CONTOUE OF THE TEMBINA MOUNTAIN. 263 



An inspection of the map will show the contour of the 

 Pembina Mountain as far as ascertained ; where Mr. 

 Dickinson ascended it, fifteen miles north of the 49th 

 parallel it occurs in four distinct terraces. It crosses 

 the Assinniboine near the Bad Woods, blends with 

 the Biding and Duck Mountains, and probably appears 

 again on the main Saskatchewan, twenty-two miles from 

 the Grand Forks. The elevation of the entire country 

 east of this long ancient coast line is about 700 feet above 

 the level of the ocean, and it forms the boundary of a 

 distinct tract of lowland, in part surpassingly rich, as 

 over the Bed Biver and Assinniboine prairies, and the 

 region on the main Saskatchewan slightly elevated above 

 the area subjected to annual overflow ; part covered with 

 swamp, marsh, or level limestone rock, on which a few 

 inches of soil affords nourishment to small spruce, tamarac, 

 and aspen ; and finally, by a shallow water area extending 

 over 13,100 square miles, and embracing lakes which 

 rank with the first class in point of superficies on this 

 continent. 



High above the Pembina Mountain the steps and ter- 

 races of the Biding and Duck Mountains arise in well- 

 defined succession. On the southern and south-western 

 slopes of these ranges the terraces are distinctly exposed 

 to view ; on their north-east and north sides, the Biding 

 and Duck Mountains present a precipitous escarpment 

 which is elevated fully 1000 feet above Lake Winnipeg, 

 or more than 1600 feet above the sea. 



Standing on the edge of the escarpment of the Biding 

 Mountain and looking in the direction of Dauphin Lake, 

 a gulf, some twc hundred and fifty feet deep, is seen to 

 be succeeded by two ranges of cone-shaped hills covered 



* Geological Survey of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, p. 179. 



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