DAUPHIN LAKE. 



49 



an Indian to explore the country, and report on the 

 nature of the swamps through which we should have to 

 pass in attempting to reach the summit. During his 

 absence we set nets, and leveled across the ridge which 

 separates the lake from an extensive fertile meadow which 

 lies between it and the mountain. The ridge is 8*96 feet 

 above the present level of Dauphin Lake ; the meadow 

 5*70 feet ; and so continues for a distance of one mile, 

 with an almost imperceptible rise, until a second low 

 ridge is reached. The meadow is covered with long, 

 luxuriant grass ; a few clumps of poplar and thickets of 

 willow vary its uniformity. There are, no doubt, many 

 thousand acres of excellent hay-ground on the banks of 

 Dauphin Lake, but the breadth of the tract did not 

 appear to exceed two miles. The oak on the ridges 

 occurs in patches, and the trees are from twelve to fifteen 

 inches in diameter. 



Dauphin Lake is twenty-one miles long, has a greatest 

 breadth of twelve miles, and an area of 170 square miles. 

 Its approximate elevation above the level of the sea is 

 700 feet, or seventy-two feet above Lake Winnipeg. It 

 is very shallow. 



Our nets produced five splendid pike, weighing about 

 fifteen pounds each. 



At the close of the day the Indian returned. He had 

 advanced to the first great ridge, about nine miles distant, 

 and reported eighteen inches of water in the swamps, 

 with ice a quarter of an inch thick. 



Snow birds were seen for the first time during the 

 afternoon. They came about our camp in large flocks, 

 but they did not appear to have quite assumed their 

 winter dress. The evening and part of the night were 

 spent in making arrangements for an ascent of the Eiding 

 Mountain. We took provisions for four days, a blanket 



VOL. II. E 



