Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/219

JOURNAL AND LETTERS OF DAVID DOUGLAS. 213 the principal branch of the Athabasca, which becomes a river seventy yards broad, when joined by the stream on the banks of which we had descended. Here it was our intention to camp for the night, but Cardinal found his horses so unexpectedly strong, that the route was con- tinued to the Rocky Mountains' House where we were to find canoes, and which we gained soon after six p. M. Several partridges were killed, but the only plant new to me this day was Anemone Nuttalliana (A. patens, Hook.), which was in full flower. The scenery here is very fine, with a small lake and open valley, commanding a sublime prospect of the mountains. Our distance to-day was thirty- four miles. On the following day (Friday) we embarked at daylight in two fine light birch canoes, and went rapidly before the stream, the banks of which are low and woody, in some places narrow, in others widening into narrow lakes full of sands and shoals. We stayed to breakfast on a small low island in the Upper Lake, where we had some mountain sheep's flesh, given us by Cardinal's hunter. Continuing our route, we passed a ridge of steep mountains on the right, and five miles lower down a similar range to the left, which are the termination of the dividing moun- tains on the East side, and arrived at Jasper House at two p. M. The minimum heat to-day had been 29, the maxi- mum 61. Saturday, the 8th. This day presented scarcely any va- riety. The river is one hundred to one hundred and forty yards wide, shallow and rapid, with low gravelly banks, wooded with Poplars and Pines. Its vicinity abounds with wild fowl, and the Northern Diver charmed us with his deep mellow melancholy voice in the evenings. Our progress was ninety-three miles. The following morning we had gained but three miles when we were detained by the ice, and here we found Mr. G. McDougall. We got on slowly, owing to a portage, where the canoes had to be