OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. Ixv

The next river of magnitude is the river Dauphin, which empties
itfelf at the head of ,St. Martin’s Bay, on the Welt fide of the Lake
Winipic, latitude nearly 52. 15. North, taking its fource in the fame moun-
tains as the laft-mentioned river, as well as the Swan and Red-Deer
River, the latter paffing through the lake of the fame name, as well as
the former, and both continuing their courfe through the Manitoba Lake,
which, from thence, runs parallel with Lake Winipic, to within nine
miles of the Red River, and by what is called the river Dauphin,
difembogues its waters, as already defcribed, into that lake. Thefe
rivers are very rapid, and interrupted by falls, Sc. the bed being generally
rocky. All this country, to the South branch of the Safkatchiwine,
abounds in beaver, moofe-deer, fallow-deer, elks, bears, buffalos, &c.
The foil is good, and wherever any attempts have been made to raife
the efculent plants, &c. it has been found produétive.

On thefe waters are three principal forts for trade. Fort Dauphin,
which was eftablifhed by the French before the conqueft. Red-Deer-
River, and Swan-River Forts, with occafional detached pofts from thefe.
The inhabitants are the Knifteneaux, from the North of Lake Wini-
pic; and Algonquins from the country between the Red River and
Lake Superior; and fome from the Rainy Lake: but as they are not
fixed inhabitants, their number cannot be determined: they do not, how-
ever, at any time exceed two hundred warriors. In general they are
good hunters. There is no other confiderable river except the
Safkatchiwine, which I fhall mention prefently, that empties itfelf into
the Lake Winipic.

Thole

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