2-982-410 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Canadian Red River Exploring Expedition - Ford of the Roseau River, and Indian Fish Weir, 1858. 'The Roseau, or Reed-grass River, falls into Red River about ten miles north of the boundary line between Rupert's Land and the United States. With a view to learn something of the character of this river...in September last Mr. Hind, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. Fleming, and several half-breeds, made an exploration of the river from its mouth to the dead water of Roseau Lake, when further progress on horseback became impossible on account of the swamps. The Sketch shows the place where the trail from Red River Settlement to St. Paul, Minnesota State, crosses the river. On the opposite bank the skeletons of large Indian wigwams are seen. The small skeleton is a "sweating-house," into which the medicine-men place their patients, and, closing every aperture with skins or birch bark, envelop the unfortunate invalid in steam, by pouring water on hot stones introduced from time to time...Below the wigwams is a fish-weir, rudely constructed of branches of trees and brush. In these pounds, as they may be termed, the Indians catch large quantities of fish, scooping them out of the narrow extremity with a small net'. From "Illustrated London News", 1858.