he snow,
and though marked with all the cheerless characters of winter; how much
more charming must it be when the trees are in leaf, and the ground is
arrayed in summer verdure! Some faint idea of the difference was
conveyed to my mind by witnessing the effect of the departing rays of a
brilliant sun. The distant prospect, however, is surpassed in grandeur
by the wild scenery which appeared immediately below our feet. There the
eye penetrates into vast ravines two or three hundred feet in depth,
that are clothed with trees, and lie on either side of the narrow
pathway descending to the river over eight successive ridges of hills.
At one spot termed the Cockscomb, the traveller stands insulated as it
were on a small slip, where a false step might precipitate him into the
glen. From this place Mr. Back took an interesting and accurate sketch,
to allow time for which, we encamped early, having come twenty-one
miles.

The Methye Portage is about twelve miles in extent, and over this space
the canoes and all their cargoes are carried, both in going to and from
the Athabasca department. It is part of the range of mountains which
separates the waters flowing south from those flowing north. According
to Sir Alexander Mackenzie, "this range of hills continues in a S.W.
direction until its local height is lost between the Saskatchawan and
Elk Rivers, close on the banks of the former, in latitude 53 deg. 36' N.,
longitude 113 deg. 45' W., when it appears to take its course due north."
Observations, taken in the spring by Mr. Hood, place the northside of
the portage in latitude 56 deg. 41' 40" N., longitude 109 deg. 52' 15" W.,
variation 25 deg. 2' 30" E., dip 85 deg. 7' 27".

At daylight on the 14th we began to descend the range of hills leading
towards the river, and no small care was required to prevent the
sledges from being broken in going down these almost perpendicular
heights, or being precipitated into the glens on each side. As a
precautionary measure the dogs were taken off, and the sledges guided by
the men, notwithstanding which they descended with amazing rapidity, and
the men were thrown into the most ridiculous attitudes in endeavouring
to stop them. When we had arrived at the bottom I could not but feel
astonished at the laborious task which the voyagers have twice in the
year to encounter at this place, in conveying their stores backwards and
forwards. We went across the Clear Water River, which runs at the base