landed with part of the cargo of the small
canoe, had left it in charge of Darkeye,--so named because of her large
and lustrous eyes, which, however, were the only good points about her,
for she was ill-favoured and clumsy, though strong of frame and a
diligent worker. While she was moving from one point of rock to another
that appeared to her more convenient for landing, the canoe was caught
by an eddy and swept in a moment out into the strong current, down which
it sped with fearful velocity towards the falls. Darkeye was quite
collected and cool, but she happened to dip her paddle on the edge of a
sunk rock with such vigour that the canoe overturned. Upon the heights
above her husband saw the accident, and stood rooted for a moment in
helpless dismay to the spot. It chanced that Lawrence Guff was at the
time the only man near the unfortunate woman, who, although she swam
like an otter, could not gain the bank. Seeing this, the youth sprang
towards a jutting rock that almost overhung the fall, and entering the
rushing stream so deeply that he could barely retain his foothold,
caught the woman by the hair of the head as she was sweeping towards the
edge of the fall. The two swayed for a few seconds on the verge of
destruction; then Swiftarrow came bounding down the bank like a deer,
and, catching Lawrence by the hand, dragged them both out of danger; but
before they were fairly landed the canoe was carried over the falls,
dashed to pieces, and in a few seconds its shreds were tossed wildly on
the surging rapids far down the river.

This accident caused them little loss beyond the canoe, which was soon
replaced by another, purchased from a party of Indians, with whom they
fell in that same evening.

Passing through Slave River, they swept out on the bright waters of
Great Slave Lake. Over these they sped during several days. This lake
is one of the largest fresh-water oceans of the continent, about 250
miles long and 50 broad.

And here the work of exploration fairly began. Great Slave Lake was at
that time imperfectly known from Indian report; and the river of which
they were in search flowed, it was supposed, out of its western
extremity. Here also Monsieur Le Roux was to be left behind with a
party of men to prosecute the fur-trade.

CHAPTER FOUR.

VICISSITUDES OF THE VOYAGE--INDIANS MET WITH, ETCETERA.

We have passed over the first three weeks of the voyage rapidly, but it
must not be supposed