SNAKE LAKE 61 



of the red man's trail — off such trails as rare, 

 adventurous, self-exiled wanderers of the white 

 race turn curiously along one or two days in a 

 score of years. In olden days Indian tracks 

 from the Reindeer River — Foster River territory 

 radiated from the Hudson Bay post at lie a. la 

 Crosse, and this stretch of the Churchill River 

 was a well-used main route, but later, a shorter 

 and easier north route developed to the Churchill, 

 from Cumberland House via Sturgeonweir River 

 to Frog Portage, and from Prince Albert via 

 Montreal River and Lac la Ronge to Stanley 

 Mission Post. 



Soon after we had bidden farewell to Madson 

 the canoe entered the short stretch of river that 

 led on to Snake Lake and we ran Snake Rapid, 

 the only rough water on our course to-day. 

 Thenceforward the day was occupied in travell- 

 ing through Snake Lake, a lake of some twenty- 

 one miles length from western to eastern extreme. 

 The shores of this lake had some prominent forma- 

 tions of vertical sand-bank, or small cliffs ; 

 especially on the north-east shore. During the 

 day much bird-life was observed, and some nests 

 and eggs collected at points we landed at. To- 

 ward evening we camped well to the east of 

 Snake Lake within view of a solitary deserted 

 winter post of the Hudson Bay Company. This 

 day witnessed a favourable change in the weather, 

 for about noon the rain, which had been with us 

 for the last four days, gave place to clearing skies 

 and periods of sunshine. Charming was the 

 evening at our night camp : late western sun- 

 light rested with golden richness on the eastern 

 6 



