[ERMATINGER] YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL 95 
20th, Friday.—Fine weather. Began our day’s march at 4 past 
2 a.m. Cleared the Rocky Launcher, Swampy and Smooth Rocky 
Portages and reached the Mossy Portage by } past 10 a.m. Here we 
occupied 5 hours and afterwards with much difficulty get up the Upper 
Flats and Lurance’s Boat meets with another accident. This causes us 
to encamp at the next portage rather earlier than usual. 
21st.—Slight rain in the morning—fine warm day. Embark at 2 
a.m. Shortly after leaving the Portage McKay’s boat runs foul of a 
stone and knocks a hole in her stem. Put ashore for about an hour to 
repair—then make the Upper Portage and a lightening place! which 
hold us till about noon. Continued the remainder of the day poling and 
hauling a succession of very strong rapids. Encamped on an Island 
near the top? of Hill River at 9 p.m. Heavy rain in the evening. 
22nd, Sunday.—Heavy rain this morning. Started a little after 
2a.m. Come up to Mr. Leith® &c. with 2 Boats just ready to leave the 
2nd Portage in Little Jack River“ at } past 11 a.m. Cleared it ourselves 
by + past 3 p.m. Arrived at the Up. Portage between 7 and 8 o’clock. 
People carried over the cargoes and got up the Boats over the first 
brink of the Fall and encamped about 9 p.m. 

23rd.—Rained all last night and continued at intervals during the 
day. Cleared the Portage by 5 a.m. Proceeded in the Knee Lake 
pulling against a head wind (S.E.) In the afternoon overtake Mr. 
Nolin$ with 2 Boats for R.R.§ Men’s provisions reduced to Peas and 
water. Encamped on an Island a short distance beyond the Knee? 
about 9 p.m. 
24th.—Showers of rain during the day. Started about 2 a.m.— 
rejoined Mr. Leith at the Trout Fall Encamped at 10 p.m.—at the 
last strong rapid in Trout River,® having made on it 1 portage and 3 
lightening places. 

‘7.e. where a portion only of the load was taken out of the canoes. These 
portages were also called ‘‘demi-charges.”’ 
2 7.e. the head of the series of portages that mark the ‘ fall line.’ 
3 James Leith signed the Montreal agreement Nov. 5, 1804, as a bourgeois win- 
terer of the X. Y. Co.; he became Chief Factor in 1821; in 1838, he left £12,000 for 
Indian missions in Ruperts Land. 
‘The name applied to Hayes river between Swampy lake and Knee lake. In 
this stretch they passed the following portages; Lower, Long, Second and Upper. 
5 May be the Nolin, “retired trader, Sault Ste. Marie, 1817; sold out about 1819 
to C. O. Ermatinger and went to Pembina” (Coues, Henry and Thompson Jour. III 
990). 
® Red River. 
7The apex of the curved shore line that gives Knee lake its name. 
5 Just above Knee lake. 
° The name applied to Hayes river between Knee lake and Oxford lake. 
