No person in our party being well acquainted with the rivers to the northward, Mr.Conolly{47} gave us a pilot, on condition that we should exchange him when we met with the Athabasca brigade of canoes.

At four A.M.we embarked.
We soon found that birchen-bark canoes were not calculated to brave rough weather on a large lake, for we were compelled to land on the opposite border, to free them from the water which had already saturated their cargoes.

The wind became more moderate, and we were enabled, after traversing a chain of smaller lakes, to enter the mouth of the Sturgeon River, at sunset, where we encamped.
The lading of the canoes is always, if possible carried on shore at night, and the canoes taken out of the water.

The following evening we reached Beaver Lake, and landed to repair some damages sustained by the canoes.

A round stone will displace the lading of a canoe, without doing any injury, but a slight blow against a sharp corner penetrates the bark.