Here we were overtaken by Governor Williams, who left York Factory on the 20th of last month in an Indian canoe.

He expressed much regret at our having been obliged to leave part of our stores at the Rock depot, and would have brought them up with him had he been able to procure and man a boat, or a canoe of sufficient size.
Having launched the boats over the rock, we commenced the descent of the Echemamis.

This small stream has its course through a morass, and in dry seasons its channel contains, instead of water, merely a foot or two of thin mud.

On these occasions it is customary to build dams that it may be rendered navigable by the accumulation of its waters.

As the beavers perform this operation very effectually, endeavours have been made to encourage them to breed in this place, but it has not hitherto been possible to restrain the Indians from killing that useful animal whenever they discover its retreats.