TKofe Oh the North fide are inconfiderable, owing to the comparative
Vicinity^ of the high land that feparates the waters eOrhing'tfeis way,
ffom thole difeharging into Hudfon’s bay, The criurfb of the lake is
about Weft-NortfoWeft, and Sduth-South-Eaft, and the Eaftend o f it
is in gb» 37. North. It Contra&s at about a quarter of its length to a
ftrait, ihdMtuae^ii^g. arid is no’rifcfOre foan two miles broad, where *ffie
Stotith fhore is gamed through iflands, and croffing various ba<ys ‘to1 ’the
difeharge of the Ssdhatchiwitte,'in latitude Thislalferinkximmoh
withfoofe Of this country, «‘bdiifided on the North witKfoarftj&ef black
and grey rock, and on the South by a low, level coEartry, occatfidda'Ffy
'interrupted with a ridge Jor hank*of Iime-ftones, lying in ftratas, and rif-
itfg t o t he perpendicular height df ;fiom twerify'fo forty ’feet; foefe are
tidVered'With a finall quantity Of earth, forming a level furfice, which
bears timber, but Of a moderate growth, and declines to -a fwamp.
Where the banks are low, it is evident in many places that the waters
are withdrawn, and never rife to thole heights whidh'JJ#ere formerly
Wtrfhed by them.
The inhabitants who are found along this ikke, are of foe Knifle-
'neaux atxd Algoriquih tribes, and but 'few in number, though game is not
"fcarCe, and there 'is fifii in great abundance. The black bafs is found
there, and 'no further Weft ; and beyond it no "maple trees are ’feen,
lefithfer hard or foft. •
On entering the'SaSSkatdhiwinfe, ;in the oourie''df a few miles, the
great rapid interrupts the paffage. It is about three miles long. Through
the greateft part o f it the canoe is towed, half or full laden, according to
the
the ftate of the waters: the canoe 'and its contents are then carried
one thoufand one hundred^ paces. The channel here is near a mile
wide,-foe waters tumbling over, ridges of rocks that traverfe the river.
The fouth bank isv e ry high, riftng upwards o f fifty feet, o f the fame
sock as feen 0« the^Sbuteft&Cof tbevLate Winipic, and the North
is not more than a third :©fi thkrheight, There is an excellent fturgeon-
filhery at the foot of this cafcade, and vaft: numbers o f pelicans, cormorants;
&c. frequent lt^ where they watch to feize the filh that may be
killed'br difablel by the forOfe o f thu Waters.
About- Ufa *aes'-fodi«t':this>'fforiage the -navigation is again interrupted
by the . Portage erf fo e RoeM^Rb^C,^ which as an hundred
yards iong rand a nrhle and 'an half from thence the river is barred
byk'raftge of ila id s , forming rapids between them ; and through thefe
tlm Tam^ diftance to the rapid of Lake Travers, which is four
miles right aerdfej'hnd-eight miles -ih length. Then fucceeds the
Giraride©hchkrge, Und fevefal'rapids,forfoarmilestofoe Cedar Lake,
which is-entered #rrough a finall channel on’ the left, formed by an
iftandy as goirig round it would oceaftoh lofs. of time. In this distance
banks of rocks (filch ks -have already been defcribed), appear at
intervals on either fide; the reft of the country is low. This is the cafe
along the South bank of foeiake and thoiftsmls', while foe North fide,
Whichis Very uncommon, is level’forOughc^lt.* This lake runs firft. Weft
fourmiles, then asmuchmore Weft-Sotith-Weft, ^acrofs a deep bay -on the
rights then ft x miles to the Point de Lievrb, and acrofs another bay again
On the right; then North-Weft eight miles, acrofs a ftill deeper bay on the
right; and fevfen miles parallel with the North coaft, North-North-Weft
i 2 through