NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.

was not, at this time, the leaft appearance of fnow on the oppofite
mountains, though they were almoft covered with it when we paffed
before. Set two nets, and at eleven o'clock at night the men and In-
dians returned. They had been to their firft encampment, where
there were four fires, and which had been quitted a fhort time be-
fore; fo that they were obliged to make the circuit of feveral {mall
lakes, which the natives crofs with their canoes. This encampment was
on the borders of a lake which was too large for them to venture round
it, fo that they did not proceed any further. They faw feveral beavers
and beaver lodges in thofe fmall lakes. ‘They killed one of thefe ani-
mals whofe fur began to get long, a {ure indication that the fall of the year
approaches. They alfo faw many old tracks of the moofe and rein-deer.
This is the time when the rein-deer leave the plains to come to the
woods, as the mufquitoes begin to difappear; I, therefore, apprehended
that we fhould not find a fingle Indian on the river fide, as they would
be in or about the mountains fetting {nares to take them.

We proceeded with a {trong Wefterly wind, at four this morning,
the weather being cloudy and cold. At twelve it cleared up and
became fine: the current alfo increafed. The water had fallen fo
much fince our paflage down the river, that here, as in other places,
we difcovered many fhoals which were not then vifible. We killed
feveral geefe of a larger fize than thofe which we had generally feen.
Several Indian encampments were feen along the river, and we landed
at eight for the night.

At four in the morning we renewed our courfe, when it was fine and

QO y it calm,

Monday 3.

Tuelday 4,