Canadian Expedition to the Red River. 221 
Hind (one a reprint of Thompson’s), and a sketch of the regions, 
which Dawson traveled through, by himself, appeared at 
same time. 
The members of the Canadian expedition landed July 31, 
1857, at Fort William, and started in boats along the usual route 
of the Hudson’s Bay Company for Lake Winnipeg, in order to 
ascertain the practicability of this route. ‘To this end surveys 
of rivers were made and a very minute determination of levels. 
Napier estimates the whole length of the route to be 747 miles, 
iz: from Lake Superior to Rainy Lake 335 miles; thence to 
Rat Portage at the northern extremity of Lake of the 
176 miles; from this point to Fort Garry on the Red River 236 
miles. Of these three portions only the middle one, upon Rain 
Lake, which is at an average 460 feet wide and 6 feet deep, 
forms a continuous water road. Its falls (Chaudiere falls near 
Fort Francis, 22 feet,) may, according to Dawson, easily be made 
harmless by two water gates. The two remaining portions of 
the route can only be travelled by land, unless one paves the 
tedious transport from one little river to another. The Kamin- 
istiquoria on the first portion of the route cannot be navigated, 
as its rapids, shallow water places, and falls (Kakabeke falls, 119 
feet,) are too numerous. From Little to Great Dog Lake, a distance 
hot over a mile, this river falls 848 feet, and yet the . e in 
this place has still an elevation of 142 feet over Great Dog Lake. 
This is the steepest descent on the whole route. The 
t from one another, is, after Dawson, 879 feet, according to 
rapid than toward 
iver to Rainy 
e 
: “set : he 
geon River, from Lake Superior to Rainy Lake along 
boundary, is the shortest, but it has 29 portages, of ag eyed 
lead through United States territory. Another route fo the “Xi 
River, which is still used by the Hudson Bay Vompany, Hh 
Mences from Fort York, near Hudson’s Bay, pad goes Up aye 
River, through Knee and Holy Lakes, Wepinap 
White Water Lake and Sea River, down to 
it requires three weeks of hard work to travel 
