176 EXPEDITION TO THE 



customed to rowing than paddling, hailed with pleasure a 

 change in our mode of travelling. This boat was about 

 thirty feet long, and barely sufficient for the accommoda- 

 tion of our party, which was then reduced to twenty-two 

 persons, of whom four were Engages. 



Our provisions which were nearly exhausted, were re- 

 placed by a supply of a few bags of maize prepared in the 

 usual manner for voyagers. As no meal could be procured, 

 we were obliged to satisfy ourselves with the maize and 

 suet allowed to Engages. 



On the afternoon of the 15th of September, we took 

 leave of Messrs. Mackenzie and Henry, and commenced 

 our voyage along the north coast of Lake Superior. The 

 weather was fair, the wind favourable and not too strong, 

 we hoisted a sail, descended the river, entered the lake, and 

 soon lost sight of the fort. The river discharges its wa- 

 ters into a bay which is separated from the lake by a bar- 

 rier of small islands, one of which has received the name 

 of Pate, or pye, from its form. This is a high turreted 

 rock, elevated several "hundred feet. We passed at a dis- 

 tance from it, but it appeared to be formed of nearly ver- 

 tical cliffs, and the upper part presented the appearance of 

 a columnar division, while the lower seemed as though it 

 was formed of the same horizontally stratified slate, which 

 we had seen at the Falls of Kakabikka. Our course gave 

 us an opportunity of observing about three-fourths of its 

 circumference, on all which sides it appeared to be inac- 

 cessible. We were told, however, that it had been ascend- 

 ed, and that there is, on its summit, a small lake, stocked 

 with excellent fish. As we entered this bay. Isle Royal 

 could be distinguished as a faint blue streak, pencilled 

 along the horizon ; and after we had cleared the cluster of 

 small islands which enclose the bay, it was seen stretch- 



