From Lake Winnijieg to Hudson's Bay. 347 



post within the palisade, and outside of it are a few huts and wig- 

 wams of the Indians ; but the chief Indian settlement of the place 

 is on the east side of the river. It is called Rossville. Here a 

 flourishing Methodist mission is located, which has been very instru- 

 mental not only in Christianizing the natives, but in educating them 

 to read and write in their own language. There is much of interest 

 at Norway. One could write half a volume on such features as the 

 now deserted "judges' room " and the old jail. Sir George Simpson, 

 the founder of the Hudson's Bay Company's system of business, had 

 a house at Norway. 



The country adjoining is low and rocky, without much depth of 

 soil. However, vegetables and potatoes are grown successfully. 

 The woods consist of spruce and poplar, and a few birch and pitch 

 pine, and willows. The timber is not large, the best of it in the 

 immediate neighbourhood not being over ten inches in diameter. 

 Much of the forest has been destroyed by fire, and fires are doing 

 considerable damage almost every season. Until Pipestone Lake 

 is reached the rock formation is granitic. Just before entering the 

 lake there is an outcrop of talcose schist, the pipestone of the 

 Indian. 



The shores around Pipestone Lake are low and marshy, and 

 continue so to Cross Lake. Both these lakes are full of islands. 

 The latter extends about eighty miles from the river. Soon after 

 leaving Cross Lake the first strong rapid is encountered, viz., the 

 Ebb-and-Flow Rapids. There are two chutes, three and six feet, 

 followed by a general rapid, rendering a portage of about a quarter 

 of a mile necessary. A few miles beyond are the White Mud Falls 

 — a fall of about twenty feet, through a narrow channel between 

 granite walls over forty feet high and almost vertical. Not far 

 below the banks are of white boulder clay. Here the eddies are 

 very strong and dangerous. The water is turbulent, and, in places, 

 covered with froth more than a foot thick. 



The forest in the vicinity of White Mud Falls is much better 

 than at Norway. The spruce is from twelve to fifteen inches in 

 diameter, and the balsam is also of good size. Below each rapid 

 the channel expands, and is divided and broken by many islands. 



