MAMTOBAH ISLAND. 



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within sight, I visited the islands opposite Manitobah 

 House, the marshes at the mouth of Ebb and Flow Lake, 

 and the country in the rear of the Post. Its extraordinary 

 flatness is shown by the great expanse of marsh about the 

 islands, and along the coast north of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company's Post. The level of the lake was three feet 

 below high water mark, and about two feet above the 

 lowest point to which it has been known to fall for many 

 years. 



The boat not arriving on the evening of the 22nd, I 

 determined to take a small supply of provisions and go 

 with Whiteway the half-breed, who had accompanied me 

 from Dauphin Lake, as far as Manitobah Island, about 

 twelve miles in a direction due north, and there await its 

 arrival. This part of Lake Manitobah is not more than 

 from three to four miles across, studded with low islands, 

 and on the east side the coast is indented with deep bays. 

 The strait is shallow, twenty-one feet of water close to 

 the Narrows being the greatest depth recorded. 



Manitobah Island, from which the lake derives its name, 

 is about 600 yards long, and 200 yards broad ; on its 

 north side there is a perpendicular limestone cliff fifteen 

 feet high ; a few yards from its edge, a well defined 

 ancient lake beach crosses the island, resembling in most 

 particulars the Eidge Pitching track, or the Big Eidge of 

 the Assinniboine. The part that remains in a good state 

 of preservation is not more than 150 yards long, the 

 breadth of the island being here about 220 yards. From 

 this ancient beach, the land slopes gradually in a southerly 

 direction to the present beach, with its fringe of rushes at 

 the south extremity of the island. The timber consists of 

 oak and birch ; many of the first named tree have been 

 cut by the people of Fairford and Manitobah House. 



The native carpenter employed to build Mr. Mac- 



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