320 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



opinion is that the variety of forms and shapes of these 

 rocks is in the highest degree remarkable, and resembles, 

 or rather repeats on a small scale, those that so much 

 excited my wonder in the Sierra Nevada, and which I 

 have fully described hi " The Great Deserts and Forests 

 of North America " ; but for appalling grandeur and 

 sublimity of scenery the Sierra is not to be compared 

 to anything to be found in other parts of the north of 

 the continent. 



With regard to the nomenclature of the Superior 

 Lake cliffs, one difficulty in recognising the " Lions, 

 Eagles, Panthers," &c., of the popular parlance, arises 

 from the very remarkable way in which a slight change 

 of the spectator's position alters the apparent shape of 

 the viewed rock. That which looks like a rampant 

 horse from one spot, is changed into something more 

 nearly resembling a coffin, or long chest, by a move of 

 a few yards to the left or right. Some few of the 

 popularly named spots are worthy of their designations, 

 and some of these I will proceed to mention in rotation, 

 premising that the great majority of them are not 

 marked on my map ; and that I have often had to rely 

 on Indians and uneducated persons for such information 

 as I give. I have, however, carefully avoided making 

 any statement which I thought to be unlikely as regards 

 truth, or careless in fact. 



My explorations were mostly made in an Indian 

 canoe. Sometimes I took an Indian or two to paddle 

 for me, and sometimes I went alone. It depended on 

 the weather, and, consequently, on the distance I could 

 venture, and the time I might be absent from Marquette ; 

 for the navigation of all the great lakes is dangerous for 

 small boats, and particularly for canoes. The storms are 

 frequent, and come on with surprising suddenness, so 

 that on a coast where there is often no landing-place for 

 several miles, it is imperative for the humble voyageur 

 to keep his eye constantly on the watch for impending 



