78 THEOUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



Stock-raising was already becoming a feature of the region. 

 Some three miles above the Heart Kiver is Buflfalo Lake, an 

 enlargement of that stream, and around and above this, as 

 also along the Wyaweekamon, or " Passage between the 

 Lakes," are immense hay meadows, capable of winter feed- 

 ing thousands of cattle. The view of these vast meadows 

 from the Hudson's Bay post, or from the Koman Catholic 

 Mission close by, is magnificent. 



These buildings are sitilated above Buffalo Lake, upon a 

 lofty bank, with the Heart Eiver in the foreground ; and the 

 great meadows, threaded by creeks and inlets, stretching for 

 miles to the south of them, are one of the finest sights of the 

 kind in the country. 



In the far south was the line of forest, and to the eastward 

 a flat-topped mountain, called by the Crees Waskahekum 

 Kahassastakee — " The House Butte." Near this mountain is 

 the Swan Eiver, which joins the Lesser Slave Lake below the 

 Narrows, and upon which, we were told, were rich and 

 extensive prairies, and abundance of coal of a good quality. 

 To the west were the prairies of the Salt Eiver, well watered 

 by creeks, with a large extent of good land now beiug settled 

 on, and where wheat ripens perfectly. 



There are other available areas of open country on Prairie 

 Eiver, which enters Buffalo Lake at its south-western end, 

 and on which also there is coal, so that prairie land is not 

 entirely lacking. 



Though emphatically now a region of forest, there is reason 

 to believe that vast areas at present under timber were once 

 prairies, fed over by innumerable herds of buffalo, whose 

 paths and wallows can still be traced in the woods. Indeed, 

 very large trees. are found growing right across those paths, 

 and this fact, not to speak of the recollections, or traditions, 

 of very old people, points to extensive prairies at one time 

 rather than to an entirely wooded country. 



Much of the forest soil is excellent, and the land has only 

 to be cleared to furnish good farms. Indeed, it needs no 



