THE GREAT LAKES OF THE WINNIPEG BASIN. 237 



broken into detached mountain ranges by denudation, 

 with bold abrupt escarpments on their eastern exposures, 

 and gently sloping terraces, separated by steps, on their 

 western aspects. 



Prominent among the physical features of this region 

 are the vast expanses of water which occupy the larger 

 portion of its low eastern area. Lake Winnipeg is two 

 hundred and eighty miles long, and in several parts more 

 than fifty miles broad. Lakes Manitobah and Winnipego- 

 sis together are nearly of the same length, and the 

 broadest part of the first named is not less than twenty- 

 six miles across. Nearly the whole couotry between 

 Lake Winnipeg and its western rivals is occupied by 

 smaller lakes, so that between the valley of the Assin- 

 niboine and the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg fully 

 one third is permanently under water. These lakes, both 

 large and small, are shallow, and in the same water area 

 show much uniformity in depth and coast line. Some of 

 the -smaller lakes are of dimensions which entitle them 

 to notice. Such are St. Martin's Lake, with an area 

 exceeding three hundred square miles : Water-hen 

 Lake, Ebb and Flow Lake, and Dauphin Lake, each 

 covering an area exceeding one hundred and fifty 

 square miles. 



West of the Assinniboine are the Qu'appelle Lakes, 

 situated in the Qu'appelle valley, eight in number, and 

 with an aggregate length of fifty-three miles. Besides 

 these, the last Mountain Lake is probably forty miles 

 long, and varies from three quarters of a mile to two 

 miles in width. The Qu'appelle Lakes are very deep, 

 eleven fathoms or sixty-six feet having been recorded. 



North-east of the Touchwood Hills there are numerous 

 large lakes, having areas varying from one hundred and 

 twenty to one hundred and thirty square miles. Some of 



