4 
way House; and this was the route which the Red River settlers, on their 
way from Scotland, to the regions now called Selkirk and Winnipeg, fol- 
lowed in the years 1812, 1813, and 1815. From Norway House to Island 
lake the journey is to be made entirely by canoe and takes from six to nine 
days. This journey, on account of its long, numerous, and very difficult 
portages, no doubt merits the claim put forward for it of being perhaps 
the most difficult regular route that is undertaken in the north at the 
present time. It is especially to be noted that the route which at present 
is used between Island lake and Norway House has been known only for 
about fifteen years. Prior to that time it was the custom to replenish the 
stock at Island lake by a more devious route; by one that passed through 
Gods lake and across a deep swamp, about 3 miles in length, and over a 
height of land. This swamp is euphemistically known as “Mossy portage.” 
As apparently it was found to be impracticable or else inexpedient to 
portage heavy York freighting boats across this bog, Mossy portage 
became a relay point, i.e., freight was brought as far as this portage by 
crews from York Factory or from Oxford House, where they were met by 
crews from Island lake, who took charge of the freight, transferred it to 
their own canoes, and conveyed it to the company’s post at Island lake. 
From this account it would appear that Mossy portage served as a 
barrier to separate the Indians at Island lake from the world to the north 
and west of them. I am, moreover, informed that even to this day the 
people of Island lake hold themselves aloof from their countrymen of other 
bands; even when they meet them on the trail they neither camp with 
them nor do they eat together. 
On the eastern side, however, it may be that indirect contact has, in 
the past, been made with white people at a post (founded in 1685) at the 
mouth of Severn river, which like the Hayes, flows into Hudson bay. It 
is, in fact, said, or rather, I am definitely informed, that at Trout lake — 
a region about 120 miles to the east of the Indian encampment at Island 
lake — there are a number of children who unmistakably are of white blood; 
and that some of the men have beards and are called “Beardy” or “Pardy” 
which is the Indian attempt at pronouncing this word. There are today 
at Island lake forty or more Indians who have within recent years migrated 
from this Trout Lake region. 
Such is the story one hears locally today; another account was ap- 
parently current fifty years ago.^ It runs as follows: 
“Those Island Lake Indians were never stunted by portaging. They 
live in their canoes and make hardly any portages. No portages were 
necessary where they live. I visited that tribe just fifty-one years ago 
this summer and heard the story of their origin, which also explains their 
short stature. It appears that long ago (150 years) a hunting party of 
Swampy Crees went down the Severn, and when near the mouth of that 
river, ran across a party of Eskimos. The two parties started fighting. 
The Crees drove the Eskimos on to an island at the mouth of Severn 
river, slaughtered all the males, and took the women and girls back to 
Island lake. The stunted tribe of Island lake are the offspring of these 
Swampy Crees and the Eskimo women. This is shown by the fact that 
two-thirds of the men are bearded. 
1 “Mr. H. R. Halpin, western old-timer, and former Hudson's Bay employee.” Mani/iba Free Press, June, 
1027 . 
