APPROACH TO THE ASSINNIBOINE. 



309 



of journeying from point to point at great distances apart 

 in a direct line, served him in lieu of memory or compass, 

 for we struck the Assinniboine within two or three miles of 

 the spot to which he had been directed to lead us. 



The approach to this river is made by descending a 

 steep slope, which forms the boundary of the prairie two or 

 three miles from its present excavated valley. The plateau 

 thus formed is covered with erratics, consisting of granite, 

 gneiss, limestone, &c. The broad subordinate excavation 

 in which the river flows is about one mile across, and 

 from 200 to 250 feet deep. The narrow plateau covered 

 with boulders points to a former condition of the Assinni- 

 boine valley, when a much larger river flowed in a wider 

 and shallower valley 200 feet above its present level. The 

 same remark applies to many other rivers in Rupert's 

 Land, which, although now insignificant streams, yet flow 

 through deep subordinate excavations in a broad but 

 generally shallow and well defined trough with steep 

 margins, erratics being dispersed over both margin and 

 plateau. These records of former physical structure ap- 

 pear to indicate that the water once conveyed by these 

 channels, must have been very largely in excess of the 

 present supply. 



On the morning of the 8th we passed through a good 

 grazing country on the high prairie level, but being com- 

 pelled to descend to the first plateau of the Assinniboine 

 valley for water, we found our progress obstructed by a 

 large number of erratics, which endangered the wheels of 

 the carts. Here, however, we saw the first buffalo bull, 

 and after a chase of half an hour's duration, succeeded in 

 killing him. Although very tough and rather strong 

 flavoured, he was an acceptable addition to our larder. 

 On arriving at the second of the Two Creeks, cretaceous 

 rocks were again recognised. They had the same litho- 



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