338 Our North Land. 



main river by steamers, as it contains a greater body of water, the 

 latter being at this point divided into many channels, thereby 

 decreasing the quantity of water in any one. This Moose Lake 

 River joins the parent stream again several miles above Cedar Lake. 

 As the latter is approached the marshes on either side appear to the 

 eye boundless. They are covered with reeds, from six to ten feet 

 high, and look like a vast field of grain. Here Kettle Island is the 

 only place for many miles where a landing can be made, and because 

 it is the only spot where the Indians can find dry land enough to 

 boil the kettle, it has been called Kettle Island. 



For six miles below Kettle Island the river has no banks what- 

 ever, but runs through a boundless marsh, without trees or bush of 

 any kind. There one of the channels of Moose Lake River joins it, 

 and the banks become two feet high, and are again quite heavily 

 timbered. Two miles farther down, the main or steamboat channel 

 of Moose Lake River joins the Saskatchewan. Moose Lake River 

 might now with propriety be called the Saskatchewan. This must 

 not, however, be confounded with Moose Lake Creek, which dis- 

 charges the water of Moose Lake into it. 



For about one mile above Cedar Lake, the distance is called 

 Chemahawin, where, along both banks, which are in that place well 

 defined, Indians dwell in considerable numbers, and make a comfort- 

 able livelihood by fishing and hunting. The principal fish is the 

 sturgeon, which here obtains a length of over six feet. The Indians 

 collect from them a considerable quantity of isinglass which they 

 trade at the Hudson's Bay station. At the upper end of Chema- 

 hawin there is a winter Hudson's Bay post, where the Indians do 

 their trading. 



Anywhere along Chemahawin, if the traveller camps, he will 

 find the Indians waiting to gather up the cast-away tea leaves and 

 re-steep them. These Indians use only the miserable " Labrador 

 tea," and most keenly relish even the second use of the better kind. 

 They are a jolly set, but have been Christianized, and one of their own 

 number now acts as preacher, and on the Sabbath they may be seen 

 in vast droves repairing to a favourable place, where, in the open air, 

 the native sermon is delivered in true Cree eloquence. The service 



