Zoological Explorations. 239 



better entitled to the honor; for here the magnificent stream 

 at last debouches into the broad expanse of Lake Winnipecr. 



There was considerable excitement at the time of our visit, 

 over the discovery of amber on the shores of Cedar Lake. 

 Amber certainh' is found there, but so far in such small pieces 

 that its value cannot be very great; but the amber fever was 

 raging fiercely, and an otherwise sensible gentleman calmly 

 informed me that he thought there was half a million dollars 

 worth of amber on his claim, and was li\4ng in constant terror 

 lest said claim be jumped. 



Excellent examples of the power of ice to transport rock 

 are found on the southern shore of this lake, v.here masses 

 of boulders have been shoved up on the bank in wild confu- 

 sion. 



The village of Chemawawin is composed of, perhaps, 

 twenty tepees or lodges of Indians, who subsist largely on 

 the white-fish and sturgeon, abounding in the river. In win- 

 ter they hunt and trap, exchanging the proceeds for blankets, 

 clothing and provisions at the Hudson's Bay Post, about a 

 mile from the village. They have their own school taught 

 by Mr. Bear, an educated Cree Indian, and religious truth 

 is dispensed to them by the Rev. Mr. Sinclair, of the 

 Church of England. A more simple minded and honest set 

 of people I never saw. Improvidence, as before indicated, is 

 their besetting sin, and they often go hungry in consequence. 

 They are skilful in canoe building, the most beautiful canoes 

 that I have ever seen being the work of these Indians. I was 

 told that a good canoe could be bought for ten or fifteen dol- 

 lars. The immense swamps and marshes around Chemawa- 

 win, and for many miles up the river, are the homes of 

 mvriads of water birds. Ducks and geese are in incalculable 

 numbers, together with various less useful species. Swamp 

 loving IctcridcB are there in force, and the mosquitoes are 

 simply appalling. 



