom, and we could merely discern the top of the spray far
beneath our feet. The lower fall is divided into two, by an insulated
column of rock which rises about forty feet above it. The
whole descent of the river at this place probably exceeds two hundred
and fifty feet. The rock is very fine felspathose sandstone.
It has a smooth surface and light red colour. I have named these
magnificent cascades “ Wilberforce Falls,” as a tribute of my respect