258 



RED RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 



nisli very extensive and excellent sheep pasturage. The 

 prairies here are altogether denuded of timber, so that 

 this day we were compelled to carry our fuel for cooking 

 purposes from Serpent Eiver to the middle of the plain 

 where we encamped for the night. 



In the morning ice was found in the kettles, but the 

 coolness of the night was not unpleasant. The trail con- 

 tinued for many miles on a level and rounded Lake 

 Eidge, and then descended into a low, rich, wet prairie, 

 towards Eed Lake Eiver, 186 miles from Fort Garry by 

 our estimate. Across this fine stream the baggage was 

 passed in two small canoes, the horses swam across, and 

 the carts were hauled with ropes. The valley of Eed 

 Lake Eiver is heavily timbered, and will probably become 

 an important stream as the settlements from the south 

 begin to descend the valley of Eed Eiver. Already a 

 trading-house has been built at the crossing-place on Eed 

 Lake Eiver, and on some of the American Government 

 maps it figures as Douglas, the name of the town which 

 it is proposed to build there. The valley of Eed Lake 

 Eiver is the war path of the Sioux and Ojibways, and our 

 half-breeds asked us not unnecessarily to fire off any guns 

 or pistols as long as we were within ten or twelve miles 

 of Eed Lake Eiver, that we might not attract the atten- 

 tion of any stray parties of Sioux who might possibly be 

 within hearing. 



On the 16th we passed over a high prairie, rising in 

 steps at long intervals apart and level at its marshy sum- 

 mit. The breadth of this prairie is about twenty-three 

 miles, Turtle Brook forming its southern termination. No 

 trees are visible, the soil is generally light, and the higher 

 portions gravelly, but in depressions the soil is of the first 

 quality. Boulders of the primary unfossihferous rocks 



