1908.] 



EOUTES TRAVERSED 



»- — MACKENZIE. 



97 



Fort Resolution is situated on the south shore of the lake a short 

 distance west of the mouth of Slave River (PL YIII, fi^. 2). It 

 comprises the establishments of the Hudson's Bay and several private 

 trading companies, and of the Roman Catholic mission. The shore 

 in the vicinity is low and swampy and is covered Avith a mixed growth 

 of spruces and willows of small size, the descendants of the original 

 forest, long since removed for fuel. The soil is mainly a sandy loam. 

 Potatoes, turnips, beets, and other hardy vegetables are raised with 

 a considerable amount of success. Mission Island, formerly called 

 Moose Deer Island, and the site of early posts of the Hudson's 

 Bay and Xortliwest companies, lies half a mile northwest of the 

 post/' This island is moderately high and is well wooded, mainly 

 with spruce, and is one of a group which are arranged along the shore 

 to the eastward of the Slave River Delta, in a general northeast and 

 southwest direction. 



The narrow channels through which Slave River enters the lake 

 are disposed along a distance of over 20 miles of its coast line. Many 

 of these chamiels are so shalloAv in times of low water as to be almost 

 unnavigable even for canoes, and even in the main channel the (5 feet 

 of water necessary for the passage of the Wrigley is sometimes found 

 with difficulty. The alluvial islands which are inclosed by these chan- 

 nels are Ioav, and are mainly covered with grasses and willows. 

 Toward the head of the delta the islands are older and higher, and 

 have become clothed with willows, poplars, and spruces, in varying 

 degrees of combination, according to the age of the island. 



In July, 1901, and again in July. 1903, I crossed from Fort Reso- 

 lution to Fort Rae by the canoe route, which may be briefly described. 

 From Fort Resolution various channels are traversed to Stone Island, 

 near the extreme eastern part of the delta. This island, which sup- 

 ports a few shrubs, rises abruptly from the water and marks on this 

 shore the western limit of the granitic rocks. On the shore of the lake 

 near-by stand several small log houses, probably near the site of the 

 first trading post built on Great Slave Lake. (See p. 55.) 



« Thougii several trading visits bad been made to Great Slave Lake previously, 

 tbe first bouses were erected on tbe soutb sbore of tbe lake a sbort distance east 

 of tbe moutb of tbe Slave in 1785, by tbe Xortbwest Company. Tbeir post on 

 Moose Deer Island was establisbed not many years later. Still later tbe Hud- 

 son's Bay Company also built a post on tbe same island, wbere botb remained 

 until 1821, at wbicb time 'tbe latter company bad no post nortb of tbis point. 

 After tbe union of tbe two companies, in 1821, tbeir posts on Moose Deer 

 Island were abandoned, and Fort Resolution was built (probably in 1822) on 

 its present site. Tbe first Catbolic mission was built on Mission Island in 

 1856. Besides tbese, an early trading post was built on Slave River about 15 

 miles from tbe lake, but I bave no definite data concerning it. 



44131— Xo. 27—08 7 



