We crossed three portages in the Great River, and encamped at the last; here we met the director of the North-West Company's affairs in the north, Mr.Stuart, on his way to Fort William, in a light canoe.

He had left the Athabasca Lake only thirteen days, and brought letters from Mr.Franklin, who desired that we would endeavour to collect stores of every kind at Isle a la Crosse, and added a favourable account of the country, to the northward of the Slave Lake.
On the 16th, at three A.M., we continued our course, the river increasing to the breadth of half a mile, with many rapids between the rocky islands.

The banks were luxuriantly clothed with pines, poplars, and birch trees, of the largest size: but the different shades of green were undistinguishable at a distance, and the glow of autumnal colours was wanting to render the variety beautiful.
Having crossed two portages at the different extremities of the Island Lake, we ran under sail through two extensive sheets of water, called the Heron and Pelican Lakes; the former of which is fifteen miles in length, and the latter five; but its extent to the southward has not been explored.

An intricate channel, with four small portages, conducted us to the Woody Lake.

Its borders were, indeed, walls of pines, hiding the face of steep and high rocks; and we wandered in search of a landing-place till ten P.M., when we were forced to take shelter from an impending storm, on a small island where we wedged ourselves between the trees.