428 NOTES OF AN EGGING EXPEDITION TO SHOAL LAKE. 



for building' purposes. On the right the forest extends to Lake Winnipeg, neai 

 Vv'hich pine find tamaraclv abonnd, which, at some future period," "svill be used for 

 building materials in this region. About 5 o'clock we anived at the ridge; 

 unyoking our cattle we gave them some time to drink and feed. In a verj 

 short time two or three fires were blazing and several of our party were run- 

 ning with their tin kettles to bring water, which was soon converted into tea; 

 alter which we sat down in groups to enjoy this evening meal without the luxury 

 of jtlates, knives, or forks, &c. ; some, for the fomier, using a few poplar leaves; 

 others a bunch of green grass; and for knives and forks, their teeth and fingers. 

 After eating, pipes were called into operation, and after smoking, stretching, and 

 rolling, we, l»y mutual consent, hanicssed our cattle and left this delightful place. 

 This ridge runs parallel with the other, and is composed of similar materials — 

 abrupt on the southeast side, but, once on the summit, the declivity towards Shoal 

 lake is imperceptible. A short time before sunset we sighted and were soon 

 after travelling along this irregular sheet of water, neither fresh nor salt, but 

 containing enough of the latter iugredient to render its water very bitter and 

 unpalatable. As we passed along the lake, I observed a stone pillar, or cairn, 

 formed of small granite boulders thrown loosely together, and on inquiry of my 

 companions from the lake "What mean ye by these stones?*' I was informed 

 here, in 1843. in passing from Red river to i\Ianitowaba to establish a mission 

 a)nong the natives, the Hev. Abraham Cowley and party passed their first Sab- 

 bath in the wilderness, and that these stones were set up to commemorate the 

 sermon preached on the occasion. We continued our journey some time after 

 Bunset, and finall}' encamped for the night where we had plenty- of wood and 

 good water. On the morning of the 12th we left camp about sunrise, contiiuung' 

 our journev along the lake, intending to pass round to the north of that part of 

 it along which we were travelling, tlien turn to the south through the point oppo- 

 site where we were, and at a distance of five or six miles from us, to a rather 

 deep bay in that point, it being- the only place where we found the grebes in any 

 considerable number when I was there in 1865. That year we encamped on a 

 point ninning into the lake from the south and at some distance to the west of 

 the narrows. We had to find our way to the breeding places, which consumed 

 some time, and proved inconvenient on account of its distance from where cir- 

 cumstances compelled us to stop with our carts and oxen. Moreover, on account 

 of a great storm of south wind that sprang up and continued for 48 hours, ^-e 

 were prevented returning to camp with the products of our hunt until both birds 

 and eggs were beginning to spoil, and adding considerably to the distance in 

 going to Manitowaba lake. To avoid these inconveniences I intended, as stated 

 above, to follow the west side of the lake, turn round the north end of that bay, or 

 arm of it, and then proceed south to the bay where we formerly made our hunt. 

 On inquiring' of our Indian companion as to the kind of soil to be travelled over in 

 going into the point, he represented it as full of quagmires, and altogether unfit 

 to bear oxen and carts. This tale, which in a few days after we found to bo 

 imtrue, and only showing the Indian jealousy of intruders on their hunting 

 grounds, made us stop on the west side, whence we had to go six or seven miles 

 to hunt. 



In the first part of the day we secured some oggs and birds — among others a 

 pelican. I remained in camp to clean the eggs and skin the birds. The pelican 

 was a female : she contained four eggs of a largo size, with some smaller ones. 

 None of them had any shell, and I am inclined to think that the flock of which 

 she formed a part was on its way north to some breeding place, probably Lake 

 Winnipeg. They have for some years forsaken this place, being continually dis- 

 turlied l)y egg hunters. After gumming our canoe, my men (an Indian and my 

 youngest son, who accompanied me in 1865) set off for Grebe bay. Late in the 

 evening the wind blew strongly from the southwest, bringing torrents of rain 

 on its wings, against which my only defence was an ox-hide. The rain, with 



