his suggestions; ' he caused the men to arrange the encampment
with more attention to comfort and shelter than our former companions
had done. After marching eighteen miles we put up on
Gravel Point, in the Deep River.
At nine the next morning, we came to the commencement of
Clear Lake.1 We crossed its southern extremes', and then went
over a point of land to Buffalo Lake, and encamped after travelling
twenty-six miles. After supper we were entertained till midnight
with paddling songs, by our Canadians, who required very little
stimulus beyond their natural vivacity, to afford us this diversion.
The next morning we arrived at the establishments which are
situated on the western side of the lake, near a small stream, called
the Beaver River. They were small log buildings, hastily erected
last October, for the convenience of the Indians who hunt in the
vicinity. Mr. Mac Murray, a partner in the N.W. Company,
having sent to Isle si la Crosse an invitation to Mr. Back and me, our
carioles were driven to his post, and we experienced the kindest
reception. These posts are frequented by only a few Indians,
Crees, and Chipewyans. The country round is not sufficiently
stocked with animals to afford support to many families, and the
traders subsist almost entirely on fish caught in the autumn, prior
to the lake being frozen; but the water being shallow, they remove
to a deeper part, as soon as the lake is covered with ice. The
Aurora Borealis was brilliantly displayed on both the nights we
remained here, but particularly on the 7th, when its appearances
were most diversified, and the motion extremely rapid. Its coruscations
occasionally concealed from sight stars of the first magnitude
in passing over them, at other times these were faintly discerned
through them; once I perceived a stream of light to illumine the
under surface of some clouds as it passed along. There was no perceptible
noise.
Mr. Mac Murray gave a dance to his voyagers and the women;
this is a treat which they expect on the arrival of any stranger at
the post.
We were presented by this gentleman with the valuable skin of a
black fox, which he had entrapped some days before our arrival; it
was forwarded to England with other specimens.
Our observations place the North-West Company’s House in latitude
55° 53' 00"N., longitude 108“ 51' 10" W., variation 22° 33' 22"E.
The shores of Buffalo Lake are of moderate height, and well
wooded, but immediately beyond the bank the country is very
swampy and intersected with water in every direction. At some
distance from the western side there is a conspicuous hill, which we
hailed with much pleasure, as being the first interruption to the
tediously uniform scene we had for some time passed through.
On the 10th we recommenced our journey after breakfast, and
travelled quickly, as we had the advantage of a well-beaten track.
At the end of eighteen miles we entered upon the river « Loche,”
which has a serpentine course, and is confined between alluvial
banks that support stunted willows and a few pines; we encamped
about three miles further on; and in the course of the next day’s
march perceived several holes on the ice, and many unsafe places for
the sledges. Our companions said the ice of this river is always in
the same insecure state, even during the most severe winter, which
they attributed to warm springs. Quitting the river, we crossed a
portage and came upon the Methye Lake, and soon afterwards arrived
at the trading posts on its western side. These were perfect
huts, which had been hastily built after the commencement of the
last winter. We here saw two hunters who were Chipewyan half-
breeds, and made many inquiries of them respecting the countries
we expected to visit, but found them quite ignorant of every part
beyond the Athabasca Lake. They spoke of Mr. Hearne and of his
companion Matonnabee, but did not add to our stock of information
respecting that journey. It had happened before their birth,
s