We complied with the custom from
whence it derives its name and soon after landing upon Sail Island
prepared breakfast. In the meantime our boatmen cut down and rigged a new
mast, the old one having been thrown overboard at the mouth of Steel
River, where it ceased to be useful. We left Sail Island with a fair wind
and soon afterwards arrived at a depot situated on Swampy Lake where we
received a supply of mouldy pemmican.* Mr. Calder and his attendant were
the only tenants of this cheerless abode, and their only food was the
wretched stuff with which they supplied us, the lake not yielding fish at
this season.
(*Footnote. Buffalo meat, dried and pounded and mixed with melted fat.)
JACK RIVER.
After a short delay at this post we sailed through the remainder of
Swampy Lake and slept at the Lower Portage in Jack River; the distance
sailed today being sixteen miles and a half.
Jack River is only eight miles long but, being full of bad rapids, it
detained us considerably. At seven in the morning of the 24th we crossed
the Long Portage where the woods, having caught fire in the summer, were
still smoking. This is a common accident owing to the neglect of the
Indians and voyagers in not putting out their fires, and in a dry season
the woods may be seen blazing to the extent of many miles. We afterwards
crossed the Second, or Swampy, Portage and in the evening encamped on the
Upper Portage, where we were overtaken by an Indian bringing an answer
from Governor Williams to a letter I had written to him on the 15th in
which he renewed his injunctions to the gentlemen of the boats
accompanying us to afford us every assistance in their power. The Aurora
Borealis appeared this evening in form of a bright arch extending across
the zenith in a North-West and South-East direction. The extent of our
voyage today was two miles.
KNEE LAKE AND MAGNETIC ISLET.
About noon on the 25th we entered Knee Lake which has a very irregular
form and near its middle takes a sudden turn from whence it derives its
names. It is thickly studded with islands and its shores are low and well
wooded. The surrounding country as far as we could see is flat, being
destitute even of the moderate elevations which occur near the upper part
of Hill River. The weather was remarkably fine and the setting sun threw
the richest tints over the scene that I remember ever to have witnessed.
About half a mile from the bend, or knee, of the lake there is a small
rocky islet composed of magnetic iron ore which affects the magnetic
needle at a considerable distance.
