SAVANNE RIVER. 



61 



the canoe route, on account of the numerous islands with 

 which it is everywhere studded. In the lower portion of 

 the Savanne Eiver many large ponds and reedy lakes, con- 

 nected together by small water courses, join with the main 

 river, and indicate the great extension which Milles Lacs 

 assumes in an easterly direction during spring freshets. 

 It appears very probable that a length of twenty-five miles, 

 with an average breadth of four miles may be taken as a 

 fair representation of this remote sheet of water ; the ca- 

 noe route through it is twenty-one miles in length, from 

 the mouth of the Savanne to Keg or Baril Portage. Gra- 

 nitic dome-shaped islands are very numerous, and occa- 

 sional exposures of clay and sand banks come into view on 

 the points and islands along the line of route. 



Milles Lacs is drained by the Eiver Seine, which empties 

 into Eainy Lake. The Seine was examined in 1858 by 

 Mr. S. Dawson, and the following notice of its general 

 features is abbreviated from his report published in Toronto 

 in May, 1859. Where the Seine issues from Milles Lacs 

 it is more than one hundred feet wide. It pursues a wind- 

 ing course in a westerly direction through a narrow valley 

 (" flat ") thickly wooded with Banksian pine and poplar 

 of large size. On either side low hills rise gradually ; they 

 are covered for the most part with a dense growth of 

 poplar, interspersed here and therewith tall pines, which 

 rise singly or in groves above the surrounding forest. 



" At times the valley contracts, and where it does so the 

 river presents cascades past which a portage has to be 

 made, or little rapids which can be run with a canoe ; but 

 between these there is generally a considerable extent of 

 navigable water. This description will apply to the coun- 

 try for about forty miles below Lac des Milles Lacs. The 

 lower part of the valley presents a succession of lakes, 

 varying from a mile to fifteen miles in length, until near 



