82 EXPEDITION TO THE 



little east of north, soon became due north, (by the com- 

 pass,) and continued so until we came near to the entrance 

 of Winnepeek bay. As we travelled near to the eastern 

 shore, we always kept land in sight on our right, but on 

 the left, the eye met with nothing but an uniform sheet of 

 water, limited by no land, diversified by no island. The 

 wind blew somewhat fresh when we first reached the lake, 

 so that a long swell upon its surface gave us an opportu- 

 nity of admiring the buoyancy of our canoes. After tra- 

 velling eighteen miles on the lake, we landed on a fine 

 pebbly beach, which we were told was encompassed in 

 the rear by a deep swamp called the " Grand Marais." 

 This beach was covered wdth pebbles and boulders of si- 

 enitic and calcareous rocks, which, from their aspect, show- 

 ed that we were near the junction of the primitive and se- 

 condary formations. After having dined and repaired one 

 of our canoes, which was leaky, we proceeded on our jour- 

 ney. 



Lake Winnepeek appears to have been the same as was 

 formerly called by travellers, Lake of the Assinipoils. It 

 is mentioned under this name by Lahontan and Charle- 

 voix ; Carver gives it its modern appellation. The situation 

 of this lake, in the centre of the continent of North Ame- 

 rica, is singular and interesting. Few lakes receive so many 

 and such large streams ; by means of these, and of the ri- 

 vers that flow from it, a direct communication is kept up, 

 not only with several distant points of the Eastern or At- 

 lantic Ocean, but also with the Pacific or Western. An 

 observation for latitude taken on the shores of this lake, 

 gave 50° 41' 3" north. Previous to entering the lake, we 

 passed two small Indian villages, one situated at Death ri- 

 ver takes its name from that stream, the other receives an 

 appellation indicative of its situation ^t the mouth of Red 

 river, 



