
CAPABILITIES WITH REFERENCE TO SETTLEMENT. 273 
fragments. Ten miles east of Birch Creek, is the watershed swamp, 
here known as the Caribou Muskeg. It is a flooded savannah, of 
perhaps, a mile and a half in width, and is an extension of the swampy 
watershed region, crossed further south. From Birch Creek to White 
Mouth River, the surface slopes gently westward, yet more than half the 
area is occupied by swamps. The dry tracts are covered with a sandy 
soil, which though warm, is too light to attract the agriculturalist. 
The Banksian pine abounds. From this place to Broken Head River, and 
thence to the edge of the wooded region, near Point du Chéne, the surface 
is not so wet, but still shows numerous swamps; and the soil in no place 
compares favorably with that of the prairie to the west. 
629. An examination of the southern part of the region lying west 
of the lake, was made by crossing it by the Reed and Roseau Rivers ; 
the former, a small stream flowing into the Lake of the Woods, the latter, 
inoscolating with it in the watershed swamp, is one of the largest tribu- 
taries of the Red River. The route thus indicated, in the main nearly 
follows the Boundary-line, though a considerable portion of the Roseau 
River, and the whole of Roseau Lake, lie a short distance south of it, and 
in the northern part of Minnesota. The crossing was effected in the 
latter part of August, 1873, with two men, and a single ‘ three fathom’ 
bark canoe; and from the waters of the lake to those of the Red River, 
occupied nine days; much delay arising from obstructions by drift 
timber in the rivers, the state of the portage on the height of land, 
and the bad rapids on the lower part of the Roseau River. The route 
though long known to the Indians ; and used by the Chippeways and 
Sioux as a war-path between their respective countries, has remained 
almost wholly unknown to explorers. Prof. Hind, and Mr. S. J. Dawson 
had intended passing by this route to Red River in connection with the 
Assineboine and Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition, in 1857, but were 
turned back by a large force of Indians collected on Garden Island. 
630. On entering the mouth of the Reed River, a sand-bar is crossed, 
the water on which is, apparently, not more than four or five feet deep. 
The lower portion of the river itself, for about four miles, is both wide 
and deep, and not very tortuous. Near the mouth, it passes through a 
grassy swamp, and for some miles the shores continue swampy, though 
generally covered by bushes and small trees. Beyond this the river, 
though still deep, becomes narrow and tortuous, and retains this charac- 
ter throughout its upper part, which for several miles before reaching the 
source is often not more than sixteen feet in width. At the same time, 
18 D 
