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DESCRIPTION OF THE OOUNTR Y 



lating, with meadows in the valleys, and aspen, pine, birch, and cypress on the 

 higher grounds, with an undergrowth of maple and bass-wood. 



Between three and five miles south of Red Lake, we passed three high barren 

 ridges, and one low one, with very steep sides, and separated by narrow valleys. 

 These ridges bear nearly northeast and southwest, and are composed of sand, inter- 

 mingled with gravel and pebbles, derived from both crystalline and sedimentary 

 rocks. The bases of these ridges are, probably, the extreme southwestern prolonga- 

 tions of the low granite ridges seen on Big Fork River, below the mouth of Opima- 

 bonowin River. North of the ridges is a valley about three-fourths of a mile wide, 

 thickly covered with small cypress. The most northerly ridge (the one next to 

 Red Lake) rises only eleven feet above the valley, and is very little higher than 

 the land near the Lake shores. The next one south of it is fifty-three feet above 

 the intervening valley ; and the third one is sixty-six feet above a small stream 

 which flows in the valley between it and the second one ; while the summit of the 

 fourth, or most southerly one, is eighty-two feet above the bottom of the valley 

 between it and the third. These ridges are not timbered ; only a little coarse grass 

 and a few scattering bushes grow on them. The valleys support a small growth of 

 such timber as was seen on the rolling lands immediately south of them. 



Very few boulders were seen in this section, and most of those noticed were de- 

 rived from the metamorphic schistose rocks, such as were met with on Big Fork 

 River, and along the northern line of exploration. Some few granite blocks were 

 seen, with angular outlines. 



Beyond the cypress valley mentioned above, the ground rises gradually, until the 

 general level of the belt of land immediately bounding the south shore of the lake 

 is attained. We reached Red Lake on the 24th of September, and were most kindly 

 received by Mr. and Mrs. Ayer, Mr. and Mrs. Wright, and Dr. and Mrs. Lewis, of 

 the Mission here. 



The lake — which is the largest of all the small lakes in the Territory, being 

 about thirty miles in diameter — is a double one. It is divided by two long penin- 

 sulas, which project into it from its eastern and western sides, into nearly equal 

 portions, the strait connecting them being about two and a half miles in width. 

 It contains no islands, and is represented as being very shallow in proportion to its 

 size. Its general shape, and the relative position of the two divisions, can be better 

 understood by consulting the map than from any description I could give, especially 

 as no survey was made of it. The position assigned it on the map is in accordance 

 with the observations of Col. Whittlesey, which were made on the south shore, 

 partly at the house of the Fur Company, and partly two miles west of it, at the 

 Mission. The outlet of the lake, which is a tributary of Red River of the North, 

 is in the southern division, near the base of the western peninsula. The eastern 

 peninsula is represented as being the site of Indian gardens, and bears northeast 

 and southwest, and is, therefore, parallel with the high ridges south of the lake. 



The Mission, which was established at this place in 1843, has been of great 

 service to the Indians. Under the instruction and example of the missionaries, 

 and by their assistance, a large tract of land has been cleared by the Indians, in 

 which they cultivate fields of corn and potatoes. In 184 8, three thousand bushels 



