tached pieces
together and covering the seam with pitch but, this being done, it was as
effective as before. After leaving this place we soon came to the next
portage of two hundred and seventy-three paces; and shortly afterwards to
the Mountain Portage of one hundred and twenty, which is appropriately
named as the path leads over the summit of a high hill. This elevated
situation commands a very grand and picturesque view for some miles along
the river which at this part is about a mile wide.

We next crossed a portage of one hundred and twenty yards; and then the
Pelican Portage of eight hundred paces. Mr. Back took an accurate sketch
of the interesting scenery which the river presents at this place. After
descending six miles farther we came to the last portage on the route to
Slave Lake which we crossed and encamped in its lower end. It is called
The Portage of the Drowned and it received that name from a melancholy
accident which took place many years ago. Two canoes arrived at the upper
end of the portage in one of which there was an experienced guide. This
man, judging from the height of the river, deemed it practicable to shoot
the rapid and determined upon trying it. He accordingly placed himself in
the bow of his canoe, having previously agreed that, if the passage was
found easy, he should, on reaching the bottom of the rapid, fire a musket
as a signal for the other canoe to follow. The rapid proved dangerous and
called forth all the skill of the guide and the utmost exertion of his
crew and they narrowly escaped destruction. Just as they were landing an
unfortunate fellow, seizing the loaded fowling-piece, fired at a duck
which rose at the instant. The guide, anticipating the consequences, ran
with the utmost haste to the other end of the portage but he was too
late: the other canoe had pushed off and he arrived only to witness the
fate of his comrades. They got alarmed in the middle of the rapid, the
canoe was upset, and every man perished.

The various rapids we passed this day are produced by an assemblage of
islands and rocky ledges which obstruct the river and divide it into many
narrow channels. Two of these channels are rendered still more difficult
by accumulations of drift timber, a circumstance which has given a name
to one of the portages. The rocks which compose the bed of the river and
the numerous islands belong to the granite formation. The distance made
today was thirteen miles.

July 21.