122 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Sticks that our Passage was difficult. We now ran down the Stream, 
the River flowing from the Height of Land which we had passed. After 
paddling 24 Hours the Stream became broader and free from Piles and 
Sticks. The Banks are low and Swampy covered with high Grass, the 
Larch and Black Pine. We passed the burial Place, denoted by a Cross, 
of a poor Voyageur who was starved to Death. At half-past ten we 
were obliged to land, having knocked a large Hole in the Bottom of the 
Canoe and the Water rushing in very fast. The injured Piece being 
cut quite away a Piece of Bark is fixed underneath which is sewn with 
the Wattape and then gummed. All this was done in half an hour and 
we again started. At one o’clock we arrived at the Lac des Mille Lacs 
having paddled about six Hours in the Savanne and consider the Dis- 
tance may be about 30 Miles in Length and twenty to thirty Paces in 
Breadth till you approach the Lake when it becomes broader. At one 
we landed to Dinner at a small Island in the Lac des Mille Lacs or more 
properly the Lake of Islands so called by the Indians. At 2 we em- 
barked. After paddling an Hour we passed a Post of the North West 
[Company]. Then paddling 44 Hours we entered another Lake. 
Travelling is now more expeditious than from Montreal. All is Life 
and Animation and Anxiety who shall lead the march. The men, who 
are now called North West Men, hold in great contempt the Pork Eaters, 
whose Journey finishes at Fort William, and are so called from their 
Food consisting of Pork to mix with their Indian Corn. The Canoe 
is now less, the Weight little more than 2 ewt. which is necessary from 
the numerous and long Portages which present themselves at every 
moment. The [Crew of] Canoe consists of a Foreman or Guide, a 
Steersman and six Men. The Canoe is carried by two Men at the Bow 
and Stern and carried erect. In the morning before Daylight the Tent 
is struck and you are left without Covering to dress as well as you can. 
The Poles of the Tent being placed at the Bottom of the Canoe this 
Expedition is necessary. Mr. McGillivray’s Crew consisting of Pork 
Eaters or Montreal Men (as he intends returning to Montreal) there 
was much Emulation between the two Crews but we had the Advantage, 
which was satisfactory tome. . . . . The Emulation between the 
two Crews can hardly be described but our Men had so much the Advan- 
tage that Mr. McG. was obliged to take an additional Man at Rainy Lake. 
After paddling an Hour we arrived at a narrow Channel covered with 
Water Lilies when we again entered a Lake after passing which we came 
into a small narrow Rivulet over a Bed of Stone. At the End of this 
we came to the Portage des Françaises.t 

1This is not the Portage des Français or French Portage marked in Dawson’s 
map. See further down. 
