148 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Saturday the 18th August. Having a Rapid to pass we did not 
embark till 4 ; the morning very foggy. The Scenery becomes now 
very romantic. At a quarter past five we arrived at the 2nd Hill Portage. 
Here the River flows through a narrow Channel formed by high Rocks 
covered with stunted Pine. At 4 past 6 left the Upper Hill River and 
entered Windy Lake. At 8 landed to Breakfast. At 9 embarked, at 10 
arrived at the Décharge of Cropper’s Fall.t Paddling 10 Minutes arrived 
at John Moores. At half past one entered Holy Lake, Bottomless Lake, or 
Bathapon Winnipic (Oxford Lake), Met some Boats for the Colony 
under the Charge of Mr. McDonell a Relation of Mr. McDonell the 
Governor of the Colony. J. R. Burke who intended to attend Mr. Ran- 
ville at the Sieux Country was with the Boats. He intends to retire. At 
six we arrived at Oxford House which is an Establishment on the Hast 
of the Lake. Found Mr. Bolton in Charge and Captain Oxley who was 
passing up to York Fort. The Buildings are in good Order? Mr. 
Bolton has built a comfortable House for himself. Provisions were very 
scarce. He was living on Fish. The Situation is very pleasant; behind 
the House is a high Mountain from which there is a fine View. Oppo- 
site to the Fort is an Island on which there was an Indian Encampment. 
I should have met Captain Oxley under pleasanter Feelings, as I had 
procured him the Appointment, but I found he had been quarrelling 
with his Superiors. Encamped and slept here. 
Sunday 19th August. At two we arose and found that Mr. Bolton 
had had the Kindness to remain up all Night and had prepared Coffee 
for us. At half-past two we embarked and found ourselves in the Trout 
Stream. The Holy Lake [Oxford Lake] is very uninteresting, low 
Banks and stunted Pine. The numerous Islands give it a little Variety. 
The Trout Stream is a narrow shallow Water full of Rapids and Sharp 
Rocks and all the requisites to make Canoe travelling very uncomfort- 
able. At six we arrived at the Trout Portage which is 200 Paces to 
avoid the Trout Fall which, if I had not seen the Falls of the River 
Winnipic, the Chaudière, &c., I should have considered very fine. It 
is the only Fall of any Interest in the whole Route? At ? we reached 
Knee Lake which is 50 Miles in Length. 
(Oxford House is about half way between, Norway House and York 
Fort and is 220 miles from both making the Distance 440 miles). 
The Wind blew very much to-day and increased so much that at 11 
we were obliged to land on the West Side of the Lake. A good Fire 
1 Upper Portage of Franklin ? 
? Franklin speaks of them in 1819 as exhibiting “‘ unequivocal signs of decay.” 
3 An illustration is given of this fall in Franklin’s Journey, etc. (London, 1823), 
p. 37. 

