*~'12 EXPEDITION TO TUB 



be no question, except as to the quantity of water that can 

 be brought to their summits, as before intimated. 



A water communication connecting the west end of 

 Lake Erie with the southern extremity of Lake Michigan 

 will ere long become a subject of great interest, inasmuch 

 as it must be regarded as an important link in the grand 

 chain of internal navigation connecting New York with 

 the country of the Mississippi. The route by which this 

 is to be effected remains also to be explored, but the abun- 

 dance and size of the water-courses intervening between 

 these two places, leave but little room to doubt of its prac- 

 ticability. 



III. Of the Country and navigable Communications 

 between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi river. 



No part of the region traversed by the Expedition can 

 be considered more interesting than that now under con- 

 sideration. The surface, which is generally prairie, is 

 agreeably diversified by gentle swells and vallies, and 

 checkered with skirts of woodland fringing its numerous 

 water-courses. The soil in many places is exuberant in a 

 high degree, and is no where infested with rocks or stones. 

 The bottoms especially exhibit proofs of the greatest fe- 

 cundity, in the rankness of their vegetable products ; to 

 these valuable traits must be added the abundance of lead 

 ore, which prevails in many places ; all of which conspire 

 to render this country quite as valuable as any other tract 

 of equal extent within the basin of the Mississippi. In this 

 brief recital of the natural advantages and resources of the 

 country, it should not be forgotten, that the facilities for 

 water communications between the lake and the Missis- 

 sippi are numerous ; there being no less than three differ- 



