BORDERING ON T HE SOURCES OF RED LA K E. 325 



canoes. For some distance below Gnat Lake, the channel of the river winds through 

 rice-fields. 



Gnat Lake Portage is three thousand six hundred paces long, and leads through 

 a cedar swamp for the first four hundred yards, after which the ground is high, and 

 timbered with pine, cypress, oak, and birch. The soil is sandy, and there is little 

 undergrowth. 



Between Gnat Lake and the dividing ridge, the river passes through four other 

 lakes, the last two of which, Turtle Lake and Lac des Morts, are of considerable 

 size. The portage from Lac des Morts is eleven hundred and forty paces long, and 

 leads to Hill Lake, the waters of which flow into Red Lake. The highest point of 

 the portage-path was estimated to be fifty-two feet above the level of Lac des Morts, 

 and the highest ground seen on the east of the portage, was not over twenty feet 

 higher. To the left of the portage is a small pond, connecting with Lac des Morts, 

 and between this and Hill Lake is a low swamp, through which the waters flowing 

 north and south of the dividing ridge must connect in times of high water. The 

 dividing ridge is timbered with oak, ash, aspen, birch, soft maple, bass-wood, and 

 elm. 



Hill Lake is about three quarters of a mile long, and half a mile wide, and is the 

 source of Red Lake River. It is not, however, navigable for canoes at its exit from 

 Hill Lake, and a portage is made to Papushkwa Lake. This portage passes over a 

 ridge in all respects like the dividing ridge, except that it is wooded principally with 

 aspen, and has more maple and less oak on it. 



On the borders of the lakes south of the dividing ridge, and also in the beds of 

 the streams connecting them, a great many boulders occur, and among them are 

 many fragments of limestone, in one of which (No. 587), I found a Murcliisonia. 

 On the dividing ridge, and beyond, as far as Red Lake, but comparatively few boul- 

 ders are met with. Those seen were of granitic and metamorphic rocks. The 

 ridges, as well as the beds of the streams, are made up of fine and coarse gravel. 

 Papushkwa Lake is the largest body of water on the route, and next to that Turtle 

 Lake. They both contain islands, and deep bays divided by long narrow points of 

 land. 



Where Red Lake River emerges from Papushkwa Lake, it is about fifteen feet 

 wide, and obstructed by rushes and reed grass, but after some distance, it expands 

 into small lakes, filled with the rice plant. About seven miles below the lake, the 

 stream ceases to be navigable for canoes, and " Red Lake Portage" begins. So far 

 as depth of water is concerned, the stream is navigable to Red Lake, and it was 

 the route formerly pursued by the traders in the transportation of their goods. But 

 in consequence of numerous obstructions from fallen timber, it has been disused for 

 a long time, and is now so overgrown with alder bushes that a canoe cannot pass. 

 It is also very crooked, and would require more time for its passage than it takes to 

 make the portage, which is about fifteen miles long. 



Several small lakes were seen in the first four miles of the portage, the shores of 

 which were timbered with oak, maple, ash, birch, aspen, and elm ; and one mile 

 further, low sandy ridges begin, covered with a growth of small aspen, with an 

 undergrowth of bass-wood. For the next five miles the country is gently undu- 



