Mr. Mackay;in4 <brre of the; yopng-men,skilled two elks, and mortally
l**' ^ a parti o f the 1 ftefh of the former.
The land above the fpot where we encamped, fpreadsr into an- extenftve
plain, and ftretches on to a very high ridge, which, in fome parts, pre-
fentsrarface of rock,-?bat is -priheipally covered Wadkvei^ i^hmd
with ithopoplar and- white birch, tree;?
animalsJa^tQrh^€ct|ifeappearance,;in= fome. places, of.*- ft&hyard, From
the fta td;bf-j^petground* and the qnantity-tif dung^whichjis&aiiered over
% uThelfod UsridaCfe and light. tWe this day fawtwro' grifly and hideous
bears, t
Friday»7. It froze during.the night, and the air iwas {harp in, the morning, when
we continued our courfe Weft-North-Weft three miles and an half, South-”
, Weft-by South two miles and an hatfj .South-Weft iby Weft one-mile
and an half, rWeftxthree quarters of at mite,1 WefhSo0biWh&*<Mie mile
arid aqumteiv-ahd SouttaWeft by.South onemile-and an halfr At two in
the aftemoonthe ancky'mountains appeared ini'ii^ht, with!’'their fuimnrits
covered-r-withjfnow^ ibearing iSbuih-Weft-i byjS©udi.j£ithey fontned a
sserytagreeahle objoEfjtofevery perfon in the canoe, as :we attained-the.
view ©Lthem much fooner.thanwe expe&ed. »Afmali river was feen on
our. right, and we continued our progrefs South-Weft by South-fix a te s ’*
when we farided atfigvenjj which iwas-our ufiial houri of encampment.
MrvMackay, who whs walkingWteng the frde^ o f the liver,- difcharged
his piece at a bnffato/ Vhen it burft near the muzzle, but- without any
nrifehievbus Jsconfequenfee& - O h the . high grounds, whichWere on 'the
oppofite*fide of: the river, we faw a buffalo tearing-up and' down with
great fury, butcould not difcern the eaufe of his impetuous motions;-my
hunters
hunters eohje&ufod that he had been wounded with an arrow by. fóme V793-
pfthe nativesïc- Weafcended feveral riapids in thescOurfodf tfa© day, and v>—^
faw one bear.-;u
It again froze very hard during 'thé night, and at four in the morning Saturday 18.
we continued our voyage, but we had not proceeded two hundred .yards,
before an accident happened to the canoe, which did not, however, em-
ployinaiore.than three .quarters; o f an hour.to^cbmpiete the’repair. We
tKémfteeredSouth by Weft one mite andthree Quarters'; Sbrith-Weft.by
South* three miles, South-Weft by Weft one mile and aiquarter, Weft
by South three quarters of a mile, South-Weft half a mile, Weft by
South bne mile, South by: Weft;onec,rnilè'and, an halfjjSbutb-SbuthrWeft,
.wherelthêre is a fm&ll.run o f water from the right, .threemiles and an half,
whentheGarioe-ftruck'onthe:ftump ofatree,andunfortunatelywheft;e the
i banks were fo fteept that there wa? no qilace to unload»; ejxcept a fmall
fpot^ on:Which!we contrived.to difpofe the;lading in..theihows,. which
lightinedithe canoe Co as to mife ithc hroken parfcèfötr^ve.thefurface
of the .water;, by which contrivance we-reached, a convenient fituafion.,
-Itrequired,;however, two hours:to complete .the -repaid-when the wea*
tfter became dark and -cloudy, with.thunder;, -lightning, and rain; :m
however, contiiaued éhbhsft sébrirfeJjalf amile,and a tJ x ia ;th e evening
.we were compelled: by ithe rairi to laod for.the night.: •
i Ahorittöqon we -hridslabded on
nflaftyear. :The native had prepaid hark here -for-fivetqanoes» a n 4
there is a road along the hftls where they had paffed. ^ranches were cut
and bpoken alorig its andfthey had alfo ftripped/off the-barjc of the tree?,
to. get the interior rind, which forms a part of their food.
The