NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.

acrofs the bay, which is here no more than two miles and a half broad,
but, from the accounts of the natives, it is fifteen leagues in depth,
with a much greater breadth in feveral parts, and full of iflands. I
founded in the courfe of the traverfe and found fix fathoms with a
fandy bottom. Here, the land has a very different appearance from
that on which we have been fince we entered the lake. Till we
arrived here there was one continued view of high hills and iflands
of folid rock, whofe furface was occafionally enlivened with mofs,
fhrubs, and a few fcattered trees, of a very {tinted growth from an in-
fufficiency of foil to nourifh them. But, notwithftanding their barren
appearance, almoft every part of them produces berries of various kinds,
fuch as cranberries, juniper-berries, rafpberries, partridge berries,
gooleberries, and the pathagomenan, which is fomething like a rafp-
berry ; it grows on a {mall flalk about a foot and a half high, in wet,
mofly fpots. Thefe fruits are in great abundance, though they are not
to be found in the fame places, but in fituations and afpeéts fuited to

their peculiar natures.

The land which borders the lake in this part is loofe and fandy, but
is well covered with wood, compofed of trees of a larger growth: it
gradually rifes from the fhore, and at fome diftance forms a ridge of
high land running along the coaft, thick with wood and a rocky fummit

rifing above it.

We fteered South-South-Eaft nine miles, when we were very
much interrupted by drifting ice, and with fome difficulty reached

an ifland, where we landed at feven. I immediately proceeded to
De ~ the