Volume 1

CONNECTIONS OF RED RIVER IN MINNESOTA. I49
[Basswood lake], and Lac de Travers [Traverse lake].
These adjoin the strong wood, and are supplied by many
rivulets. Leaving Riviere aux Schaitake [sic], Red river
becomes shallow and rapid, with frequent reefs of stone.
There is, however, no fall or cascade, but continual rapids.
Passing these rapids, which are navigable for large canoes
with full loads of 70 pieces, baggage included, we come to
a small round lake [?], which is crossed from N. to S., not
more than a mile, when a short, narrow rivulet succeeds to
Otter Tail lake [Lac a la Queue de Loutre]. This is the
principal source of Red river, and is about nine miles in
circumference ; its shores are partially wooded, and the
surrounding country is level and open—on the whole, a
delightful place.
The direct course of Red river, from Otter Tail lake to
Lake Winipec [Winnipeg], may be said to run due N., or
rather W. of N., through as pleasant a country as there is
in America, with plenty of water for navigation, an excellent,
fertile soil, and the best of wood for every purpose.
Tall oaks are to be found, as straight as a reed, without a
branch for 30 to 50 feet from the ground. The Hard is of
extraordinary size ; I have measured them of seven fathoms
circumference, at five feet from the ground. The elm and
bois blanc are also very large, and so are many of the ashes.
There is abundance of wood on the banks of the river to
answer every purpose for ages to come.
On the S. side of Otter Tail lake is a portage about a mile
long, through a fine, open plain to a small lake ;
then again
a short portage to another small lake, on the S. side of
which issues a small creek, running southward, and soon
falling into Leaf lake, which is of no great size. Here commences
Leaf river, which is broad, shallow, and frequently
interrupted by stones and rapids ; but large canoes can pass
with ease, full loaded. Having run E. for about 12 leagues,
Leaf river enters the strong wood, the meadows stretching
southward
; a few leagues more, and it empties into Riviere
a L'Aile du Corbeau [Crow Wing river], which meets it