12 On the Geography and Geology 



water, at intervals, for three miles, in scarps and slopes. The re- 

 mainder of the 27 miles to Point Gargantua is a ragged coast, 

 chiefly of naked rock, backed by round hills of granite, which, 

 near Gargantua, touch upon the Lake. 



Point Gargantua is a prominent feature in the east side of Lake 

 Superior. It has a very indented front ; being composed of a great 

 number of ridges from 20 to 80 feet high, closely grouped to- 

 gether, and from time to time broken by the waves and weather ; 

 leaving ragged perpendicular ends with coves between them, strewn 

 with black sand. The granitic region, a mile in the rear, is des- 

 titute of vegetation, but the point itself (amygdaloidal) is clothed 

 with small pine, birch, poplar, and a profusion of mosses. The 

 river Gargantua issues at the bottom of a small bay, beset with 

 isles, south of and contiguous to the point. I did not see it. 



Gargantua Point has numerous islets scattered along its south 

 side, for two or three miles ; but they do not extend far into the 

 lake. They are low and woody. At the south end, however, one 

 presents a cliff 100 feet high. Intermixed with these islets and 

 especially on their outside, are solitary high ridges in a state of 

 ruin, and a vast number of small detached pointed rocks, scarcely 

 rising above water. A pyramidal fragment of one of these ridges, 

 50 feet in height, situated a few hundred yards off the point, is 

 an object of adoration among the Indians, and has given to the 

 locality its name. 



Point Gargantua may be very properly considered the south 

 angle of the great bay of Michipicotan. The two sides of this 

 bay, together with a line drawn across its mouth, forms a rude 

 equilateral triangle, the north side and chord being 27 miles long, 

 the south 25*, and the bottom four miles wide: the direction of 

 the axis of the bay is north-east. 



The south side is broken into several large bays; Capes Choyyc 

 and Maurepas being the most important headlands. A lofty style 

 of country prevails throughout the whole of this side ; the hills 



* I disregard here the curvatures which would affect the distance by canoe 

 route. 



