Tue VoyYAGE To THE ARCTIC 55

went, whenever the weather was at all warm.
He saw, however, that beyond this point the
river ran away from the mountains through
a dreary plain. Early the next day they
reached the impassable rapid of Indian
report; it proved not in the least formidable,
and to-day it is passed without difficulty by
river steamers except when the water is low.
Below the rapid they met more Indians who
told them of another great cataract just in
front of them; actually the party went beyond
it without noticing it. These Indians also
produced a new bogey to frighten the strang-
ers in the Eskimos, ‘fa very wicked and
malignant people, who would put us all to
death.” On the 7th also they passed through
the Ramparts, the chief scenic feature of the
northern Mackenzie, where the majestic, mile-
broad stream narrows to a width of three or
four hundred yards and runs for some miles
between high cliffs. On the 8th they ex-
changed their panicky guide for a new one,
but he deserted the same night in a thunder-
storm, and another had to be taken by force
and watched like a prisoner.