﻿1848. ELEVATION OF METIIY LAKE. 113 



or the crest of the precipitous brow which over- 

 looks the magnificent valley of the Clear-water, is 

 twenty-two feet lower than the summit of the path, 

 or six hundred and thirty-four feet above the last- 

 named river. The portage-road is, in fact, nearly 

 level ; the inequalities being of small account as far 

 as to the sudden descent of the Cockscomb. In 

 the sandy soil there are many fragments of sand- 

 stone, a few of limestone, and scattered boulders of 

 granites, sienites, and greenstones. The deposit of 

 sand is about six hundred feet deep, and most 

 probably encloses solid beds of sandstone. It is 

 based on a (Devonian ?) limestone, which lines the 

 whole bed of the Clear-water River, till its junction 

 with the Elk River, as I shall hereafter mention.* 



Captain Lefroy assigns fifteen hundred feet as 

 the elevation of the surface of Methy Lake above 

 the sea, and, from various estimates of the rate of 

 descent of Mackenzie River and its feeders, I am 

 inclined, independent of his calculations, to con- 

 sider the Clear-water River at Methy Portage to 

 be nine hundred feet above the sea, which accords 

 well with his conclusions ; since the difference of 

 level between Methy Lake and Clear-water River 

 being five hundred and ninety feet by my baro- 



* As the Coxscomb is under the level of the bi'ow of the 

 valley, the depth of sand may be more than 600 feet at its 

 highest points. 



VOL. I. I 



