Seeking Pond’s Outlet - 39

In spite of the labours of the previous day a start was
made on Saturday at 2.30 a.m. It turned cold and a head
wind impeded them, kicking up quite a swell. Early in the
day Salt River was passed, a small stream thirty yards in
width which drains a large country to the west, partly
forested and partly prairie. Large deposits of pure salt are
found here, Indians en route to Fort Chipewyan invariably
stopped for a load, as it was much appreciated by some of
the Europeans, though the voyageurs and Indians, who
lived most of the time on an exclusive fish diet, did not
use it.

The Slave meanders widely between the rapids and the
lake. At Le Grand Détour, forty miles below the rapids,
it is fifteen miles around the loop, and only 1000 yards
across the neck, and at Point Ennuyeux the distance around
the loop is ten miles, while the portage is barely half
a mile. |

From 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday the party battled with
head-winds and violent rains which twice forced them
ashore for shelter. Travelling downstream against strong
head-winds is a most exasperating proceeding. All were wet
and grumpy, but the rain continued for the remainder of
the day. The night was boisterous and there was no abate-
ment Monday. Camping under such circumstances was by
no means an unmitigated pleasure, yet the day off gave the
men a rest, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

‘Tuesday the ninth, the weather being calm and foggy,
a start was made at two in the morning. A small eastern
outlet ten miles in length led them by many windings into
the lake, where they arrived at nine, only to find it entirely
covered with ice, except along the shore. Here to their
relief the mosquitoes left them. The ground, it was observed,

was not thawed for more than fourteen inches down and
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