THE STONE FORT. 



133 



distances by the river from Fort Garry to the mouth of 

 La Eiviere Sale, and the relative position of the same 

 places by the road, the former being sixteen, and the latter 

 nine miles. The houses of settlers appear at intervals on 

 the banks for several miles above La Eiviere Sale, the last 

 house being situated thirteen miles from Fort Garry, or 

 fifty-seven from the 49th parallel. Above this the river 

 windings are fringed with forest, varying in depth from a 

 few yards to half a mile. Here and there naked bends 

 are exposed to the prairie, the peninsula portion on the 

 opposite side being generally clothed with trees of large 

 dimensions ; this character is preserved far south of the 

 49th parallel. 



Eeturning to the Indian village, and following the road 

 to Fort Garry, thence to the 49th parallel, the following 

 description refers to the west or most thickly inhabited 

 parts of Selkirk Settlement. 



From that part of the Indian village which lies on the 

 west bank of the river to the Stone Fort, little can be 

 seen of the surrounding country, as the road traverses a 

 forest of small aspens, and farms are few in number and 

 small in extent. 



The Stone Fort covers an area of about four acres, and 

 encloses within its walls numerous buildings of which 

 several excellent photographs were taken in 1858. The 

 main or King's Eoad does not follow the windings of 

 the river, but stretches from point to point, sometimes 

 approaching it at these places within a quarter or half a 

 mile. Where the river windings throw it back to a 

 distance exceeding a mile, inner roads, as they are 

 termed, branch off to the river for the convenience of 

 settlers, and there is a bridle path all the way from the 

 Lower to the Upper Fort, on the immediate bank of the 

 river. Aspen woods continue to shut out the view until 



K 3 



