Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1820. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

      Fig. 2 and Fig. 3

      With respect to the general question of the mineral character of this part of the country, and the probable value of its mineral and metallic deposits to the public domain, the entire class of facts, from which a judgment must be formed, are favorable. [53] Salts and oxides of copper are not only seen in various places in its stratification, but these indications of mineral wealth in this article are confirmed, by the subsequent discovery of masses of native copper, along the shore, and imbedded in its traps and amygdaloids. In addition to the opportunities of observation furnished by this expedition, subsequent public duties led me to perform seven separate trips along its shores, and each of these but served to accumulate the evidences of its extraordinary mineral wealth. Indications of the sulphurets, arseniates, and other ores of this metal are found in the older class of horizontal rocks; but it is to the trap-rocks alone that we must look for the veins of native metal. Some of these masses contain silver, in a state of combination. Traces of this metal, chiefly in the boulder form, are found in the metalliferous horizontal strata. Nor is there wanting evidence, that there are localities of virgin copper, which do not promise a considerable percentage of the metal. A mass of steatite, imbedding a heavy mass of pure native silver, which had been probably carried from the northwest, with the drift stratum, was found cast out quite into the Huron basin; and this rock, in its intimate associations with the serpentine formation of Lake Superior, should be closely scrutinized. There is also a formation of slate and quartz in the primitive district, which is entitled to particular attention.

      Inorganic masses are developed, throughout the globe, without regard to climate. Russia yields the precious metals in great profusion, and there are no laws governing the distribution of these metals, which forbid the expectation that they should be abundantly disclosed by the stratification of the basin of Lake Superior. With respect to the useful metals, particularly copper and iron, it is undeniably the richest and most extensive locality of these metals on the globe. [54]

CHAPTER VII.

       Table of Contents

      Proceed along the southern coast of Lake Superior from the Ontonagon, to Fond du Lac—Porcupine range of mountains—Streams that run from it, at parallel distances, into the lake—La Pointe—Group of the Federation Islands—River St. Louis—Physical geography of Lake Superior.

      Head winds detained the expedition at the mouth of the Ontonagon, during the day and the day following that of our arrival from the copper rock. It was the first of July, at half-past four o'clock, A. M., when the state of the lake permitted us to embark. Steering west, we now had the prominent object of the Porcupine Mountains constantly in view. At the distance of fifteen miles, we passed the Pewabik Seebe, or Iron River. This stream, after ascending it a couple of miles, is a mere torrent, pouring from the Porcupine Mountains, over a very rough bed of grauwakke, which forbids all navigation. At the computed distance of five leagues beyond this stream, we passed the river called Pusábika, or Dented River, so called from standing rocks, which resemble broken human teeth. The Canadians, who, as previously remarked, appear to have had but a limited geographical vocabulary, called this Carp River, neglectful of the fact that they had already bestowed the name on a small river which flows into the bay south of Granite Point. [55] We were now at the foot of the Kaug range, which is one vast upheaval of trap-rock, and has lifted the chocolate-colored sandstone, at its base, into a vertical position. The Pusábika River originates in this high trap range, from which it is precipitated, at successive leaps, to the level of the lake, the nearest of which, a cascade of forty feet, is within three miles of the river's mouth.

      

      Six miles further brought us to the Presque Isle River of the Canadians, for which I heard no Indian name. It also originates on this lofty trap range, and has worn its bed through frightful chasms in the grauwackke, through which it enters the lake. Within half a mile of its entrance, the river, hastening from its elevations, drops into a vast cauldron scooped in the grauwackke rock, whence it glides into the lake. Here are some picturesque and sublime views, worthy the pencil.

      Two leagues beyond this river we reached and passed the entrance of Black River, another of the streams from the Kaug range. It is stated to be rapid, and to have its source south of the mountains, in a district sheltered from the lake winds, and suited to agriculture. Its borders bear at the same time indications of mineral wealth. Eight miles beyond this river, we encamped on the open shores of the lake, after travelling fifty miles. Having been doubled up in the canoe for all this distance, landing on terra firma, and being able to stretch one's legs, seemed quite a relief. "I will break a lance with you," quoth A to B, addressing Mr. Trowbridge, offering him at the same time a dried stalk, which had been cast up by the waves. We were, in fact, as much pleased to get ashore, after the day's confinement, as so many boys let loose from confinement in school. In strolling along the shore, I recognized the erismatolite, in the dark upheaved sandstone at this locality.

      We here observed a phenomenon, which is alluded to by Charlevoix as peculiar to this lake. Although it was calm, and had been so all day, save a light breeze for a couple of hours after leaving the Ontonagon, the waters near shore were in a perfect rage, heaving and lashing upon the rocks, in a manner which rendered it difficult to land. At the same time, scarce a breath of air was stirring, and the atmosphere was beautifully serene.

      On passing thirteen miles, the next morning, we reached the mouth of the Montreal River, which is the last of the mountain streams of the Kaug range. It throws itself from a high precipice of the vertical sand-rock, within sight of the lake, creating quite a picturesque view. [56] (Vide Information respecting the History, Customs, and Prospects of Indian Tribes, vol. iv. plate 26.)

      On landing here a few moments, at an early hour, the air being hazy, we knocked down some pigeons, which flew very low. [57] This bird seems to be precisely the common pigeon of the Atlantic borders. The Indians had constructed a fish-weir between the lake and Montreal falls, where the lake sturgeon are caught.

      After passing about a league beyond the Montreal, the voyager reaches a curve in the lake shore, at which it bends to the north and northwest. This curve is observed to extend to the De Tour of the great bay of Fond du Lac, a computed distance of the voyageurs of thirty-six miles, which, as before indicated, is about one-third overrated. The immediate shore is a level plain of sand, which continues to Point Chegoimegon, say eighteen miles. About two-thirds of this distance, the Muskeego [58] River enters through the sandy plain from the west. This is a large stream, consisting of two primary forks, one of which connects it with Chippewa River, and the other with the River St. Croix of the Mississippi. The difficulties attending its ascent, from rapids and portages, have led the French to call it Mauvaise, or Bad River. [59] Passing this river, we continued along the sandy formation to its extreme termination, which separates the Bay of St. Charles by a strait from that remarkable group of islands, called the Twelve Apostles by Carwer. It is this sandy point, which is called La Pointe Chagoimegon [60] by the old French authors, a term now shortened to La Pointe. Instead of "twelve," there are, however, nearer thirty islands, agreeably to the subjoined sketch, by which it is seen that each State in the Union may stand sponsor for one of them, and they might be more appropriately called the Federation Group. Touching at the inner or largest of the group, we found it occupied by a Chippewa village, under a chief called Bezhike. There was a tenement occupied by a Mr. M. Cadotte, who has allied himself to the Chippewas. Hence we proceeded about eleven miles to the main shore, where we encamped at a rather late hour. I here found a recurrence of the granitic, sienitic, and hornblende rocks, in high orbicular hills, and improved the brief time of daylight to explore the vicinity. The evening proved lowering and dark, and this eventuated in rain, which continued all night, and until six o'clock the next morning. Embarking at this hour, we proceeded northwest about eight miles, to Raspberry River, and southwest to Sandy River. Here we were driven ashore by a threatening tempest, and before we had unladen the canoes, there fell one of the most copious and heavy showers of rain. The water seemed fairly to pour from the clouds. We had not pitched a