28' 02" West longitude.

The route from Canada to the Athabasca joins that from York Factory at the mouth of the Saskatchawan, and we saw traces of a recent encampment of the Canadian voyagers.

Our companions in the Hudson's Bay boats, dreading an attack from their rivals in trade, were on the alert at this place.

They examined minutely the spot of encampment, to form a judgment of the number of canoes that had preceded them; and they advanced, armed, and with great caution, through the woods.

Their fears, however, on this occasion, were fortunately groundless.
By noon, on the 12th, the boats and their cargoes having been conveyed across the portage, we embarked, and pursued our course.