294 Topographical Notices. 



After retracing our way for a little, the Indian conducted 

 us to an extensive piece of water, which he called Otter 

 lake. Its waters run into the Nesswabic by the most 

 southerly of the two branches, meeting at the swamp before 

 spoken of, and which is only five or six miles distant from 

 Otter lake. Of course this southerly branch should have 

 been our route ; but 1 had no reason to regret our wander- 

 ing, as it was the means of throwing us in the way of this 

 Indian, without whose information we must have incurred 

 much more serious delay. 



He was one of the Iroquois tribe, who reside with the 

 Algonquins, at the Lake of the Two Mountains. They are 

 generally robust enterprising fellows; and, having no 

 hunting territory of their own, frequently ascend the 

 Ottawa, and passing over the grounds of their Algonquin 

 friends, make free with the beavers and otters, on those of 

 the Mississaguas. These Iroquois, from their roving habits, 

 are the best guides through this part of the country. The 

 hunter we had fallen in with, and his father, had been 

 rambling round this neighborhood for a twelve month, and 

 described it as bonne terre partout partout, and every where 

 abounding with small lakes. A few hours journey north- 

 ward fr.;u the like, on the northern branch of the Ness- 

 wabic, (and the shores of which are above described as 

 peculiarly fertile) he says the streams run off in a north- 

 westerly direction, and no doubt it must be to the south 

 river, so that it seems almost certain that there is no 

 material alteration in the nature of the country, before 

 reaching the waters running into lake Nipissing. Indeed, 

 from every thing that came under my observation, there 

 appears to be no distinct continuation of heights dividing 

 these level tracts, either towards the north or the west. 



