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T H E A T H A B A S C A R I V E R R E G I O N 125
situations. Immense towering hills of sand, or clay, are
cut down vertically, some facing the river, others at right
angles to it, and others inland, and almost inclosed by projecting
shoulders of the wooded heights. These cut- banks
carry layers of stone here and there, and are specked with
boulders, and i n some places massed into projecting crests,
which threaten destruction to the passer- by. Otherwise the
scenery is desolate, mountainous always, and wooded, but
w i t h much burnt timber, which gives a dreary look to the
region. The cut- banks are unique, however, and would
make the fortune of an Eastern river, though here little
noticed on account of their number.
I t was now the 18th, and the weather was intensely hot,
foreboding change and the August freshet. We had camped
about eight miles below the Burnt R a p i d , and the men were
very tired, having been i n the water pretty much since morning.
Directly opposite our camp was a colossal cliff of clay,
around which, looking upward, the river bent sharply to the
south- west, very striking as seen beneath • an almost full
moon breaking from a pile of snowy clouds, whilst dark
and threatening masses gathered to the north. The early,
foggy morning revealed the freshet. The river, which had
risen during the night, and had forced the trackers from
their beds to higher ground, was littered from bank to bank
w i t h floating trees, logs and stumps, lifted from many a
d r i f t up stream, and borne down b y the furious current. At
one of the short breathing spells the water rose two inches
i n twenty minutes, and the tracking became exceedingly bad,
the men floundering to their waists i n water, or footing it
insecurely on steep and slippery ledges along the water's
marge. About mid- day the anticipated change took place
i n the weather. Thick clouds closed i n with a d r i v i n g r a in
and a high raw wind, presaging the end of summer.
I t was now, of course, very bad going, and camp was made,
i n the heavy rain, on a high flat about two miles below the
Burnt Rapid. Though a tough spot to get up to, the flat
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| Title | Page 143 |
| OCR | T H E A T H A B A S C A R I V E R R E G I O N 125 situations. Immense towering hills of sand, or clay, are cut down vertically, some facing the river, others at right angles to it, and others inland, and almost inclosed by projecting shoulders of the wooded heights. These cut- banks carry layers of stone here and there, and are specked with boulders, and i n some places massed into projecting crests, which threaten destruction to the passer- by. Otherwise the scenery is desolate, mountainous always, and wooded, but w i t h much burnt timber, which gives a dreary look to the region. The cut- banks are unique, however, and would make the fortune of an Eastern river, though here little noticed on account of their number. I t was now the 18th, and the weather was intensely hot, foreboding change and the August freshet. We had camped about eight miles below the Burnt R a p i d , and the men were very tired, having been i n the water pretty much since morning. Directly opposite our camp was a colossal cliff of clay, around which, looking upward, the river bent sharply to the south- west, very striking as seen beneath • an almost full moon breaking from a pile of snowy clouds, whilst dark and threatening masses gathered to the north. The early, foggy morning revealed the freshet. The river, which had risen during the night, and had forced the trackers from their beds to higher ground, was littered from bank to bank w i t h floating trees, logs and stumps, lifted from many a d r i f t up stream, and borne down b y the furious current. At one of the short breathing spells the water rose two inches i n twenty minutes, and the tracking became exceedingly bad, the men floundering to their waists i n water, or footing it insecurely on steep and slippery ledges along the water's marge. About mid- day the anticipated change took place i n the weather. Thick clouds closed i n with a d r i v i n g r a in and a high raw wind, presaging the end of summer. I t was now, of course, very bad going, and camp was made, i n the heavy rain, on a high flat about two miles below the Burnt Rapid. Though a tough spot to get up to, the flat |
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