26 On the Geography and Geology 



The only isles in Tliuiider Bay are Hare, Welcome, (or Tra- 

 verse,)- and Sheep Isles. The first is one mile and two-thirds 

 N. 37W. from Thunder Point, and is merely a few low rocks, 

 around )vhich the waves have deposited sand and bowlders. It is 

 in the route to Fort William, and is useful in stress of weather. 

 The Welcome Isles are four and a quarter miles east-south-east 

 from Fort William, three in number, small, tolerably wooded, 

 based on greenstone trap, which in the strait used by canoes 

 passing to the Fort, rises 50 feet high, deeply fissured". Sheep 

 Isle is a small patch of marsh, one mile and three quarters S. 39E. 

 from Fort William. 



Thunder Bay may contain several rivers, but I only know of 

 two, the Dog River, called the Kaministiguia, (" the river enter- 

 ing the lake near islands,") by the Indians of Lake Superior, and 

 another smaller, two and a half or three miles on the north-east 

 of the Dog River. 



The Dog River issues from a considerable lake of the same 

 name, on the new route to the Lake of the Woods, in long. 

 84° 40' and lat. 48° 45'. In the first half of its length, it runs 

 south ; and east during the remainder. It has numerous rapids, 

 and some splendid falls, especially those of Du Chien and La 

 Montagne. At its lower end I observed a fertile soil of clay, 

 sand, and vegetable mould. It enters Lake Superior amid exten- 

 sive morasses by three channels, of which the southern is the 

 longest, and somewhat the broadest, being 1600 yards long, and 

 100 yards broad. The middle fork is much the smallest, and is 

 obstructed by fallen trees. 



Fort William, once the depot, at which were yearly assembled 

 the wintering partners of the North-west Company of fur-traders, 

 with the proceeds of their commerce with the natives, is placed 

 on the north channel of this river, 800 yards from the lake. It is 

 a large picketted square of dwellings, offices, and stores, all now 

 dilapidating rapidly. It is 403 miles from the Fal4s of St. Mary 

 to Fort William. 

 The distance from Fovt William to the Grand Portage is 42 



