44 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



and longitude 98° 1' 24" W. ; the variation of the magnetic needle 

 14° 12' 41" E., and its dip 83° 40' 10". The dip, it will be perceived, 

 has gradually increased, though our route from York Factory has 

 rather inclined to the S.W. The difference produced by reversing 

 the face of the instrument was 7° 39'. There was too much wind to 

 admit of our observing, with any degree of accuracy, the quantity of 

 the magnetic force. 



We left Norway House soon after noon, and the wind being 

 favourable, sailed along the northern shore of Lake Winipeg the 

 whole of the ensuing night ; and on the morning of the 8th landed 

 on a narrow ridge of sand, which, running out twenty miles to the 

 westward, separates Limestone Bay from the body of the Lake. When 

 the wind blows hard from the southward, it is customary to carry 

 boats across this isthmus, and to pull up under its lee. From Nor- 

 wegian Point to Limestone Bay the shore consists of high clay cliffs, 

 against which the waves beat with much violence during strong 

 southerly winds. When the wind blows from the land, and the 

 waters of the lake are low, a narrow sandy beach is uncovered, and 

 affords a landing-place for boats. The shores of Limestone Bay are 

 covered with small fragments of calcareous stones. During the night 

 the Aurora Borealis was quick in its motions, and various and vivid 

 in its colours. After breakfasting we re-embarked, and continued 

 our voyage until three P.M., when a strong westerly wind arising, 

 we were obliged to shelter ourselves on a small island, which lies 

 near the extremity of the above-mentioned peninsula. This island 

 is formed of a collection of small rolled pieces of limestone, and was 

 remembered by some of our boatmen to have been formerly covered 

 with water. For the last ten or twelve years the waters of the lake 

 have been low, but our information did not enable us to judge whe- 

 ther the decrease was merely casual, or going on continually, or pe- 

 riodical. The distance of this island from Norway House is thirty- 

 eight miles and a half. 



