OF THE POLAR SEA. 



113 



ence of the river Pembina. A route has 

 been explored by it to the Red Willow 

 River, across the height of land, but the 

 difficulties of it were so great, that the ordi- 

 nary route is preferred. 



On the 3d we passed through the Methye 

 River, and encamped on the borders of the 

 Methye Lake. The soil from Isle a la 

 Crosse to this place is sandy, with some 

 portion of clay, and the trees numerous; 

 but the Methye River is stony, and so 

 shallow, that to lighten the canoes, we made 

 two portages of five and two miles. The 

 paths were overflowed with cold spring 

 water, and barricadoed by fallen trees ; 

 we should have been contented to immerse 

 ourselves wholly had the puddle been suf- 

 ficiently deep, for the musquitoes devoured 

 every part that was exposed to them. 



On the 4th we crossed the Methye Lake, 

 and landed at the portage on the north-west 

 side, in one of the sources of the Missinippi. 

 The lake is seventeen miles in length, with 

 a large island in the middle. We proceeded 

 to the north side of the portage with two 



1 VOL. II. I 



