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Grand River being Scarcely more than Forty five Leagues – from this Lake we formerly got a Great quantity of Peltries, it being a Place where some families resort to again for the Lake of the Fishery it affords[.] The other is the willow Lake which lies north west form this Fort & is about twenty leagues distant[.] This last is middling Large supposed to be about 40 miles Broad and Sixty Long[.]

Besides the above mentioned Lakes there are numberless small Lakes dispersed here and there in the North Side of the Grand River – which however form no connection tho' they are Placed very near each other[.]

Rivers

Rivers of any Note which form a junction with the Grand River, are the River aux Liard (formerly Called the Grand River Forks) this river comes from the Southard & derives its waters from the Rocky mountain and the discharges of Small Lakes[.] The Next is the outlet of the Great Willow Lake which falls in with the Grand River about one Hundred & fifty miles below this place[.] The last is the Bear River[.] [A]ll these three are Shallow and rapidous, the River au Liard which is considered the Largest is So Shallow that M^r Keith (who has charge of a Post in the upper Part,) had the greatest difficulty of reaching his Winter Quarters with Six pieces of Goods only in his Canoe[.] This was Last Fall[.] This River Produces the mines, minerals, before mentioned and the Best Peltries that are taken out of this Department[.] The Climite in the upper End of this River is much milder than at this Place, the Spring is at least a fortnight or three weeks earlier & the Fall Later, Tho the river is taken in Fall by the first Frost[.]

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