. OF STHE:} FUR’ TRADE, &c. Ixxix

fhout of that animal; and here they alfo were formerly accuftomed to
offer facrifices. ‘This lake is feparated only by a narrow ftrait from the
Lake du Serpent, which runs North-North-Weft feven miles, to a nar-
row channel, that conneéts it with another lake, bearing the fame name,
and running the fame courfe for eleven miles, when the rapid of the fame
denomination is entered on the Well fide of the lake. It isto be remarked
here, that for about three or four miles on the North-Weft fide of this
lake, there is an high bank of clay and fand, clothed with cyprefs trees,
a circumftance which is not obfervable on any lakes hitherto mentioned,
as they are bounded, particularly on the North, by black and grey rocks,
It may alfo be confidered as a moft extraordinary circum ftance, that the
Chepewyans, go North-Weft from hence to the barren grounds, which
are their own country, without the affiftance of canoes; as it is well
known that in every other part which has been defcribed, from Cumber-
land Honfe, the country is broken on either fide of the dire€tion to a
_ great extent: fo that a traveller could not go at right angles with any
of the waters already mentioned, without meeting with others in every
eight or ten miles. This will alfo be found to be very much the cafe
in proceeding to Portage la Loche,

The laft mentioned rapid is upwards of three miles long, North-Weft
by Welt; there is, however, no carrying, as the line and poles are fuffi-
cient to drag and fet the canoe againft the current. Lake Croche is
then croffed in a Welterly direCtion of fix miles, though its whole length
may be twice that diftance; after which it contra¢ts to a river that
runs Welterly for ten miles, when it forms a bend, which is left to the

South

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