SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 231 



VI. Of the country between Lakes Winnepeek and Su- 

 perior. 



The hydrography of this region is as yet very defective, 

 and although it may be traversed in a thousand directions, 

 must forever remain so, if the shape, magnitude, and posi- 

 tion of innumerable lakes embosoming myriads of islands, 

 and the courses, sinuosities, and declivities of countless 

 channels by which they are united, are deemed essential as 

 rudiments of that science. The country is literally a wil- 

 derness of lakes, islands, and peninsulas ; a mazy waste, 

 so inhospitable and irreclaimable, as to mock the art and 

 enterprize of man, and bid defiance to his industry. 



The water route most frequented between the Lake of 

 the Woods and Lake Winnepeek, is denominated Winne- 

 peek river, which enters the lake last mentioned in lati- 

 tude 50° 36' 30", and has an extent of about one hundred 

 and seventy miles. It is composed of a series of deep and 

 broad basins rising one above another, and serving as the 

 channel of a huge volume of water, which is precipitated 

 from one basin to another in tumultuous cataracts of the 

 most romantic character. Of these water falls, there are no 

 less than thirty-one in the route above mentioned, which 

 interrupt the passage of canoes, and at all of which are car- 

 rying places. The aggregate descent of water in Winne- 

 peek river may be estimated at four hundred and ten feet, 

 which may be considered as the elevation of the Lake of 

 the Woods above Lake Winnepeek. The route by Covert 

 and Sturgeon Dam rivers is probably the most direct, (the 

 lower portion of which is the same with that above men- 

 tioned,) but the obstructions are said to be more numerous 

 and formidable, especially in a low stage of water. Besides 

 these there are numerous other deviations from the main 



