IIG EXPEDITION TO THE 



much water as the main stream above their confluence. It 

 rises near a small lake called by the name of Lake Winne- 

 peek, and which we have distinguished from that previ- 

 ously mentioned, by the designation of Little Winnepeek 

 Lake ; it is in the vicinity of Red Lake. Mr. Davenport, 

 one of the agents of the American Fur Company, repre- 

 sented this fork as being one hundred leagues long, very 

 rapid, and not well supplied with water ; it has two short 

 portages ; it passes through a small lake called Sachawgan 

 Lake ; from this there is a long portage, (ten pauses,) to 

 Little Lake, which has an outlet half a mile long into Lit- 

 tle Winnepeek Lake. The whole distance may be ascend- 

 ed in eight or nine days by loaded canoes. A trade has 

 been carried on by the American Fur Company, between 

 Rainy Lake and Fond du Lac, by means of the Grand 

 Fork of Rainy river, Little Lake Winnepeek, the Mis- 

 sissippi, Sandy Lake, Savannah river, and the river St. 

 Louis. 



The Little Fork which enters above the Grand Fork, 

 is a wide stream, but it is unimportant, as it does not extend 

 far into the country, and as it furnishes no medium of com- 

 munication with other lakes or streams. 



We saw but few islands in Rainy river, and these were 

 generally small. We occasionally observed stakes which 

 had been used by the boundary line commissioners, to de- 

 termine the breadth of the river in several places. 



During this part of our journey our provisions were not 

 so good as they had previously been. Until we reached 

 Lake Travers, we had depended chiefly upon the salt pork, 

 &c. which we carried along with us, and upon the biscuit 

 which was prepared for our party at Fort St. Anthony. 

 From Lake Travers to Pembina, we had much fresh buf- 

 falo and some dried meat. But after leaving Fort Douglas, 



