Volume 1

8
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1
NEW PORTAGES TO RAINY LAKE.
gale from the N. W,, which obHged us to camp for the
night.
July J
1st. The wind still blew strong ahead; however,
with some difificulty, we got over the traverse to the first
Petit Portage Neuf, which is about 2CXD paces. Thence we
passed through a small winding river to the last Petit
Portage Neuf, which is about 300 paces long.^' Here we
gummed, and went down a crooked passage to the entrance
of Rainy lake." The wind, having increased, obliged us to
is a much shorter cut into Rainy 1., crossing Namakan 1. about 7 m.
W. N. W., and then on through a narrow passage of less than 2 m., with two
portages (see next note) ; a third, and entirely different way, passes through
Kabetogama or Kahpetogamak 1., and by portage into Rat Root 1., or Black
bay of Rainy 1.
^'
Mention of these two portages shows that Henry took the cut-off referred
to in the last note. This way is now called Soldiers' portage. Thompson gives
the same two portages that Henry names, as respectively of 135 and 180 yards,
N. W. and N. 30° W. ; he also speaks of his course " in a dead narrow,"
between them, and presently notes a fall on the left as he enters Rainy 1.
no doubt the Kettle falls I have already mentioned. We may be satisfied
therefore, that the usual trader's route took the Soldiers' portage cut-off from the
circuitous course of the main channel, or what is now the international boundary
line, between the two lakes. Compare McKenzie, p. Iv.
^"^
Rainy 1. is by far the largest body of water on this route, givirg name to the
whole waterway or chain of lakes thus far traversed since we left Pigeon r.,
more particularly to Rainy Lake r. , or Rainy r., which is the main issuant
stream, considerably less than lOO m. long, by which these waters are connected
with Lake of the Woods. The origin of the name has been questioned, and
" Rainy " said to be a corruption of Rene, "name of its Canadian discoverer."
But Rainy simply translates the old and still current French phrase, Lac a la
Pluie, or Lac de la Pluie, or Lac la Pluie—the implication of which does not
appear in the climate or weather, but in the mist, like rain, which is raised by
the cascade near the discharge of the lake into Rainy r. proper. This is stated
distinctly by Joseph La France, 1740, and is the usually accepted explanation,
which I see no reason to question. The French term itself is coupled
with and probably derived from an Indian word found in old records as
Tekamammaouen. It is written Tekamamihouenne by Verendrye, 1738.
James' Tanner's Narr., 1830, p. 79, says that " the river which falls into Rainy
Lake, is called Kocheche-se-bee, (Source River,)."
The lake is of more irregular figure, with more numerous, intricate connections
than would be imagined by one who had never examined a map of it on
a sufficiently large scale, or than could possibly be described in a few words.
Roughly speaking, it consists of a large northern expansion, with which we have
and