98 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [no; 27. 



From Stone Island, if the weather be fair, a traverse of about 14 

 miles may be made nearly directly northward to the nearest islands of 

 the extensive Simpson group. They may be barely discerned from the 

 summit of the island, but are invisible from the water level. The 

 more exposed of these islands are much wind swept and their vegeta- 

 ble covering reminds one of the extreme edge of the timber. The 

 spruce and tamarack trees are more or less stunted, and various 

 heathy shrubs, with cinquefoils, saxifrages, and various grasses, 

 form the principal flora (see PL IX, fig. 1). They constitute 

 breeding stations for several species of gulls, terns, loons, and 

 the parasitic jaeger. Another shorter traverse leads to other islands, 

 whence the Gros Cape, on the eastern side of the mouth of the North- 

 ern Arm, is attained, and the crossing, always attended with some 

 difficulty, is accomplished. A safer but longer crossing is made by 

 following the southern shore of the lake several miles to the eastward 

 of Stone Island and then making a traverse of about 8 miles to the 

 nearest islands. Thence the canoe track winds through an intricate 

 maze of beautiful channels to the Gros Cape. 



On these islands are found many small ponds and swamps, in 

 which, as well as about the low shores of the Northern Arm, grow 

 many interesting plants. Conspicuous among these may be noted 

 the bog-bean (Menyanthes trifoliata), parnassia {Parnassia palus- 

 tris), water arum (Catta palustris), and many sedges and grasses. 

 In a small pond on one of the Simpson Islands I found a colony of the 

 small white water lily (Castalia tetragona), which has been detected 

 at but few stations in America. On the drier parts of many of these 

 islands occur numerous other species, the genera Potent ill <t and Saxi- 

 fraga being represented by several species. Cryptogramma <n-f<>sti- 

 choides and Dry opt oris fragrans are abundant ferns. 



From the Gros Cape the eastern shore of the Northern Arm 

 is followed northward. The shores and islands are very rocky, and 

 at first are high, often precipitous, but soon lower to the northward. 



About 40 miles above the mouth of the Northern Arm, Yellowknife 

 River empties into a bay about -i miles broad and several miles long. 

 On the eastern shore, just south of this bay, stand several log houses. 

 Not far from here is the site of old Fort Providence, a northwest 

 post in 1820, when Franklin ascended Yellowknife River on his way 

 to the Coppermine." 



a In 1789, when Alexander Mackenzie was on his way to the Arctic Ocean, 

 Mr. he Roux, his assistant, met a party of Yellowknife Indians near this point, 

 where also he had traded with them during the previous season. While Mac- 

 kenzie was exploring the great river. Le Roux made a trip to Great Marten 

 Lake, where not long afterwards the Northwest Company' established a post. 

 Fort Providence evidently was built soon after this time. I have been unable 

 to ascertain when it was abandoned. 



