the night.

The Great Slave Lake, like the Athabasca, is very long and very narrow.
It extends full 260 miles from east to west, but at its widest part is
not over thirty, and in some places much less. Along its northern shores
lies the edge of the "Barren Grounds," and there nothing meets the eye
but bleak and naked hills of primitive rock. On its southern side the
geology is entirely of a different character. There the limestone
prevails, and scarcely anything that deserves the name of hill is to be
seen. There are fine forests too, in which poplars, pines, and birches,
are the principal trees. The lake is filled with islands, many of which
are wholly or partially covered with timber of these kinds, and willows
also are abundant.

There are fish of several species in its waters--which are in many
places of great depth--sixty fathoms deep--and in some of the islands,
and around the wooded shores, game exists in abundance in the summer
season. Even in winter it is not scarce, but then it is difficult to
follow it on account of the deep snow. Many of the animals, too, at this
season become torpid, and are of course hidden in caves and hollow
trees, and even in the snow itself, where no one can find them.
Notwithstanding all this, our voyageurs knew that it would be the best
place for them to make their winter camp. They saw that to complete
their journey during that season would be impossible. Even had it been a
month earlier it would have been a difficult undertaking.

In a few days winter would be upon them. They would have to stop
somewhere. There was no place where they could so safely stay as by the
lake. One thing they would have there, which might not be found so
plenty elsewhere, that was wood for their fire; and this was an
inducement to remain by the lake. Having made up their minds, therefore,
to encamp on some part of it, they looked from day to day for a place
that would be most suitable, still continuing their journey towards its
western end. As yet no place appeared to their liking, and as the lake
near its western point trends away towards the south, Norman proposed
that they should follow the shore no longer, but strike across to a
promontory on the northern shore of the lake, known as "Slave Point."

This promontory is of the limestone formation, and as Norman had heard,
is well wooded, and stocked with game. Even buffaloes are found there.
It is, in fact, the farthest point to the north-east that