into Hudson's Bay.

In no part of the journey was the presence of the officers more
requisite to animate and encourage the crews, because the river itself,
beside being obstructed by three impassable rapids, is usually so
shallow, through its whole course of forty miles, as scarcely to admit
of a flat-bottomed bateau floating with half its cargo, much less our
boats, which drew, when loaded, from eighteen to twenty inches. This
river and its impediments being surmounted, the Methye Portage, ten
miles and three quarters long, was at no great distance, which is always
held up to the inexperienced voyager as the most laborious part of the
journey. But whatever apprehensions the men might have entertained on
this subject, seemed to vanish on our landing amongst them; and Dr.
Richardson and myself were received by all with cheerful, delighted
countenances, and by none more warmly than by our excellent friend and
former interpreter Augustus the Esquimaux, and Ooligbuck, whom he had
brought from Churchill, as his companion. A breakfast was quickly
prepared by Mr. Fraser, a clerk of the Hudson's Bay Company, under whose
charge the boats had been, since their departure from Cumberland House;
and I then inspected the boats and stores, which I was rejoiced to find
were in good order. We had brought letters from the relatives of several
of the party, and another hour was allowed to read them.

At ten A.M. we began to ascend the stream, but very soon found that it
was necessary for the whole party to walk in the water, and drag the
boats through the mud. Nor could we long advance even by this mode, but
were compelled either to carry some of the cargo along the shore, where
walking was at all practicable, or else to take half the lading in a
boat to a part where the river was deeper, and then return for the
remainder. From thus travelling the distance twice over, it was the
fifth day before we reached the lake from whence its waters flow.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 30.] On the evening of the 30th of June, we
witnessed one of those violent but momentary gusts of wind which occur
not unfrequently in the spring and autumn, and which prove so
destructive to the forests in this country. It was preceded by calm and
very sultry weather, with loud thunder and vivid lightning. In an
instant the tents were overthrown, and even very large trees were bent
by its force into a horizontal position; indeed, for a few seconds, the
scene around us appear