110 EXPEDITION TO THE 



mouth of Rainy-lake river, which is a sand-bar, probably 

 formed by an accumulation of sand carried down by the 

 river. ' This was the more remarkable, as it was the first 

 sand-bar observed since we entered Winnepeck river. The 

 Indians had, with their usual attention to the features of the 

 country, remarked this bar, and they called the lake P^kw^- 

 ongS. Osdgfiigan, which means " the lake of the island of sand- 

 mounds," owing to the mounds formed on this bar by the ac- 

 cumulation of the sand by the winds. It is true that the lake 

 is also sometimes called Met6k6k^ Osagaagan, which sig- 

 nifies Lake of the Woods, but this is supposed to be a 

 modern appellation, translated from the name which the 

 French traders gave it when they first saw it. The distance 

 which we travelled in the lake was about eighty miles, 

 which probably was its longest diameter. Observations 

 were made to determine its position ; they gave for the 

 situation of Cosse's Island, distant sixteen miles from 

 Rat Portage, 49° 36' 42" north; for that of Red-rock Isl- 

 and, passed on the 27th of August, 49° 11' 33" ; for Sandy 

 Island 48° 56' 4" north; and finally, the entrance of 

 Rainy-lake river was determined to be in latitude 48° 53' 

 40" north, and longitude 94° 21' 15" west. The variation 

 of the compass in the lake was 11° 1' 25" east. 



With a view to avoid a circuitous navigation round a 

 projecting peninsula, it is usual for voyagers to make a 

 small portage over this point. It did not exceed one hun- 

 dred yards at the time we crossed it. Our guide says that 

 it is often under water, so that the canoes pass without dif- 

 ficulty. This requires a rise of about five or six feet above 

 the level of the waters at that time. We found in great abun- 

 dance the plant which bears tlie wild-rice ; it was quite ripe 

 at that season. The Indians collect the grain in great plenty, 

 considering it as one of their best articles of food, and that 



