ation. It appeared to be formed of several
streams, which, rushing forth from the snowy heights, joined the main
body, and then came leaping downwards in one vast mass of water, with a
strength sufficient, it would seem, to force its way through the hardest
rock. There could be no doubt that this was the very cataract we were
in search of.

To carry our animals farther, would be impossible; indeed, had they been
able to make their way, they would not have found sufficient grass for
their sustenance in the rocky region we were approaching. We
accordingly encamped on a level spot not far from the cataract. When I
surveyed the wild and difficult region which we had to pass, I regretted
that Clarice had accompanied us, and wished that she had remained with
the Indians. Besides the fatigue which we must undergo, I feared that
we might run short of provisions, and that my sister might be exposed to
other hardships, which she was little able to endure.

She laughed at my fears.

"You do not know how strong I am; I shall be able to go through as much
as any of you," she said. "Although I like Maysotta, I should not have
been happy among her savage tribe."

The next morning we sent the animals back, and loaded ourselves with
packs of provisions. Rachel carried as much as any one of us, and
Clarice insisted on having a load likewise--although Manley, who made it
up, took good care that it should be a very light one.

The first day's journey was not so fatiguing as we expected to find it,
for we managed to wend our way upward on the slopes of the hills,
avoiding the more broken and steep places. We were soon satisfied, too,
that there was no risk of running short of food, for several times we
came upon herds of deer; although, as we approached them without care,
they scampered off before we were near enough to get a shot.

We had made our way through another pine forest, and had just turned an
angle in the mountains, when suddenly before us we saw several wapiti,
commonly known as the "Canada stag," one of the largest of the deer
tribe. This animal is fully as large as the biggest ox I ever saw; his
horns, branching in serpentine curves, being upwards of six feet from
tip to tip. In colour he is reddish-brown; on the upper part of the
neck the hairs are mixed with red and black, while from the shoulders
and along the sides the hide is a kind of grey.

The stags stopped and gazed at us stupidly, without taking to f