h other as to allow of any evolution that might be
necessary to avoid the stones. The boats struck several times, but
received no injury. At the foot of the rapid we met a canoe, manned by
four of our Canadian voyagers, whom Dr. Richardson had sent with some
letters that had arrived at Fort Norman from the Athabasca Lake; and as
the services of the men were wanted, they were embarked in the boats,
and the canoe was left. Shortly afterwards we overtook Beaulieu, who had
just killed a young moose deer, which afforded the party two substantial
meals. At this spot, and generally along the river, we found abundance
of wild onions.

We entered the Mackenzie River at eight in the evening, and the current
being too strong for us to advance against the stream with oars, we had
recourse to the tracking line, and travelled all night. It was
fatiguing, owing to large portions of the banks having been overthrown
by the disruption of the ice, and from the ground being so soft that the
men dragging the rope sank up to the knees at every step; but these
impediments were less regarded than the ceaseless torment of the
musquitoes. We halted to sup at the spot where Sir A. Mackenzie saw the
flame rising from the bank in 1789. The precipice was still on fire,
the smoke issuing through several apertures. Specimens of the coal were
procured.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 25th.] We reached Fort Norman at noon on the 25th. On
the following morning the provision and stores which had been left at
this place were examined, and found to be in excellent order, except the
powder in one of the magazines, which had become caked from damp. I had
ordered a supply of iron-work, knives, and beads, for the sea voyage
from Fort Simpson; they had arrived some days before us, and with our
stock thus augmented, we were well furnished with presents for the
natives. The packages being finished on the 27th, the boats received
their respective ladings, and we were rejoiced to find that each stowed
her cargo well, and with her crew embarked floated as buoyantly as our
most sanguine wishes had anticipated. The heavy stores, however, were
afterwards removed into a bateau that was to be taken to the mouth of
the river, to prevent the smaller boats from receiving injury in passing
over the shoals.

We waited one day to make some pounded meat we had brought into
pemmican. In the mean time the seamen enlarged the foresail of the
Reliance.

The letters which I received from th