44 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



ascertained instrumentally. The wells are found upon a 

 slight elevation, which gently inclines and blends with 

 a vast marsh connected with Moss Eiver, in a south- 

 erly direction. The woods fringing this marsh approach 

 within a mile of the Springs, west and north-west. 



The level country extends across the peninsula from 

 Eed Deer's Point, about three miles in breadth, to a deep 

 indentation of Lake Winnipego-sis, about five or six miles 

 broad ; after which it continues low and marshy, with 

 tamarac, aspen, and white spruce woods to the foot of the 

 Duck Mountain, a distance of sixteen to eighteen miles. 

 From Snake Island, and even from the level of Winnipego- 

 sis Lake, a few miles from shore, the country between the 

 foot of Duck Mountain and the Lake does not present a 

 single eminence to break the level from which the Duck 

 Mountain rises. It resembles, in every important physical 

 feature, the level tract at the base of the Eiding Moun- 

 tain. These observations apply only to that part visible 

 from Snake Island and the lower portion of Winnipego- 

 sis Lake. 



The soil at the Salt Springs is a very retentive yellow- 

 ish-white clay, containing small limestone boulders and 

 pebbles, with boulders of the unfossiliferous rocks. The 

 wells for obtaining a supply of brine, are sunk wherever 

 a small bubbling spring is observed to issue from this 

 retentive clay. The springs are constantly changing their 

 position, and as the wells become exhausted from time to 

 time, a fresh excavation is made where a new spring is 

 observed to issue. No doubt boring, or deeper wells, 

 would prevent these changes, and not only secure a larger 

 flow of brine, but ensure its permanency. The wells at 

 present are twenty-five in number ; but some of them 

 appear to have been lately abandoned, and others have long 

 since ceased to yield brine. They are situated four hundred 



