<.ow.] JAMES' BAY. 51 J 



rapids where demi-charges were made. Above the island the river 

 flows through a narrow valley for two miles and three-quarters, past 

 two heavy rapids where small portages are made in ascending. From 

 here the river widens out to half a mile, for seven miles and a-half into 

 what is called Na-twa-ca-mi Lake ; at the head of the lake is a heavy 

 rapid passed by a portage of thirteen chains; beyond the rapid the cur- 

 rent is sluggish for two miles and a quarter to the forks, where the two 

 •outlets of Clearwater Lake join. 



Both streams are here obstructed by rapids, and the route follows 

 up the south or smaller one one mile and a-quarter, and then crosses a 

 portage of twelve chains from a small bay into a larger stream above 

 the rapid. 



From here the river, for one mile, is about one hundred yards wide 

 and flows between high rocky banks to the outlet of Clearwater Lake, 

 which is greatly obstructed by large high rocky islands. 



The course from the point where the river was reached to the lake 

 is due east. 



A good view of Clearwater, or Ka-wa-cha-ga-mi Lake, was obtained Clearwater 



Lake 



from the top of an island, one mile east of the outlet, and two hundred 

 and sixty feet above the water. The lake is surrounded by rocky hills 

 which rise from two to four hundred feet above it. The greatest 

 length from east to west appeared to be about thirty miles, while the 

 average breadth was about ten miles. At its west end are a great 

 number of high rocky islands, which continue along the south shor.e 

 towards the east: about the middle of the lake many more islands ap- 

 pear to stretch across from shore to shore, so as to almost shut out a 

 view of the east end. 



With the exception of a few clumps of stunted black spruce trees, 

 that grow in protected valleys, the vegetation is wholly made up of 

 low Arctic plants, which in part cover the bare rocks. 



The water of the lake is very deep and remarkably clear; the Indians 

 ■catch great quantities of large lake and river trout, white fish and 

 suckers in the lake and the river flowing out. 



From the north side of Clearwater Lake a short portage route «aai Lake 

 through three or four small lakes, leads to Saal Lake, out of which the 

 Nastapoka Eiver flows. 



The Indians say that this is a much larger lake, surrounded by a low 

 flat country totally barren. 



From the Valley of the Wiachtiwan River to Clearwater Lake, the 

 country traversed is a low plateau rising slowly towards the interior, 

 and everywhere broken by roughly parallel ridges of low rounded 

 gneiss hills, which rise from one to three hundred feet above water 

 level; between the ridges are long narrow chains of lakes or mossy 

 swamps. 



