which I spoke, adds to the difficulties of the others a current still stronger. A canoe launched into this torrent flies over it Avith the speed of an arrow, and the most experienced pilot trembles in spite of himself. Twice did tile brave Iroquois, who conducted our light canoe, exclaim " Father, we are lost;" but a loud cry of " Courage - take courage, John, confide in God, keep steady to tile oar," saved us in that dangerous stream, drew us out from between the horns and threatening teeth of this awful " rake."
But let us return to our account of tile journey to Colville. We spread our skins on the borders of a little river at the foot of a high mountain, which we were to cross the next day, having traversed St. Mary's valley, a distance of about forty miles. This valley is from four to seven miles wide, and above 200 long. It has but one fine defile, already mentioned, and which serves as the entrance to, and issue from, the valley. The mountains which terminate it on both sides appear to be inaccessible; they are piles of jagged rocks, tile base of which presents nothing but fragments of the same description, while the Norwegian pine grows on those that are covered with earth, giving them a very sombre appearance, particularly in the autumn, in which season the snow begins to fall. They abound in bucks, buffalo and sheep, .vllose wool is as white as snow and as fine as silk; also in all kinds of bears, wolves, panthers and carcajoux (an animal with short paws, some four feet long and remarkably powerful; when he has killed his prey, deer, antelope or bighorn, he tears off a piece of skin big enough to stick his head through after the fashion of a hood, and thus drags it off whole to his den). There are also found tiger cats, wild cats and whistlers, a species of mountain rat. The moose is found here, but is very seldom caught, on account of its extraordinary vigilance, for on the slightest rustling of a branch it leaves off eating, and will not return to its food for a long time afterward.
The soil of the valley is, with some few exceptions, very light; it contains, however, some good pastures. The whole