552 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



and foxes since they need only await 

 their prey and catch it in the open. 

 Small birds in their autumn migrations 

 frequently perish in attempting to 

 cross the lake in the face of cold winds 

 and are found washed up on the shore 

 in large numbers. 



Red Lake may eventually be used as 

 a reservoir to control the waters of 

 Red River, and prevent the spring flood- 

 ing of much good land between Grand 

 Forks and Winnipeg. Red Lake River, 

 through which the waters of the lake 

 find their way to the Red River of the 

 North, is no mean stream, having been 

 used by steamers of considerable size 

 freighting from Grand Forks, a dis- 

 tance of about 150 miles. There are 

 rapids furnishing important water 

 power at Red Lake Falls and Thief 

 River Falls. 



The streams entering the lake are 

 Black Duck River and Battle River, at 

 the east end, and Mud River, Bigstone 

 Creek and Sandy River on the south 

 side of the Lower Lake ; Tamarack, 

 Moose, Big and Little Deer Rivers, 

 Mahnomen River and Shortley brook on 



the North Lake. The Tamarack, Black 

 Duck and Sandy drain rather large 

 areas; the other streams are short. 



The Indians living on their reserva- 

 tion, which includes the south and west 

 sides of the lake, are not so badly 

 demoralized as other tribes within the 

 state. They have come less in contact 

 with the white man and therefore re- 

 tain more of their old characteristics. 

 They are a pretty trustworthy lot of 

 Indians, showing some industry when 

 given work at all suited to their na- 

 ture. 



It is needless to say that farming 

 does not appeal strongly to them, and 

 I question the wisdom of the govern- 

 ment's costly efforts to make them 

 till the soil. Some of them, generally 

 the squaws, do raise gardens^ but the 

 male members of the tribe prefer the 

 lumber woods and the log drive, some 

 spending their summers at the fisheries 

 on Lake of the Woods and making 

 good wages. For this reason I want to 

 repeat that with proper supervision of 

 the fisheries which could be developed 

 on Red Lake these Indians might be- 



TIIE FAITHFUL COMPANION OF MANY WINTER TRIPS THROUGH THK W^ILD COUNTRY. 



