336 Our North Land. 



tation is principally goose-grass and willows. Evidently the whole 

 country in that district was once a lake. 



A few miles east of the Big Stone, Birch Portage is reached ; this 

 leads to Birch River, that flows into the Carrot River. Here water- 

 fowl become scarce, and but few Indians are met with, the nature of 

 the country and character of the hunt preventing them from travel- 

 ling in large bands. The banks of the river at an average stage of 

 water are about six feet high, and on either side is a series of lakes 

 and marshes which approach almost to the river and are connected 

 with it by many channels ; and, at high water, the whole country for 

 many miles on either side is a sea. 



Ash, elm, maple and spruce now give way to poplar, and further 

 down, poplar to willows, until the marshy country is reached where 

 tall grass and reeds abound. Away to the south, however, before 

 the Pasquia Hills are reached the land becomes high and dry and 

 fit for cultivation. The cut banks of the river are almost always 

 higher than the country immediately behind them. This is caused 

 by the drift-wood and debris and sand being jammed and lodged on 

 the willow banks adjoining, thus forming an additional embankment. 



Such is the character of the country until The Pas, at the junc- 

 tion of the river of the same name with the Saskatchewan, is reached. 

 The Pas, that is the Hudson's Bay post, is situated on a low ridge 

 of boulders which extends from the Saskatchewan to the Pasquia 

 Hills. The latter may be seen from the river, in the distance, to the 

 southward. This ridge has but a small elevation above the swampy 

 country, but has, nevertheless, attained to the dignity of being 

 called the Pasquia Mountains. The word in Indian signifies a 

 narrow ridge. 



The Pas trading station is not unlike other Hudson's Bay posts 

 on the Saskatchewan There is in connection with it a mission 

 church maintained by the Church of England Society. Besides a 

 neat church there is a commodious frame parsonage. The church 

 boasted a lofty spire until last year when it was taken down to 

 save it from falling. There are a goodly number of Indian huts and 

 wigwams scattered along the shore, which, with the buildings 

 belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, give the place the appear- 



