OCTOBEK,1902.] ACCOUNT OF REGION TRAVERSED. 15 



the northern end of which, 30 miles farther, is situated Oxford House, 

 the only post or habitation of anj^ kind on this route between Norway 

 House and Hudson Bay (PI. V, figs. 1 and 2). In the short stream 

 connecting the two lakes four rapids occur, at two of which portages 

 are necessary (PI. VI, fig. 1). 



Oxford Lake extends southwest and northeast, and its 30 miles are 

 marked by irregular shores and many islands. The shores are mainly 

 of rock and are generally well forested. The locality about Oxford 

 House we found favorable for collecting and a stop of a few days was 

 made. The promontory on which the post is situated was probably 

 well wooded originall}^ but its western half has been entirely cleared 

 and is mainly covered with grass, with a few patches of willows and 

 other shrubs. East of this cleared area the ground slopes gently to 

 Back Lake, about a quarter of a mile distant, and is fairlj' well covered 

 with spruce, fir, tamarack, poplar, and willow. The soil is a stifi' clay, 

 and potatoes and other garden vegetables of fine quality are raised. 



The waters of Oxford Lake flow into Back Lake through a short, 

 narrow channel, and those of Back Lake find their outlet in Trout 

 River (PI. VI, fig. 2; PI. VII, fig. 1), which runs southeastward to 

 Trout Falls, 9 miles from Oxford House. At Trout Falls the river 

 makes a plunge of about 12 feet into a deep pool. A short distance 

 below is Knee Lake, a rather narrow body of water 40 miles in length 

 and extending in a general southwest and northeast direction, with two 

 somewhat abrupt bends. The shores of the southern part are high 

 and well wooded (PI. VII, fig. 2), and many wooded islands of various 

 sizes dot the surface of the lake. At about a third of its length from 

 the upper end the lake contracts and its shores become low and swampy. 

 In this narrow part is Magnetic (or Magnetite) Island, a low, bare, 

 irregular rock which offers considerable attraction to the magnetic 

 needle. The shores and islands of the northern or larger part of the 

 lake are low by comparison with those of the southern part, but are, 

 like those, well wooded. 



The next lake in the series is Swampy Lake, which is connected 

 with Knee Lake by Jack River, a stream about 10 miles in length, 

 containing four rapids in its brief course. Swampy Lake is 13 miles 

 long and has low shores, especially on the eastern side, where the 

 Hudson's Bay Company formerly had a post, long since abandoned. 



Various species of water milfoil {2£yriophyllum) and pondweed {Pota- 

 mogeton) grow in the shallow portions of all these lakes, sometimes so 

 profusely as to seriously . interfere with navigation; and the beautiful 

 water arum {Calla paliistris) is frequently seen near the margin of lake 

 or river. The larger species of birds are noticeably scarce and wild, in 

 consequence of the incessant warfare waged by the natives, who eat any- 

 thing wearing fur or feathers, and never willingly allow a large bird 

 of any kind to escape. For this reason the gulls, terns, and ducks, 



