He is not however
invincible and was foiled in one of his attempts by the artifice of an
old woman who succeeded in taking him captive. She called in all the
women of the tribe to aid in his punishment, and he escaped from their
hands in a condition so filthy that it required all the waters of the
Great Lake to wash him clean; and ever since that period it has been
entitled to the appellation of Winnipeg, or Muddy water.
Norway Point forms the extremity of a narrow peninsula which separates
Play Green and Winnipeg Lakes. Buildings were first erected here by a
party of Norwegians who were driven away from the colony at Red River by
the commotions which took place some time ago. It is now a trading post
belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company. On landing at Norway House we met
with Lord Selkirk's colonists who had started from York Factory the day
before us. These poor people were exceedingly pleased at meeting with us
again in this wild country; having accompanied them across the Atlantic
they viewed us in the light of old acquaintances. This post was under the
charge of Mr. James Sutherland, to whom I am indebted for replacing a
minutehand on the chronometer which was broken at the White Fall, and I
had afterwards the satisfaction of finding that it went with
extraordinary regularity.
The morning of the 7th October was beautifully clear and the observations
we obtained place Norway House in latitude 53 degrees 41 minutes 38
seconds North, and longitude 98 degrees 1 minute 24 seconds West; the
variation of the magnetic needle 14 degrees 12 minutes 41 seconds East,
and its dip 83 degrees 40 minutes 10 seconds. Though our route from York
Factory has rather inclined to the South-West the dip, it will be
perceived, has gradually increased. The difference produced by reversing
the face of the instrument was 7 degrees 39 minutes. There was too much
wind to admit of our observing with any degree of accuracy the quantity
of the magnetic force.
We left Norway House soon after noon and, the wind being favourable,
sailed along the northern shore of Lake Winnipeg the whole of the ensuing
night; and on the morning of the 8th landed on a narrow ridge of sand
which, running out twenty miles to the westward, separates Limestone Bay
from the body of the Lake. When the wind blows hard from the southward it
is customary to carry boats across this isthmus and to pull up under its
lee. From Norwegian Point to Limestone Bay the shore consists of high
clay cliffs against which the waves beat with violence during strong
southerly winds.
