The powder fortunately escaped the water, which was soon discharged when we reached the bottom of the rapid.

At noon we perceived Hepburn lying on the left bank of the river and landed immediately to receive his information.

As he represented the water to be shoal the whole way to the rapid (below which the Esquimaux were) the shore party were directed to continue their march to a sandy bay at the head of the fall and there await the arrival of the canoes.

The land in the neighbourhood of the rapid is of the most singular form: large irregular sandhills bounding both banks, apparently so unconnected that they resemble icebergs, the country around them consisting of high round green hills.

The river becomes wide in this part and full of shoals, but we had no difficulty in finding a channel through them.