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Ixxxiv A GENERAL HISTORY

But we muft now renew the progrels of the route. It is not more
than two miles from Ifle a la Croffe Fort, to a point of land which
forms a cheek of that part of the lake called the Riviere Creufe, which.
preferves the breadth already mentioned for upwards of twenty miles;
then contra&ts to about two, for the diftance of ten miles more, when it
opens to Lake Clear, which is very wide, and commands an open horizon,
keeping the Welt fhore for fix miles. The whole of the diftance men-
tioned is about North-Weft, when, by a narrow, crooked channel, turn-
ing to the South of Weft, the entry is made into Lake du Boeuf, which is.
contra&ted near the middle, by a projetting fandy point; independent of
which it may be defcribed as from fix to twelve miles in breadth, thirty-
fix miles long, and in a North-Welft direétion. At the North-Welt
end, in latitude 56. 8. it receives the waters of the river la Loche, which,
in the fall of the year, is very fhallow, and navigated with difficulty
even by halfladen canoes. Its water is not fufficient to form ftrong
rapids, though from its rocky bottom the canoes are frequently in con-
fiderable danger. Including its meanders, the courfe of this river may
be computed at twenty-four miles, and receives its firft waters from the
lake of the fame name, which is about twenty miles long, and fix wide;
ito which a fmall river flows, fufficient to bear loaded canoes, for
about a mile and an half, where the navigation ceafes; and the canoes,
with their lading, are carried over the Portage la Loche for thirteen
miles.

This portage is the ridge that divides the waters which difcharge them-
{elves into Hudfon’s Bay, from thofe that flow into. the Northern ocean,
and is in the latitude 56, 20. and longitude 109.15. Weft. It runs South

Welt