THE HAMILTON RIVER AND THE GRAND FALLS 155 
and this descent is in a continuous rapid by the pent-up 
stream. 
Above the Grand Falls the character of the river changes 
completely ; it now flows nearly on a level with the surface 
of the plateau, spreading out to fill the valleys between the 
long, low ridges, arranged en échelon over the country. 
The river in passing around the ridges is often broken into 
several channels by large islands; in other places where 
the valleys are wide, it spreads out into long, irregular lakes 
studded with islands. The current, instead of flowing 
regularly, alternates between short rapids and long lake 
stretches. The banks are usually low, and covered with 
a dense growth of willows, which form a wide fringe between 
the water and the spruce trees covering the higher ground 
behind. The general direction of the river is west-north- 
west from the Grand Falls to Petitsikapau Lake, more 
than a hundred miles above. Throughout this distance 
its course is nearly parallel to the direction of the glacial 
strie and to that of the ridges of glacial drift. All these 
features give an aspect of newness to the upper part of 
the river, and indicate that its present course and condition 
have been determined by the post-Glacial configuration 
of the plateau. 
The first expansion above the portage is called Jacopie 
Lake. It is seven miles long by about two miles wide, and 
is surrounded by low, rocky hills partly burnt over. A 
stretch of eight miles of swiftly flowing river connects with 
the island-dotted Flour Lake, which is ten miles long with 
deep bays leading off on both sides. At its head the river 
enters by two nearly equal channels, which unite again 
in Sandgirt Lake, some fifteen miles above. The north 
