than at the first crossing, while the banks of the river valley are low in proportion.

? [Question] as to whether alluvium in which remains found caused by flood of the river as at present, or whether belongs to bed of ancient river valley now cut into by Souris flowing at lower level. [The description sounds like a buffalo kill-site used more than once.- Ed.]

Camp "Big Slew"

Bar. 28.19

Ther.42

Souris R. at lower ford water level

28.23

57 Water 62

Camp 8 P.M. 20 ft above river

28.30

46.

June 9. All parties broke camp early. Had agreed with Ashe last night to go on quickly to R. Des Lacs at the Hill of the Murdered Scout to get some shooting. Started about 6 A.M. Passed all other parties & arrived at R des Lacs by 8.30. Ashe riding. Self driving in buckboard with Nilson. Saw two antelopes in the distance. Left horses on bank & walked some way down the R. des L. Great numbers of ducks & some geese, but when disturbed flew up & down over the water. Those shot above the water impossible to get, the lake being deep & bottom soft & no retrieving done. Shot several but unable to get them. Ashe managed to bag two flying over land. Found a well preserved & cleaned pelicans skull.

The R. des Lacs, so called, must have a valley nearly half a mile wide even in the upper end where the road goes round it. Where the line crosses it the water alone is nearly 3/4 m. across. It resembles a long lake. Reedy at the edges & lies between high banks, & is frequented by large numbers of wildfowl. It is said to extend southward 70 m. & join the southern bend of the Souris, giving issue there to a running stream. The present condition of affairs however will not at all account for its formation. It does not look like the valley of an old river tributary to the Souris as it ends Northwards so suddenly & has few branch coulés. A short tract of low ground however extends towards the Souris, & it may be an old bed of the Souris itself. In this case either the Northern end of the valley has been nearly filled up in some way, or the river being dammed back has spread out into a lake like expanse on the lower ground & finding at last exit to the south has formed the R. des Lacs valley.

Came Westward about 6 m. further after lunch & then camped.