56 A General History of the Fur Trade, 



may be twice that distance ; after which it contracts to a ri- 

 ver that runs Westerly for ten miles, when it forms a bend, 

 which is left to the South, and entering a portion of its waters 

 called the Grass River, whose meandering course is about 

 six miles, but in a direct line not more than half that length, 

 where it receives its waters from the great river, which then 

 runs Westerly eleven miles before it forms the Knee Lake, 

 whose direction is to the North of West. It is full of isl- 

 ands for eighteen miles, and its greatest apparent breadth is 

 not more than five miles. The portage of the same name 

 is several hundred yards long, and over large stones. Its 

 latitude is 55. 50. and longitude 106. 30. Two miles fur- 

 ther North is the commencement of the Croche Rapid, 

 which is a succession of cascades for about three miles, 

 making a bend due South to the Lake du Primeau, whose 

 course is various, and through islands, to the distance of 

 about fifteen miles. The banks of this lake are low, stony, 

 and marshy, whose grass and rushes afford shelter and food 

 to great numbers of wild fowl. At its Western extremity 

 is Portage la Puise, from whence the river takes a meander- 

 ing course, widening and contracting at intervals, and is 

 much interrupted by rapids. After a Westerly course of 

 twenty miles, it reaches Portage Pellet. From hence, in 

 the course of seven miles, are three rapids, to which suc- 

 ceeds the Shagoina Lake, which may be eighteen miles in 

 circumference. Then Shagoina strait and rapid lead into 

 the Lake of Isle a la Croise, in which the course is South 

 twenty miles, and South-South- West fourteen miles, to 

 the Point au Sable ; opposite to which is the discharge of the 

 Beaver river, bearing South six miles : the lake in the distance 

 run, does not exceed twelve miles in its greatest breadth. It 

 now turns West- South- West, the isle a la Crosse being on 

 the South, and the main land on the North ; and it clears 

 the one and the other in the distance of three miles, the wa- 

 ter presenting an open horizon to right and left : that on the 

 left formed by a deep narrow bay, about ten leagues in 

 depth; and that to the right by what is called la Riviere 

 Creuse, or Deep River, being a canal of still water, which 

 is here four miles wide. On following the last course, Isle 

 a la Crosse Fort appears on a low isthmus, at the distance 

 of five miles, and is in latitude 55. 25. North, and longitude 

 107. 48. West. 



This lake and fort take their names from the island just 

 mentioned, which, as has been already observed, received 



