THE RIVERS OF THE WINNIPEG BASIN. 241 



south side of the river, with a load of fifteen pieces 

 (1350 lbs.), the remainder of the freight is carried over 

 the portage. The distance from the Grand Forks to the 

 mouth of the Saskatchewan is 342 miles ; the distance 

 from the Elbow of the South Branch to the mouth is 

 603 miles. 



The Saskatchewan receives several affluents on its 

 south side which are important only on account of the 

 fertile tracts of country they drain. 



About 110 miles in an air line south from the Grand 

 Eapid, and 136 miles by the canoe route along the 

 coast, Lake Winnipeg receives the Little Saskatchewan or 

 Dauphin Eiver, through which Lakes Manitobah and 

 Winnipego-sis discharge themselves. During ordinary 

 summer levels, the Dauphin Eiver offers no impediment 

 to small steamers of light draft ; it thus forms a valuable 

 and direct communication between the vast water areas 

 which it links together. It flows through a flat and 

 swampy country offering very few inducements, or indeed 

 opportunities, for settlement. The mission of Fairford is 

 situated on that part of this river which lies between St. 

 Martin Lake and Lake Manitobah, having been removed 

 to its present position from the lower part of Dauphin 

 Eiver in consequence of the occurrence of destructive 

 floods, the surface of the country not being above eight 

 feet over the summer level of the river. Dauphin Lake 

 is connected with Lake Winnipego-sis by Moss Eiver, 

 navigable in high water by Eed Eiver freighters' boats. 

 The tributaries received by Dauphin Lake scarcely re- 

 quire notice here, although they may become useful as 

 affording means for transporting the valuable spruce of 

 the Eiding and Duck Mountains to Lake Manitobah ; the 

 most important of these tributaries is the Valley Eiver, 

 which separates the Duck from the Eiding Mountain. < 



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