General History of the Fur Trade* 



41 



This lake is also rendered remarkable, in consequence of 

 the Americans having named it as the spot, from which a 

 line of boundary, between them and British America, was 

 to run West, until it struck the Missisippi; which, how- 

 ever, can never happen, as the North- West part of the Lake 

 du Bois is in latitude 49. 37. North, and longitude 94. 31. 

 West, and the Northernmost branch of the source of the 

 Missisippi is in latitude 47. 38. North, and longitude 95. 6. 

 West, ascertained by Mr. Thomson, astronomer to the 

 North- West Company, who was sent expressly for that 

 purpose in the spring of 1/98. He, in the same year, de- 

 termined the Northern bend of the Missisoury to be in la- 

 titude 47. 32. North, and longkude 101. 25. West ; and, 

 according to the Indian accounts, it runs to the South of 

 West, so that if the Missisoury were even to be considered 

 as the Missisippi,jio Western line could strike it. 



It does not appear to me to be clearly determined what 

 course the line is to take, or from what part of Lake Superi- 

 or it strikes through the country to the Lake du Bois : were 

 it to follow the principal waters to their source, it ought to 

 keep through Lake Superior to the River St. Louis, and 

 follow that river to its source ; close to which is the source 

 of the waters falling into the river of Lake la Pluie, which 

 is a common route of the Indians to the Lake du Bois : the 

 St. Louis passes within a short distance of a branch of the 

 Missisippi, where it becomes navigable for canoes. This 

 will appear more evident from consulting the map ; and if 

 the navigation of the Missisippi is considered as of any 

 consequence, by this country, from that part of the globe, 

 such is the nearest way to get at it. 



But to return to our narrative. The Lake du Bois is, as 

 far as I could learn, nearly round, and the canoe course 

 through the centre of it among a cluster of islands, some of 

 which are so extensive that they may be taken for the main 

 land. The reduced course would be nearly South and 

 North. But following the navigating course, I make the dis- 

 tance seventy-five miles, though in a direct line it would fall 

 very short of that length. At about two-thirds of it there 

 is a small carrying-place, when the water is low. The carry- 

 ing-place out of the lake is on an island, and named Portage 

 duRat, in latitude 49. 37. North, and longitude 94*. West; 

 it is about fifty paces long. The lake discharges itself at 

 both ends of this island, and forms the River Winipic, which 

 is a large body of water, interspersed with numerous islands, 



