SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 89 



met with seventy -two between Lake Winnepeek and Lake 

 Superior ; the shortest was but about five yards, while the 

 longest was nearly four miles long. Many places are 

 considered as decharges or lightening places, when de- 

 scending the stream, which by ascending canoes are enu- 

 merated as portages. This ocoasions some confusion in the 

 terms. The remarkable points in this navigation are so 

 numerous that it is difficult for the Indians or the voyagers 

 to find names for them ; hence the terms which they apply 

 are at best insignificant. They are frequently repeated, 

 and oftentimes quite inapplicable. One of the characteris- 

 tic traits of the Chippewas is to give names directly the re- 

 verse of the property which the object presents, as a grove 

 was by the Romans called lucus, (ii non lucendo.) We 

 observe this practice to prevail with our Bois brules ca- 

 noe-men, who had no sooner seen our black man, Andrew, 

 than they immediately agreed among themselves to apply 

 to him the term WS.plshka, which means white. This 

 nickname was not given to him, however, in derision, as 

 that of snowball is frequently applied to those of his co- 

 lour among civilized men ; neither was it with a view to 

 wound his feelings, for he was never, as we believe, made 

 acquainted with the signification of this term. 



As soon as a canoe reaches a portage, a scene of bustle 

 and activity takes place, which none can picture to them- 

 selves but such as have seen it. The goods are unloaded, 

 and conveyed across, while the canoe is carried by the 

 stern and bowsmen. As soon as they have reached the end 

 of the portage, it is launched and reloaded without any 

 loss of time. An obstruction of one hundred yards does 

 not detain them more than twenty minutes. We had oc- 

 casion, however, more than once, to regret their speed, 

 which caused them to toss our baggage very unceremoni- 



