﻿1848. FROG PORTAGE. 89 



Mackenzie from Fort Norman, in latitude 65° N. 

 down to the sea-coast, are generally in pairs. They 

 are in the habit of dancing round each other very 

 gracefully on the sand-banks of the river.* 



June ISth. — About three hours after embarking 

 we came to the Pelican lightening-place {Demi- 

 charge de chetauque), and by breakfast-time we had 

 crossed the three portages of Woody Lake. A mi- 

 caceous gneiss or mica-slate rock prevails at these 

 portages. A family of Cree Indians, Avho were 

 encamped on one of the many islands which adorn 

 the scenery of Woody Lake, exchanged fish for 

 tobacco, and enabled us to vary the diet of our 

 voyagers, an indulgence which pleases them greatly ; 

 for, though they generally prefer pork or pemican 

 to fish, they relish the latter occasionally. At five 

 we crossed the Frog Portage, or Portage de Traite 

 of the Canadians, and encamped on the banks of 

 the Missinipi or Churchill River, in the immediate 

 vicinity of a small outpost of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company.! 



* Much of this information I received from Murdoch Mac 

 Pherson, Esq., who, during twenty years' residence on the 

 Mackenzie, became thoroughly acquainted with all its feathered 

 and ferine inhabitants. 



■j" The Cree term Missinipi signifies " much water," and is 

 analogous to that of Mississipjii, which means "great river ; " 

 nipi being water, and sipi river. The Canadians call it English 



