86 EXPEDITION TO THE 



elevated about two feet above the level of the water. Id 

 the afternoon a high wind blew from the lake, and accu- 

 mulated the waters into the bay, so as to cause them to 

 overflow the wharf and oblige us to remove our tents. 

 The next morning, the waters had subsided to their for- 

 mer level. Had we not been aware of the accidental cause • 

 which produced this local rise, we might probably have 

 mistaken it for the efiect of a regular or periodical tide, 

 which it resembled very much. 



During our stay at Fort Alexander, we were politely 

 treated by the superintendant, Mr. Bell, at whose table 

 we ate of a fish new to us, called in those parts a stur- 

 geon, but very unlike the sturgeon of our waters. It was 

 well tasted, with a good firm flesh, and tolerably rich ; it is the 

 principal subsistence of the residents upon those waters. Mr. 

 Bell likewise offered us some Buffalo meat, (the tongue and 

 hump,) that had been salted ; it was very good, and in our 

 opinion far superior to the jerked meat. We inquired why 

 the salting was not usually resorted to instead of the jerking 

 of the meat. Salt is so abundant on the prairies, that the ex- 

 pense or trouble would probably be but little greater. We 

 were informed, however, that the prairie salt did not preserve 

 flesh as well as that which was brought from England, with 

 which the buffalo of which we had eaten had been cured. It 

 is probable that in the salt of the prairie there are impuri- 

 ties, perhaps deliquescent salts, which render it unfit for the 

 preservation of meat unless purified. 



In the afternoon of the 20th, we resumed our journey, 

 and ascended the bay about six miles, with a fine fair wind, 

 which allowed us to spread a sail. We afterwards enter- 

 ed Winnepeek river, and found it to be a most majestic 

 and impressive stream ; its width is considerable, but is 

 very variable, as it runs through a primitive formation in 



