yards wide at its mouth. Its
waters did not become brackish until we had ascended it seven or eight
miles; but when we had passed several rivulets of fresh water which
flowed in, the main stream became very salt, at the same time
contracting its width to fifteen or twenty yards. At a distance of
twenty-two miles, including the windings of the river, the plains
commence. Having pitched the tent at this spot, we set out to visit the
principal springs, and had walked about three miles when the musquitoes
compelled us to give up our project. We did not see the termination of
the plains toward the east, but on the north and west they are bounded
by an even ridge, about six or seven hundred feet in height. Several
salt springs issue from the foot of this ridge, and spread their waters
over the plain, which consists of tenacious clay. During the summer much
evaporation takes place, and large heaps of salt are left behind
crystallized in the form of cubes. Some beds of grayish compact gypsum
were exposed on the sides of the hills.

The next morning after filling some casks with salt for our use during
winter, we embarked to return, and had descended the river a few miles,
when turning round a point, we perceived a buffalo plunge into the river
before us. Eager to secure so valuable a prize, we instantly opened a
fire upon him from four muskets, and in a few minutes he fell, but not
before he had received fourteen balls. The carcass was towed to the
bank, and the canoe speedily laden with meat. After this piece of good
fortune, we descended the stream merrily, our voyagers chanting their
liveliest songs. On arrival at the mouth of the river, we found that our
nets had not produced more than enough to supply a scanty meal to the
men whom we had left behind, but this was now of little importance, as
the acquisition of meat we had made would enable us to proceed without
more delay to Slave Lake. The _poisson inconnu_ mentioned by Mackenzie,
is found here. It is a species of the Genus Salmo, and is said by the
Indians to ascend from the Arctic Sea, but being unable to pass the
cascade of the Slave River, is not found higher than this place. In the
evening a violent thunder-storm came on with heavy rain, thermometer
70 deg..

At a very early hour on the following morning we embarked, and continued
to paddle against a very strong wind and high waves, under the shelter
of the bank of the rivers, until two P.M., when having arrived at