60 THE VERMILION IRON-BEARING DISTRICT. 



now too large for the former, and some of about half the size are procured from the 

 natives, and are navigated bj^ four, five, or six men, according to the distance which 

 they have to go. They carry a lading of about thirty -five packages, on an average; 

 of these, twenty-three are for the purpose of trade, and the rest are employed for pro- 

 visions, stores, and baggage. In each of these canoes are a foreman and steersman — 

 the one to be always on the lookout, and direct the passage of the vessel, and the 

 other to attend the helm. They also carry her whenever that ofiice is necessary. 

 The foreman has the command, and the middle men obey both; the latter earn only 

 two-thirds of the wages which are paid the two former. Independent of these a 

 conductor or pilot is appointed to every four or six of these canoes, whom they are 

 all obliged to obey, and is, or at least is intended to be, a person of superior 

 experience, for which he is proportionablj^ paid. 



In these canoes, thus loaded, they embark at the north side of the portage, on 

 the river Au Tourt," which is very inconsiderable, and, after about 2 miles of a 

 westerly course, is obstructed by the Partiidge Portage, 600 paces long. In the 

 spring this makes a considerable fall, when the water is high, over a perpendicular 

 rock of 120 feet. From thence the river continues to be shallow, and requires great 

 care to prevent the bottom of the canoe from being injured by sharp rocks, for a 

 distance of 3i miles to the prairie, or meadow, when half the lading is taken out, and 

 carried by part of the crew, while two of them are conducting the canoe among the 

 rocks with the remainder to the Carreboeuf Portage, 3i miles more, when they 

 unload and come back 2 miles and embark what was left for the other hands to 

 carry, which thej^ also land with the former, all of which is carried 680 paces, and 

 the canoe led up against the rapid. From hence the water is better calculated to 

 carry canoes, and leads by a winding course to the north of west 3 mdes to the 

 Outard Portage,* over which the canoe, and everything in her, is carried for 2,i00 

 paces. At the farther end is a very high hill to descend, over which hangs a rock 

 upwaid of 700 feet high. Then succeeds the Outard Lake,"^ about 6 miles long, lying 

 in a northwest course, and about 2 miles wide in the broadest part. After passing a 

 very small rivulet they come to the Elk Portage, '^ over which the canoe and lading 

 are again carried 1,120 paces, when thej^ enter the lake of the same name, which is a 

 handsome piece of water, running northwest about 4 miles, and not more than 1^ 

 miles wide.* They then land at the Portage de Cerise,* ovei which, and in the face 

 of a considerable hill, the canoe and cargo are again transported for 1,050 paces. 

 This is onh^ separated from the second Portage de Cerise by a mud pond'' (where 



* Here is a most excellent -fishery for whiteflsh, which are exquisite. 



« According to Coues, this is the abbreviation for Tourtes. This was even then known as Pigeon 

 River.— J. M. C. 



''Known now as Fowl Portage. — J. M. C. 



"Called on Thompson's map, 1792, Goose Lake. Now called South Fowl Lake. — J. M. C. 



'^Called now and also on Thompson's map Moose Lake and Portage. — J. M. C. 



«Big Cherry Portage now. — J. M. C. 



/Mud Portage.— J. M. C. 



