and encamped.

Though the sky was cloudless, yet the weather was warm. We had the
gratification of finding a beaten track soon after we started on the
morning of the 12th, and were thus enabled to walk briskly. We crossed
at least twenty hills, and found a small lake or pool at the foot of
each. The destructive ravages of fire were visible during the greater
part of the day. The only wood we saw for miles together consisted of
pine-trees stript of their branches and bark by this element: in other
parts poplars alone were growing, which we have remarked invariably to
succeed the pine after a conflagration. We walked twenty miles to-day,
but the direct distance was only sixteen.

The remains of an Indian hut were found in a deep glen, and close to it
was placed a pile of wood, which our companions supposed to cover a
deposit of provision. Our Canadian voyagers, induced by their insatiable
desire of procuring food, proceeded to remove the upper pieces, and
examine its contents; when, to their surprise{33}, they found the body
of a female, clothed in leather, which appeared to have been recently
placed there. Her former garments, the materials for making a fire, a
fishing-line, a hatchet, and a bark dish, were laid beside the corpse.
The wood was carefully replaced. A small owl, perched on a tree near the
spot, called forth many singular remarks from our companions, as to its
being a good or bad omen.

We walked the whole of the 13th over flat meadow-land, which is much
resorted to by the buffalo at all seasons. Some herds of them were seen,
which our hunters were too unskilful to approach. In the afternoon we
reached the Stinking Lake, which is nearly of an oval form. Its shores
are very low and swampy, to which circumstances, and not to the bad
quality of the waters, it owes its Indian name. Our observations place
its western part in latitude 53 deg. 25' 24" N., longitude 107 deg. 18' 58" W.,
variation 20 deg. 32' 10" E.

After a march of fifteen miles and a half, we encamped among a few
pines, at the only spot where we saw sufficient wood for making our fire
during the day. The next morning, about an hour after we had commenced
our march, we came upon a beaten track, and perceived recent marks of
snow-shoes. In a short time an Iroquois joined us, who was residing with
a party of Cree-Indians, to secure the meat and furs they should
collect, for the North-West Company. He accompanied us as far as the
stage on which hi