50 THE GLACIAL LAKE AGASSIZ. 



differs remarkably from all the preceding in its regular outlines, broken by 

 no capes nor bays, and in the complete absence of islands. The map plate 

 shows the various di-ift deposits adjoining Red Lake, as observed in a canoe 

 ti"ip along its entire shore-line in September, 1885. 



RIVERS TRIBUTARY TO LAKE AGASSIZ AND DRAINING ITS AREA, 



The area of Lake Agassiz is drained to Lake Winnipeg chiefly by the 

 Winnipeg, Red, and Little Saskatchewan (or Fairford) i-ivers. On the north- 

 west this glacial lake also included the region crossed by the lower part of 

 the Saskatchewan. Flowing out from Lake Wiimipeg, the united waters 

 of all these river systems are carried by the Nelson to Hudson Bay. 

 PI. XIII is colored to show the several drainage areas of the Lake Agassiz 

 basin and adjoining country. 



Rainy and Winnipeg rivers. — It seems probaljle that the recession of 

 the ice-sheet uncovered the entire course of the Rainy and Winnipeg rivers 

 before Lake Agassiz had fallen below the level of Rainy Lake. These are 

 ■upper and lower portions of the main trunk of the same river system. 

 East of Rainy Lake a large tract tributary to it reaches nearly a hundred 

 miles on the international boundary, including almost countless lakes and 

 small streams. 



Rainy River, about 80 miles long, connecting Rainy Lake and the 

 Lake of the Woods, is a broad and majestic, deep stream, with an average 

 width of a sixth of a mile, flowing in general in a somewhat direct west- 

 northwest course. At the mouth of Rainy Lake it has rapids that fall 

 about 3 feet. Its principal falls are between Koochiching and Fort Frances, 

 situated opposite to each other on the south and north banks of the river, 

 a little more than 2 miles from Rainy Lake, where it descends 23 feet in 

 about a tenth of a mile. Manitou Rapids, about 35 miles from Rainy 

 Lake, are a short descent of about 2 feet, with outcropping rock in the 

 channel and banks. Six miles below these is the Long Sault, a mile in 

 length, estimated by Major Long to have "an aggregate descent of about 

 10 feet;"^ but subsequent leveling by S. J. Dawson shows that it probably 



' Keating's Narrative of Long's Expedition, Vol. II, j). 230. 



