senting to take a few boxes
of our stores into their boats. Still we made only eleven miles in the
course of the day.

The banks of Hill River are higher, and have a more broken outline, than
those of Steel or Hayes' Rivers. The cliffs of alluvial clay rose in
some places to the height of eighty or ninety feet above the stream, and
were surmounted by hills about two hundred feet high, but the thickness
of the wood prevented us from seeing far beyond the mere banks of the
river.

_September 17_.--About half past five in the morning we commenced
tracking, and soon came to a ridge of rock which extended across the
stream. From this place the boat was dragged up several narrow rocky
channels, until we came to the Rock Portage, where the stream, pent in
by a range of small islands, forms several cascades. In ascending the
river, the boats with their cargoes are carried over one of the islands,
but in the descent they are shot down the most shelving of the cascades.
Having performed the operations of carrying, launching, and restowing
the cargo, we plied the oars for a short distance, and landed at a depot
called Rock House. Here we were informed that the rapids in the upper
parts of Hill River were much worse and more numerous than those we had
passed, particularly in the present season, owing to the unusual lowness
of the water. This intelligence was very mortifying, especially as the
gentlemen in charge of the Company's boats declared that they were
unable to carry any part of our stores beyond this place; and the
traders, guides, and most experienced of the boatmen, were of opinion,
that unless our boat was still further lightened, the winter would put a
stop to our progress before we could reach Cumberland House, or any
eligible post. Sixteen pieces were therefore necessarily left with Mr.
Bunn, the gentleman in charge of the post, to be forwarded by the
Athabasca canoes next season, this being their place of rendezvous.

After this we recommenced our voyage, and having pulled nearly a mile,
arrived at Borrowick's Fall, where the boat was dragged up with a line,
after part of the cargo had been carried over a small portage. From this
place to the Mud Portage, a distance of a mile and three quarters, the
boats were pushed on with poles against a very rapid stream. Here we
encamped, having come seven miles during the day on a S.W. course. We
had several snow showers in the course of the day, and the thermometer
at bed-t