5 On the Geography and Geology 



lartiiiiar to the Canadian and American fur-traders, the infor- 

 mation respecting it before the public is meagre and inexact. On 

 the rtorth shore the interval between the lake and the summit level 

 is variable. The source of the West Savannah River has been 

 shewn to be 70 miles from the lake; those of the Nipigon, Peek, 

 and Michipicoton rivers exceed that distance, while for a certain 

 space west of the Grand Portage, the streams take their rise much 

 nearer. 



Having premised these general observations, I now proceed to 

 the description of the more minute geography of Lake Superior. 

 This will be conducted from the east along the north shore. The 

 geology will be treated separately, for the sake of clearness and 

 easy reference. 



Travellers usually enter Lake Superior by the River St. Mary, 

 completing their equipments at the picturesque village opposite 

 the " Falls of St. Mary," as the Great Rapids are styled. These 

 are three quarters of a mile long, by about half a mile broad, the 

 river being there narrowed by a broad tongue of land, protruding 

 from the north shore, and affording a swampy site for the Store- 

 houses of the Hudson's Bay Company. Close below this con- 

 tractioa the river is a mile broad. 



The rapids may be described in few words, as flowing swiftly in 

 billows and broken whitened waters over a slope of ledges and 

 bowlders, through a thickly wooded country, whose want of ele- 

 vation has permitted the formation, on each side, of a number of 

 islets divided by channels, which are narrow on the left, but much 

 wider on the right bank. The bed and sides are loaded with 

 large rolled masses, which can be traced with certainty to Lakes 

 Superior and Huron. The right bank of the rapid along the lower 

 half and below, varies from 10 to 50 feet in height, and is com- 

 posed of light alluvial earth. This acclivity is more distant on 

 the Canadian shore, and is of the same elevation ; but is full of 

 small rolled primitive masses. 



The River St. Mary extends 16^ miles above these rapids. 

 Durino- the first six and a half miles, its low banks of marsh and 

 %yood are tolerably parallel, and from one to one and a half miles 



