Canadian Agriculture. 
245 
miles fov steamers of light draught, enters the Red lUver 45 miles from Lake 
Winnipeg, and at the confluence of the rivers (" the Forks ") is situated the 
city of Winnipeg. The Winnipeg, -which flows from the territorj^ lying 
south-east of Lake Winnipeg, is a noble river some 200 miles long, that after 
leaving the Lake of the Woods, dashes with its clear water over many cascades, 
and traverses very beautiful scenery. At its falls from tlie Lake of the Woods 
is one of the greatest and most easily utilised water-powers in the world (at 
Eat Portage). Like most rivers in the New World, the Red River is at inter- 
vals of years subject to freshets. In the 70 years' experience of the Selkirk 
colonists there have been four "floods." The highest level of the site of the 
city of Winnipeg is said to have been under 5 feet of water for several weeks 
in May and June in 182G, imder 2j feet in 1852, not covered in 1861, and 
only under water on the lowest levels in 1882. The extent of overflow has 
thus on each occasion been less. The loose soil on the banks of the river is 
every year carried away in great masses, and the channel has so widened as 
to render the recurrence of an overflow unlikely. The Saskatchewan, though 
not in the Province, empties into Lake Winnipeg less than half a degree from 
the northern boundary. It is a mighty river rising in the Rocky Mountains, 
and crossing 18 degrees of longitude. Near its mouth are the Grand Rapids. 
Above these, steamers ply to Fort Edmonton, a point upwards of 800 miles 
north-west of the city of Winnipeg. Steamers run from Grand Rapids, 
through Lake Winnipeg, up Red River to the city of Winnipeg " * 
At the time of the Rebellion, in 1870, the population of 
Winnipeg was 300 ; eleven years later it had risen to 9000 ; in 
the following year, 1882, it rose to 21,000, and there are now 
30,000 inhabitants. The total annual assessment of the city in 
1878 was 670,000/., whereas last year it had risen to 7,600,000/., 
and the preceding year it was even higher. In fact, the opening 
up by railways of the vast territory of which Winnipeg is, and 
must continue to be, the head-quarters, led to a " boom " 
amongst speculators, the reaction from which is still felt, though 
happily it is dying away. 
If a stranger should happen to be in W innipeg on a wet day, 
as it fell to my lot to be, he will carry away with him a memento 
of the city which is likely to make a lasting impression, if not 
on his mind, at least on his garments. 1 know in my case it 
did. It is the Winnipeg mud. Most of the roads are rivers of 
mud when the weather is wet, and the oxen in the Red River 
carts, and the unfortunate horses, seem quite accustomed to 
stand shoulder-deep in the mire. As I was out and about all 
day long, I received a very liberal plastering of that mud. I had 
it operated on in Toronto, in Montreal, in Quebec, in Halifax, 
in St. John, in Boston, in New York, till the cents began to 
mount up into dollars, and still that mud clung. In Liverpool, 
and again in London, the attack was renewed, but the indelible 
stains remained. Baffled and disheartened, I abandoned the 
struggle — I abandoned the garments too. It was suggested to 
* 'Encyc. Brit.,' Ninth Ed., 18S3, Art. - Manitoba." 
