Читать книгу Arctic Searching Expedition (Sir John Richardson) - comprehensive & illustrated - (Literary Thoughts Edition) онлайн

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By their agreements, our canoe-men were at liberty to return as soon as we overtook the boats; and, in that case, the additional pieces we had brought would of course be added to the baggage of the boat party; but I engaged them to assist us during the time that we were occupied on the portage, for an increase of wages of four shillings, York currency, per diem each.

June 29th.—Our canoe-men were early astir this morning, and, before breakfast-time, had carried all the cargo of the canoes to the banks of a small lake, being two thirds of the whole portage, or 16,724 paces: the entire distance from Methy Lake to Clear-water River is 24,593 paces.

By observations with the aneroid and Delcros' barometers, I ascertained that the Little Lake was elevated twenty-two feet above Methy Lake; that the highest part of the pathway between the Little Lake and the Clear-water River rises above the latter six hundred and fifty-six feet, but, above Methy Lake, only sixty-six feet. The Cockscomb, or the crest of the precipitous brow which overlooks the magnificent valley of the Clear-water, is twenty-two feet lower than the summit of the path, or six hundred and thirty-four feet above the last-named river. The portage-road is, in fact, nearly level; the inequalities being of small account as far as to the sudden descent of the Cockscomb. In the sandy soil there are many fragments of sandstone, a few of limestone, and scattered boulders of granites, sienites, and greenstones. The deposit of sand is about six hundred feet deep, and most probably encloses solid beds of sandstone. It is based on a (Devonian?) limestone, which lines the whole bed of the Clear-water River, till its junction with the Elk River, as I shall hereafter mention.