NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.

can, there is about a mile of dangerous rapids. The landing is very
ficep, and clofe to the fall. The length of this carrying-place is eight
hundred and twenty paces.

The whole of the party were now employed in taking the baggage
and the canoe up the hill. One of the Indian canoes went down the
fall, and was dafhed to pieces. ‘The woman who had the management
of it, by quitting it in time, preferved her life, though fhe loft the little
property it contained.

The courfe from the place we quitted in the morning is about North-
Welt, and comprehends a diftance of fifteen miles. From hence to the
next and laft carrying place, is about nine miles; in which diftance there
are three rapids: courfe North-Weft by Weft. The carrying path is
very bad, and five hundred and thirty-five paces in length. Ourcanoes
being lightened, paffed on the outfide of the oppofite ifland, which ren-
dered the carrying of the baggage very fhort indeed, being not more
than the length of a canoe. In the year 1786, five men were drowned,
and two canoes and fome packages loft, in the rapids on the other fide
of the river, which occafioned this place to be called the Portage des
Noyés. They were proceeding to the Slave Lake, in the fall of that
year, under the direftion of Mr. Cuthbert Grant. We proceeded from
Thence fix miles, and encamped on Point de Roche, at half paft five
in the afternoon. The men and Indians were very much fatigued;

but the hunters had provided feven geefe, a beaver, and four ducks.

We embarked at half paft two in the morning, and {teered North-
Weft by North twenty-one miles, North-Weft by Welt five miles, Welt-
North-

Saturday 6,