MOUNTAINS--MAGNIFICENT
SCENERY--M'LEOD'S LAKE--RECEPTION OF ITS COMMANDER BY THE INDIANS.

Mr. Paul Fraser, a senior clerk, arrived from Caledonia with three
canoes, on the 26th of September, and on the 28th we took our
departure. Above Fort Dunvegan the current becomes so strong that
the canoes are propelled by long poles, in using which the men had
acquired such dexterity that we made much better progress than I
could have expected. As we ascended the river, the scenery became
beautifully diversified with hill and dale and wooded valleys, through
which there generally flowed streams of limpid water. I observed at
one place a tremendous land-slip, caused by the water undermining the
soil. Trees were seen in an inverted position, the branches sunk in
the ground and the roots uppermost; others with only the branches
appearing above ground; the earth rent and intersected by chasms
extending in every direction; while piles of earth and stones
intermixed with shattered limbs and trunks of trees, contributed to
increase the dreadful confusion of the scene. The half of a huge hill
had tumbled into the river, and dammed it across, so that no water
escaped for some time. The people of Dunvegan, seeing the river
suddenly dry up, were terrified by the phenomenon, but they had not
much time to investigate the cause: the river as suddenly reappeared,
presenting a front of nearly twenty feet in height, and foaming and
rushing down with the noise of thunder.

On the 3d of October we reached the tenantless Fort of St. John's,
where a horrid tragedy was enacted some years ago--the commander of
the post with all his men having been cut off by the Indians. The
particulars of this atrocious deed, as related to me by the gentleman
at the head of the district at the time, were as follows:--

It had been determined that the post of St. John's should be
abandoned, and the establishment removed to the Rocky Mountain
portage, for the convenience of the Tsekanies, who were excellent
hunters, but who could not be well supplied from this post, on account
of the greatness of the distance. Unfortunately a quarrel had arisen
about this time between the Indians of St. John's and the Tsekanies.
The former viewed the removal of the post from their lands as an
insult, and a measure that gave their enemies a decided superiority
over them, and they took a very effectual method of disappointing
them.

Mr. Hughes, having sent off his men with a load o