The Light Yellow Of The Fading Poplars Formed A Fine
Contrast To The Dark Evergreen Of The Spruce, Whilst The Willows Of An
Intermediate Hue Served To Shade The Two Principal Masses Of Colour Into
Each Other.
The scene was occasionally enlivened by the bright purple
tints of the dogwood, blended with the browner shades of the dwarf birch
and frequently intermixed with the gay yellow flowers of the shrubby
cinquefoil.
With all these charms the scene appeared desolate from the
want of human species. The stillness was so great that even the
twittering of the whiskey-johneesh, or cinereous crow caused us to start.
Our voyage today was sixteen miles on a South-West course.
September 14.
We had much rain during the night and also in the morning, which detained
us in our encampment later than usual. We set out as soon as the weather
cleared up and in a short time arrived at the head of Steel River where
it is formed by the junction of Fox and Hill Rivers. These two rivers are
nearly of equal width but the latter is the most rapid. Mr. McDonald, on
his way to Red River in a small canoe manned by two Indians, overtook us
at this place. It may be mentioned as a proof of the dexterity of the
Indians and the skill with which they steal upon their game that they had
on the preceding day, with no other arms than a hatchet, killed two deer,
a hawk, a curlew, and a sturgeon.
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