110 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



to send a canoe after us to the Methye 

 Portage, with the pemmican, and we calcu- 

 lated that the diminution of our provision 

 would there enable us to receive it. 



The Beaver River enters this lake on the 

 S.E. side, and another river which has not 

 been named, on the S.W. Both these rivers 

 are branches of the Missinippi, as it is the 

 only outlet from the lake. The banks ap- 

 peared to be rocky, and the beach in many 

 places sandy, but its waters are yellow and 

 muddy. It produces a variety of fish, 

 among which its white-fish are esteemed 

 the best in the country. The only birds 

 visible at this season, are common to every 

 part of the Missinippi; gulls, ducks, pi- 

 geons, goatsuckers, and the raven ; and 

 geese and swans pay a momentary visit in 

 passsing to the north and returning. 



There was little in the forts differing 

 from the establishments that we had before 

 seen. The ground on which they are 

 erected is sandy, and favourable to cultiva- 

 tion. Curiosity, however, was satisfied by 

 the first experiment, and utility alone has 



