vifions and gun-powder were left in more fecure hiding-places.

On July 4th, they began their journey by land. The distance to the western river was, in a straight line, above 100 miles: but, by the circuitous route which they were obliged to take, the length of their march was much increased. They procured guides from among the natives, and travelled in frequented paths, but heavy laden, with their arms, provifions, and other baggage. "Each of the Canadians had a burden of about ninety pounds, with a gun and fome ammunition."

In this part of the journey, the natives were comparatively numerous. We infert the following paragraph, which here occurs, becaufe it communicates information which may be of effential fervice to diftressed travellers:-"We proceeded on our journey accompanied by the Indian and his two fons. As I did not want the younger, and fhould be obliged to feed him, I requefted of his father to leave him, for the purpofe of fishing for the women. He replied, that they were accustomed to fish for themfelves, and that I need not be apprehenfive of their encroaching upon my pro vifions, as they were used to fuftain themfelves in their journeys on herbs, and the inner tegument of the bark of trees, for the tripping of which he had a thin piece of bone, then hanging by his fide. The latter is of a glutinous quality, of a clammy, fweet tafte, and is generally confidered by the more interior Indians as a delicacy, rather than an article of common food.”

When the travellers arrived at the Western river, the firft habitations which they faw belonged to Indians of a tribe which do not eat

flesh. The guide, having gone bé. fore, had prepared for the travellers a friendly reception.

The language of these Indians was totally different from any which the author had before heard. After having made prefents to their host, who had provided for them two ca noes, the travellers embarked, accompanied by feven of the natives, "I had imagined," fays Mr. M.

that the Canadians were the most expert canoe men in the world, but they acknowledged themselves inferior to thefe people in conducting thofe veffels."

During the remainder of the paf fage towards the fea, the voyagers were kept in a flate of contiant apprehenfion, and were frequently in fituations from which it required the utmoft exertions of their vigilence and refolution to extricate themfelves. At a place which Mr. M, has diftinguished by the appellation of the Friendly Village, the circumftances of their entertainment were not at firft of the most encouraging kind.

The travellers remained all night at this village; and foon after they had retired to reft, the chief came to Mr. M. and requested him to accept his bed-companion: but, notwithstanding repeated intreaties on the part of the chief, this offering of hofpitality was not accepted.

From the Friendly Village, the travellers were furnished with another canoe, and proceeded with the ftream towards the fea. At one houfe where they flopped, fome of the women were employed in beating and preparing the inner rind of the cedar bark, to which they gave the appearance of flax. Others' were pinning with a diftaff and fpindle. One of them was weaving

a robe of this fubftance, intermixed with ftripes of the fea-otter fkin, on a frame of adequate contrivance, which was placed against the side of the house. The men were fishing with drag-nets between two canoes. After this account of their em ployments, many readers, we ap prehend, will have a more refpect ful opinion of the state of the arts and manufactures among the natives of North America, than they have been accustomed to entertain.

On July the 20th, Mr. M. and his companions arrived at an arm of the fea; and on the 21ft they were near a cape which was feen by captain Vancouver, and by him named Cape Menzies, the arm of the fea being that which he has called the Cafcade-Canal. This was the fartheft of their progrefs to the weft; and at this ftation, the latitude was 52° 21′ N, and the longitude, calculated from the mean of two emerfrons of Jupiter's fatellites, 128 02′ W. which is fomething more weft than cape Menzies is placed in the chart of captain Vancouver.

In the night of the 22d of July they began their voyage of return, the particulars of which afford much amulement; and they once more arrived at fort Chepewyan, on the 24th of Auguft.

We have been lefs circumftantial in our remarks on the relation of this voyage, than on the expedition to the Northern fea: but it may ne vertheless be remarked that the account of the voyage to the weft coaft is a work of greater entertain ment and intereft than could have been furnished by that which was directed to the north. Each has its diftinct utility: the northern, in corroborating, and we may fay in com

pleting, the evidence that there does not exift a navigable passage by fea to the north of America; and the western, in proving the practicability of commercial intercourfe through the continent between the eaftern and western coafts.

Mr. M. has drawn up fome brief obfervations concerning the geogra phy, the climate, and the fur-trade of North America ; which are inferted in the latter part of his volume, and, ferve as an appendix to the voyages. In his remarks on the geography, he confiders both the political divifions, and thofe which have been formed by nature. The climate, it is ftated, is much more fevere on the eaftern than on the western coaft ; which the author attributes to the former being exposed to the northweft winds that blow from the Frozen-fea.-The following paffage af fords matter for reflection: but we will not undertake to determinė whether or not it is founded on a fufficient length of experience.

"It has been frequently advan ced, that the difference of clearing away the wood has had an astonish ing influence in meliorating the cli mate: but I am not difpofed to affent to that opinion in the extent which it propofes to establish, when I con fider the very trifling proportion of the country cleared, compared with the whole, The employment of the axe may have had fome inconfiderable effect; but I look to other cautes, I myself obferved in a country, which was in an abfolute fate of nature, that the climate is improving; and this circumftance was confirmed to me by the native inhabitants of it. Such a change, therefore, muft proceed from fome predominating ope ration in the fyftem of the globe which is beyond my conjecture, and,

indeed,

and may, probably, in the courfe of time, give to America the climate of Europe. It is well known, indeed, that the waters are decreasing there, and that many lakes are draining and filling up by the earth which is carried into them from the higher lands by the rivers: and this may have fome partial effect."

The writer concludes his work with confiderations refpecting the fur-trade; which, he is of opinion, would be productive of more advantage both to the public and to the merchants, if the Hudson's Bay and

unite.

It seems fuperfluous to add to the foregoing account, that we regard the expeditions of Mr. Mackenzie as of confiderable importance to geography and commerce; and that his narrative contains much infor mation and entertainment. It is accompanied with three maps, which are well executed: one, ge neral, of the northern part of Ame rica, from 40° to 70° N. latitude ; and a feparate map for each voyage.

CONTENTS.