222 THE MISTASSLNI RIVER AND ITS FIFTH FALLS 



9 P.M., between their devotions and manual labor 

 upon their farm and in their log-house. 



Yery good ouananiche fishing may often be had 

 at the foot of the third falls of the Mistassibi. The 

 mouth of this pretty river, where the steamer moors, 

 is, as already mentioned, very near to the first falls 

 of the 'Mistassini. Here, also, the ouananiche fre- 

 quently halt to feed on their way up the river, and 

 at times good catches have been made. The sur- 

 roundings, too, are exceedingly picturesque, and 

 there is a settler's house near by, where fresh milk, 

 butter, eggs, and vegetables may be obtained a 

 rather unusual luxury so far north in the woods. 

 From the foot of the first to the foot of the fifth 

 falls of the Mistassini there are only four portages. 

 None of them are long, and two or three of them are 

 only a couple of minutes' walk each. The distance from 

 the first to the fifth falls which is easily covered in 

 about two hours is not more than five miles, and the 

 longest water stretch is about two miles. Between 

 the second and third falls of the Mistassini there are 

 mingled with its waters those of the Riviere aux 

 Rats. This is a rapid stream twenty-five miles in 

 length, the outlet of Lac aux Rats a large, long, nar- 

 row lake, which, though seldom, if ever, visited by 

 anglers, contains very large specimens of the dark- 

 colored ouananiche, similar to those found in Lac a 

 Jim and Tschotagama, and known to the Indians as 

 ouchachoumac. The journey from the mouth of the 

 Riviere aux Rats to the lake occupies two days. 



Returning to the Mistassini, it may be well to ex- 

 plain, for the benefit of those who are strangers to 



