Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/81

 of ten or eleven miles. It traverses a pretty valley, the land rising gradually on either side. Three or four miles through thick woods lead thence to Otter Lake, five miles long, but not exceeding a quarter of a mile in breadth. We saw on the snow several marks of the valuable fur-animal from which it takes its name. Beyond this we crossed six little lakes, when, finding a fine camping-place, we halted after sunset, having travelled thirty-seven miles. One of the men had a narrow escape, his gun going off while carelessly fastened upon the sledge behind which he was walking.

Next morning we crossed six more "lakelets," separated from each other by very close woods, in passing through which the extreme darkness rendered it necessary to advance in a stooping posture, cautiously guarding our eyes from the low hanging branches: the space thus occupied was five miles. Then followed a hilly tract of fourteen miles in extent, dividing the waters which flow towards the Saskatchewan and Churchill rivers; about the middle of which we fell upon a streamlet winding through a valley, with elevated woody sides. Along this valley we descended, occasionally crossing the brook, which the recent mild weather had caused to overflow in many places, to our no small