Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/113

 diurnal course, with the broad river running in front, and around us the green woods, the view was pleasing, if not picturesque.

The succeeding morning broke sweetly, and we were on the water at 3 o'clock. The day proved sultry, but a gentle northerly breeze occasionally freshened the air, and the men rowed with energy. Passing the confluence of the noble Peace River, we entered the augmented volume of the Great Slave River, which we descended for upwards of thirty miles, and encamped. It thundered and rained a little in the evening. We could not help being struck with the rapid advance of vegetation, now that we were beyond the chilling influence of the lake. Here the bright green of the poplar and willow blended with and lightened the deeper and more durable verdure of the pine.

On the 3rd we were favoured with a fine breeze on the quarter, and our craft shot swiftly down the wide stream for nearly forty miles; when, coming to a rapid, we lowered sail, and ran it in excellent style. The Cassette Portage soon followed, and at its north end we encamped early; a heavy rain falling, which continued throughout the night. In the afternoon we saw some Indians, from whom we obtained an acceptable supply of fresh moose meat.