RAPID RIVER LAKE 83 



Stanley Mission, and nearly upset the canoe in 

 running them. We were running the rapid on 

 the left of the swells that surged down the middle, 

 when, in a flash, we were too far into them, and 

 shipped a canoe-load of water before we righted 

 on our course and fled on swiftly to the foot of the 

 rushing water. Then, lurching heavily, we pad- 

 dled ashore and emptied the canoe, finding as 

 before that the canvas cover had saved most of 

 our provisions and kit from the water. 



Thereafter, after some delay in finding the 

 inlet, we came on through Rapid River Lake. 



About 2 p.m. we portaged at the rapid above 

 Drinking Lake and again had lake expanse before 

 us and an unobstructed stretch of water through 

 which we made good progress. The shores of 

 Rapid River Lake and Drinking Lake were 

 similar to those previously passed, except that 

 neither were very confusing in outline. 



At 4.30 p.m. we reached the foot of Drinking 

 Lake and made a portage at the entrance to the 

 narrows above Key Lake, where an island 

 separates the river into two channels : a large 

 main channel and a small channel. Down on 

 the rapid water of the latter we ran in the canoe, 

 thus evading the fall which obstructed passage 

 at the foot of the other channel. Here we camped 

 for the night within hearing of the pleasant sound 

 of tumbling, hurrying water, well satisfied with 

 our long day, for we had covered about twenty 

 miles as the crow flies and overcome three rapids. 

 A number of birds were noted, but none collected, 

 since they were either commonplace, or of species 

 I had already collected. 



