NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.

We found two men here who had been fent forward laft fpring, for
the purpofe of fquaring timber for the ereétion of an houfe, and cut.
ting pallifades, &c. to furround it. With them was the principal chief
of the place, and about feventy men, who had been anxioufly waiting
for our arrival, and received us with every mark of fatisfa€tion and re-
gard which they could expres. If we might judge from the quantity of
powder that was wafted on our arrival, they cértainly had not been in
want of ammunition, at leaft during the fummer.

The banks of the river, from the falls, are in general lofty, except at
low woody points, accidentally formed in the manner I have already men-
tioned; they alfo difplayed, in all their broken parts, a’ face of clay, inter-
mixed with ftone; in fome places there likewife appeared a black mould,

In the fummer of 1788, a {mall {pot was cleared at the Old Eftablith-
ment, which is'fituated on a bank thirty feet above the level of the river,
and was fown with turnips, carrots, and parfnips. The firft grew toa
large fize, and the. others thrived’ very well. An experiment was alfo
’ made with potatoes and cabbages, the former of which were fuccefsful;
but for want of care the latter failed. The next winter the perfon who
had undertaken this cultivation, fuffered the potatoes, which had been col-
lefted for feed, to catch the froft, and none had been fince brought to
this place: There is not the leaft doubt but the foil would be very pro-
duétive, if a proper attention was given to its preparation. In the fall of
the: year 1787, when I firft arrived at Athabafca, Mr. Pond was
fettled on the banks of the Elk River, where he remained for three years,

and had formed as fine a kitchen garden as J ever faw in Canada.
S In

129

1792.
December.

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