114 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



rxo. 27. 



On August 8 Ave continued northward among islands, passing close 

 to a peak about a thousand feet high on the eastern shore. This 

 mountain was very steep and rugged, but was wooded to the sum- 

 mit. A short distance north of here Ave reached the extremity of 

 the lake. From here a portage of about half a mile leads through 

 muskegs and oA^er several rocky ridges to a good-sized muskeg pond. 

 The latter part of this trail passes along the bare summit of a ridge 

 of rock where the path is plainly marked by the moccasined feet 

 of past generations of natives. From this pond Ave made a portage 

 of less than a quarter of a mile mainly through muskegs to another 

 similar lake, and then another carry of about three-eighths of a 

 mile to Lake Kae — the Lake Rosamond of Bell. Like most of the 

 lakes of this region it is irregular and full of islands. A rocky 

 promontory on its soutliAvest side is spoken of by Petitot as a favor- 

 its rendezvous of the Indians, and it is still much resorted to. Here 

 they gather in spring to make canoes and prepare for the sum- 

 mer trip to the Barren Grounds. On a large high island near by 

 many bundles of caribou-skin clothing, dog harness, and other Avinter 

 paraphernalia were suspended from tripods, thus cached securely 

 from the depredations of Avolverenes or stray dogs. Here in 1900 

 Bell, journeying soutliAvard from Great Bear Lake, first met Avith 

 Indians, Avho guided him to Fort Rae. 



On August 9 Ave made only a short journey. We passed northward 

 among the islands to the northeastern end of the lake, and made n 

 portage of a quarter of a mile over Ioav ground to the next body of 

 Avater, Lake St. Croix, Avhere Ave camped on a rocky promontory. 

 Here Ave were detained by high Avinds and storms until August 13. 



The river between lakes Rae and St. Croix leaves the former a 

 short distance Avest of the portage and falls into a small bay of Lake 

 St. Croix near the jDoint where Ave camped. The ground Avas mainly 

 high, but the depressions among the rocks held small swampy spots 

 Avhere leatherleaf {C hama; daphne) ^ sAveet gale {Myrica gcde)^ 

 Labrador tea {Ledum) ^ and various willows were the most conspicu- 

 ous shrubs. On the muddy shores a tiny croAvfoot {Ranunculus 

 reptans) was common, along Avith species of Potentilla and Poly- 

 gonum, 



On the highest part of the rocky point overlooking the main 

 area of the lake we found the large cross which Avas erected in 

 1864 by Pere Petitot, as before referred to. It Avas formed of 

 pieces of squared spruce about 7 inches in thickness, the upright 

 being some 15 feet long, and the crosspiece 6 or 7. Of the date, 

 1864, which Petitot inscribed in Roman characters, only an occa- 

 sional letter could be traced. Thus far Ave had been following in 

 a general way the route traveled by J. M. Bell in 1900, but we now 



