mouth of the Fairy[7] Lake River the rapids ceased. The
main stream was then about three hundred yards wide, and generally deep,
though, in one part, the channel was interrupted by several sandy banks,
and low alluvial islands covered with willows. It flows between banks of
sand thinly wooded, and as we advanced the barren hills approached the
water's edge.

[7] This is an Indian name. The Northern Indian fairies are six inches
high, lead a life similar to the Indians, and are excellent
hunters. Those who have had the good fortune to fall in with their
tiny encampments have been kindly treated, and regaled on venison.
We did not learn with certainty whether the existence of these
delightful creatures is known from Indian tradition, or whether
the Indians owe their knowledge of them to their intercourse with
the traders, but think the former probable.

At ten we rejoined our hunters, who had killed a deer, and halted to
breakfast. We sent them forward; one of them, who was walking along the
shore afterwards, fired upon two brown bears, and wounded one of them,
which instantly turned and pursued him. His companions in the canoes put
ashore to his assistance, but did not succeed in killing the bears,
which fled upon the reinforcement coming up. During the delay thus
occasioned we overtook them, and they continued with us the rest of the
day.

We encamped at the foot of a lofty range of mountains, which appear to
be from twelve to fifteen hundred feet high; they are in general round
backed, but the outline is not even, being interrupted by craggy conical
eminences. This is the first ridge of hills we have seen in this
country, that deserves the appellation of a mountain range; it is
probably a continuation of the Stony Mountains crossed by Hearne. Many
plants appeared in full flower near the tents, and Dr. Richardson
gathered some high up on the hills. The distance we made to-day was
fifty miles.

There was a hoar frost in the night, and the temperature, at four next
morning, was 40 deg.: embarking at that hour, we glided quickly down the
stream, and by seven arrived at the Hook's encampment, which was placed
on the summit of a lofty sand cliff, whose base was washed by the river.
This chief had with him only three hunters, and a few old men and their
families, the rest of his band having remained at their snares in Bear
Lake. His brother, Long-legs, and our guide, Keskarrah,