﻿1818. PLUMBAGO. 133 



the other, to the height of four or five or perhaps 

 six hundred feet above the water. They also form 

 many islands at the west end of the lake and in 

 front of the fort. Between this end of the lake 

 and the mouth of Peace River there lies a muddy 

 expanse of water, named Lake Mamawee ; and, in 

 times of flood, the waters of Peace River flow by 

 this channel into Athabasca Lake, rendering its 

 usually transparent Vv^aters very turbid. A short 

 way to the eastward of the fort a grey gneiss rock 

 is associated with reddish granite, and its beds are 

 much contorted and are traversed by veins of 

 vitreous quartz. Still further ofi" in that direction 

 a cliff of chlorite-slate occurs. Plumbago of ex- 

 cellent quality has been found on the shores of this 

 lake, and I have been informed that at its eastern 

 extremity, named the Fon du Lac, there is much 

 sandstone — the resemblance to the succession of 

 strata on Lake Superior being maintained here 

 also. Granite rocks, generally forming rounded 

 knolls, prevail in Stony River, by which name the 

 discharge of Athabasca Lake is known, and on 

 whose banks we encamped on the evening of the 

 12th. 



Soon after starting on the m(5rning of the 13th, 

 we passed the mouth of the Peace River, or 

 Unjugah, which is the largest branch of the Mac- 

 kenzie, since it brings down more water than either 



K 3 



