IO EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



from our destination, a projecting point, terminated by a line 

 of shoals, necessitated a portage of a few yards. We were 

 compelled to land in the surf of the exposed beach. Leaping 

 into the water at a favorable moment we flung a few heavy 

 articles ashore, then carried up the canoe before another wave 

 could take us off our feet or break the canoe upon the rocks. 



Two Cree families were living near by in lodges of birch-bark 

 and rushes. These miserable shelters seemed very comfortable 

 to us as we dried our garments before the cheerful fire. The 

 Indians had watched our landing and shook their heads as we 

 spoke of continuing the journey. In rounding the next point 

 we heartily wished that we had heeded their advice, as the rough 

 seas nearly swamped us in the evening darkness. 



The Boat Trip to Cedar Lake. For a few days after return- 

 ing from Long Point I spent the time in collecting land-birds. 

 The water-birds were passing southward in considerable num- 

 bers, but there were no feeding grounds nearer than the delta of 

 the Saskatchewan, on the northwestern shore of Cedar Lake. 

 I had visited that locality during the summer of 1891, and knew 

 that it was an excellent station for either collector or sports- 

 man. 



The Company's establishment, known as "Cedar Lake," and 

 the Indian reserve of Chemawawin ( u a seining place"), are 

 surrounded by extensive silted flats which are covered with a 

 luxuriant growth of rushes and grasses, and contain many small 

 lakes, about which the cry of the waterfowl may be heard from 

 April to November. Chief trader King, then in charge of 

 Cedar Lake House, sent me a cordial invitation to visit his 

 post, sixty miles distant. In the hope of securing both speci- 

 mens and a store of game for the winter, I accepted the invita- 

 tion. A boat, loaded with freight, was to be sent up from 

 Grand Rapids, thus affording me the necessary assistants and 

 means of transportation. 



On the 15th of October we were visited by one of the worst 

 storms ever known in that region; a terrific gale from the 

 northeast destroyed docks and carried away boats. The low 

 grounds, where the natives were encamped, engaged in the " fall 

 fishery," were flooded, and many nets were lost. This gale 

 swept away the ducks and geese from Cedar Lake, but we, in 

 blissful ignorance of the fact, started up the rapids on the 19th. 



