1ÏV A GENERAL HISTORY
mile: it runs Weft-North-Weft to the Portagé des Pifts, over which thè‘
canoe and lading is again carried four hundred paces. From hence
the channel is alfo intercepted by Very dangerous rapids for two miles
Wefterly, to the point o f Portage du Bois, which is two hundred and
eighty paces. Then fucceeds the portage of Lake Croche one mile
more, where the carrying-place is eighty paces, and is followed by aa
embarkation on that lake, which takes its name from its figure. It extends
eighteen miles; in a meandering form, and in a wefterly dirè&iön;
it is in general very narrow, and at about two-thirds of its length becomes
very contra&ed, with a ftrong current.
Within three miles o f the laft Portage is a remarkable rock, with
a fmooth face, but fplit and cracked in different parts, which hang
over the water. Into one of its horizontal chafras a great number of
arrows have been fliot, which is faid to have been done by a war party
o f the Nadowafis or SieuX, who had done much mifthiéfTin this
country, and left thefe weapons as a warning'to the Chebois ó'r natives;
that, notwithftanding its lakes, rivers, and rocks, ib was not inacceffible
to their enemies.
Lake Croche is terminated by the Portage de Rideau, four hundred
paces long, and derives its name from the appearance of the water, falling
over arockof upwards o f thirty feet. Several rapids fucceed, with intervals
o f ftill water, for about three miles to the Flacon portage, which is very
difficult, is four hundred paces long, and leads to the Lake o f La Croix#
fo named from its (hape. It runs about North-Weft eighteen niiles to the
Beaver Dam, and then finks into a deep bay nearly Eaft. The courfe to
the
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. lv
the Portage is Weft, by;N,orth for fixteen miles more from the Beaver
Dam, ■ and into the ;E;aft hay is a road which was frequented by the
French, and followed, through lakes and rivers until they came to Lake
the river Caminiftiquia, .thirtyjmiles Eaft-of the Grand
Portage.
Portage la Croix is fix hundred paces long : , to*1 the next portage is a
quarter of a, mile, .and.ifs .length the river winding four
miles to Vermillion Lake, which, runs fix or feven miles North-North-
Weft, and by a narrow ftrait' commupifates with .Lake .Namaycan, whiçh
takes, jts, name from a particular place at the »foot of a fall, where the
natives fpear fturgeon,: Its courfe
Sputh-Eaft, with a bay running Eaft, that gives it the form of a triangle :
its length is about fixteen miles to the Nouvelle Portage. The difeharge
of the lake is from a bay on the left, and the portage one hundred and
eighty paces, to which fuççeeds a very fmall river, from whence there
is but a ftiort diftance to the next Nouvelle Portage, three, hundred and
twenty paces long. It is then neceffary.to embark,on aJwamp, or overflowed
country, where wild rice grows in great abundance. There is a
channel or fmall river in the centre o f this fwamp, which is kept with
difficulty, and runs South and North one mile and a half, with deepening
water, .^ h e . courfe continues North-Norjh-Weft onejnile to the Chaudière
Portage, which is caufed by the difeharge .of the wafers running
on thp,j left p i the road from Lake , Naymaycan, which.ufed to.be the
common route, but that which I have deferibed is the fafeft as well as
fhorteft. Frpm hençe there is fome. current though the water is wide
fpread, and its coprfe about North - by, Weft three miles and an half to
the