_Thursday, 20._–We embarked at four o’clock, and took the North side
of the channel, though the current was on that side much stronger, in
order to take a view of the river, which had been mentioned to me in our
passage downwards, as flowing from the country of the Beaver Indians,
and which fell in hereabouts. We could not, however, discover it, and
it is probable that the account was referable to the river which we had
passed on Tuesday. The current was very strong, and we crossed over to
an island opposite to us; here it was still more impetuous, and assumed
the hurry of a rapid. We found an awl and a paddle on the side of the
water; the former we knew to belong to the Knisteneaux: I supposed it to
be the chief Merde-d’ours and his party, who went to war last spring,
and had taken this route on their return to Athabasca. Nor is it
improbable that they may have been the cause that we saw so few of the
natives on the banks of this river. The weather was raw and cloudy, and
formed a very unpleasant contrast to the warm, sunny days, which
immediately preceded it. We took up our abode for the night at half
past seven, on the Northern shore, where the adjacent country is both
low and flat. The Indians killed live young swans, and a beaver. There
was an appearance of rain.
