SOURCE OF ST. PETEK's RIVER. 243 



ef the Great American Desert, a sterile dreary waste, three 

 or four hundred miles in width, stretching along the east- 

 ern verge of the Rocky Mountains, from Red river of the 

 south to Athabasca in the north, a distance of more than 

 fourteen hundred miles, may be added as a continuation of 

 the line of our natural defence. Thus a portion of our fi'on- 

 tier, embracing an extent of nearly two thousand miles, is 

 so well fortified by nature as to require no artificial struc- 

 tures but such as are appropriate in Indian warfare. No 

 regular military works will of course be required on that 

 extent of frontier, except such as may be required to pro- 

 tect the American fur trade, and counteract the hostile pur- 

 poses of the Indians. 



Before we dismiss this subject, we would remark, that 

 the strait of Mackinaw, (Michilimachinack,) presents it- 

 self as one of the most impoi'tant passes to an extensive in- 

 terior coast, and indirectly to the very vitals of the west- 

 ern country that is any where to be found westward of the 

 Alleghany Mountains. By means of this channel the 

 whole coast of Lake Michigan, embracing an extent of 

 more than six hundred miles, is open to the attack and de- 

 predations of any regular force that might be disposed to 

 wage hostilities in that direction. Whereas if the entrance 

 into Lake Michigan through this pass, were effectually 

 guarded by a chain of military works stretching across the 

 straits, at or near the island of Mackinaw, any future dan- 

 ger to be apprehended in that quarter, would be effectually 

 obviated, and it would no longer be necessary to maintain 

 garrisons at Green Bay, Chicago, and other points on the 

 lake, except for the purpose of restraining the Indians and 

 securing the frontier against their attacks. The practica- 

 bility of establishing a line of works that would effectually 

 command the passage of the straits, has not yet been 



