A General History of the Fur Trade, 59 



it opens to Lake Clear, which is very wide, and commands 

 an open horizon, keeping the West shore for six miles. — 

 The whole of the distance mentioned is about North- West, 

 when, by a narrow, crooked channel, turning to the South 

 of West, the entry is made into Lake du Boeuf, which is 

 contracted near the middle, by a projecting sandy point; in- 

 dependent of which, it may be described as from six to 

 twelve miles in breadth, thirty-six miles long, and in a 

 North- West direction. At the North-West end, in lati- 

 tude 56. 8. it receives the waters of the river la Loche, 

 which, in the fall of the year, is very shallow, and navigated 

 with difficulty even by half-laden canoes. Its water is not 

 sufficient to form strong rapids, though from its rocky bot. 

 torn the canoes are frequently in considerable danger. In- 

 cluding its meanders, the course of this river may be com- 

 puted at twenty-four miles, and receives its first waters from 

 the lake of the same name, which is about twenty miles long, 

 and six wide ; into which a small river flows, sufficient to 

 bear loaded canoes, for about a mile and an half, where the 

 navigation ceases; and the canoes, with their lading, are 

 carried over the Portage la Loche for thirteen miles. 



This portage is the ridge that divides the waters which 

 discharge themselves into Hudson's Bay, from those that 

 flow into the Northern ocean, and is in latitude 56. 20. and 

 longitude 109. 15. West. It runs South- West until it loses 

 its local height between the Saskatchiwine and Elk Rivers ; 

 close on the bank of the former, in latitude 53. 36. North, 

 and longitude 113. 45. West, it may be traced in an Easterly 

 direction toward latitude 58. 12. North, and longitude 103£. 

 West, when it appears to take its course due North, and 

 may probably reach the Frozen Seas. 



From Lake le Souris, the banks of the rivers and lakes 

 display a smaller portion of solid rock. The land is low 

 and stony, intermixed with a light, sandy soil, and clothed 

 with wood. That of the Beaver River is of a more produc- 

 tive quality: but no part of it has ever been cultivated by 

 the natives or Europeans, except a small garden at the Isle 

 a la Crosse, which well repaid the labour bestowed upon it» 



The Portage la Loche is of a level surface, in some parts 

 abounding with stones, but in general it is an entire sand, 

 and covered with the cypress, the pine, the spruce fir, and 

 other trees natural to its soil. Within three miles of the 

 North-West termination, there is a small round lake, whose 

 diameter does not exceed a mile, and which affords a trifling 



