JV. W. Point of the Lake of the Woods. 43 



by a common measure the difference of longitude and lati- 

 tude on Mercator's projection,) and if the former number is 

 \ grea er / ^j^^^^ ^j^^ latter, the \ "*^' j|*^'" > point is the more 



northwestern one. 



The map of the Lake of the Woods, which Mr. Thomp- 

 son has constructed from his surveys, proves, that there are 

 two points on this lake which are more northwest than all 

 other points of the lake, and so nearly equally northwest as 

 to require a more accurate comparison, in order to pro- 

 nounce with certainty which of them is, according to the 

 principles above explained, the most northwestern point of 

 the Lake of the Woods. These two points are : L the most 

 northwest point of a deep bay, on which Mr. Thompson has 

 placed his monument No. 1, (in latitude 46° 23' nearly.) 

 2. The most northwest point of the bay on which the begin- 

 ning of the Rat Portage is situated, (in latitude 49'=' 46' near- 

 ly.) The accuracy with which Mr. Thompson has laid down 

 the relative position of these two points, considering the 

 manner in which this survey was necessarily conducted, 

 which will appear from comparing his maps with the results 

 of my astronomical observations, is a proof that the conclu- 

 sions which have been drawn from the map with regard to 

 the situation of the intermediate points, are perfectly just, 

 and that all these points are less northwest than the one 

 above mentioned. With a view, therefore, of comparing 

 the situation of those points, I have endeavoured accurately 

 to ascertain their difference of longitude, and their latitude, 

 for which purposes the following observations were made. 

 I have used an excellent sextant, of nine inches radius, made 

 by Mr. Troughton, and two pocket chronometers, one made 

 by Arnold, (No. 2111,) and the other by Morice, (No. 201.) 



The most northwest point in the neighbourhood of Mr. 

 Thompson's monument. No. 1, having no camping ground 

 near it, I thought best to make my observations at the mon- 

 ument itself, and to connect this point with the other by ac- 

 tual measurement. 



