EAST COAST OF LAKE WINNIPEG. 



493 



water, and clothed on their flanks with a scrubby growth 

 of timber, chiefly Banksian pine, spruce, and a few 

 aspen ; there are, generally, ponds and swamps between 

 the granite knolls, and the coast line is much broken by 

 deep inlets and small well-sheltered bays, forming excel- 

 lent harbours and coves for boats. The east coast, north 

 and south of the straits, is described as being similar to 

 this ; abounding in harbours, and for this reason it is the 

 route by which boats invariably go to York Factory, and 

 generally to the Saskatchewan. Opposite the mouth of 

 Great Washow (Deep) Bay there is an inlet or passage 

 called Loon's Straits, formerly a canoe route of the old 

 North- West Company. There is always more or less 

 current through the narrows of the lake at the Dog's 

 Head. This current is sometimes flowing north and 

 sometimes south, the direction depending upon the pre- 

 vailing direction of the wind. 



By making an early start on the 14th, and creeping 

 along in the shelter of the land, we were enabled to dine 

 at Grassy Narrows. Although our fish had not improved 

 any since leaving Pike Eiver, we always possessed keen 

 appetites, and were now by no means fastidious. Sailing 

 from Grassy Narrows across a bay into which White-Mud 

 Eiver empties, we arrived at the Sandy Bar a little after 

 dark and camped. 



September \hih. — The wind and weather being favour- 

 able to-day, by working fifteen and a half hours, we 

 reached the marsh near the mouth of Eed Eiver about 

 dark. We found an Indian encamped on the sand-beach 

 hunting the ducks which are in countless numbers in 

 these marshes at this season. He had killed 100 "stock'' 

 ducks during the day, and generously gave us a liberal 

 supply. 



We reached the Stone Fort about dark on the 16 th 

 September, where I succeeded in procuring a horse, and 



