eight miles in extent, lying among hills of diluvial 

 formation, surmounted with pines, which fringe the 

 distant horizon, and form an agreeable contrast with 

 the greener foliage of its immediate shores. Its great- 

 est length is from southeast to northwest, with a 

 southern prolongation, or bay, which receives a 

 brook. The waters are transparent and bright, and 

 reflect a foliage produced by the elm, lynn, maple 

 and cherry, together with other species more abund- 

 ant in northern latitudes. The lake itself is of irregu- 

 lar form, which will be best illustrated by the ac- 

 companying sketch. It has a single island, upon which 

 w r e landed, after an hour's paddling from the spot 

 of our arrival and embarkation. We found here the 

 forest trees above named growing promiscuously with 

 the betula and spruce. The bones of fish and tortoise, 

 found at the locality of former Indian camp fires, in- 

 dicate the existence of these species in the lake. We 

 observed a deer, standing in the margin of the lake. 

 And here, as well as throughout the lakes of the re- 

 gion, we found the duck, teal and loon in possession 

 of their favorite seclusions. Innumerable shells (a 

 species of small helix) w r ere driven up on the hand 

 of the island. Other parts of the lake yield small 

 species of the unic, which were found strewing the 

 bed of the outlet. And it may here be remarked that 

 this shell exists, in the largest and heaviest species 

 heretofore known, in the lower parts of this stream 

 the Mississippi having its origin here. 



"The outlet of Itasca Lake is perhaps ten to twelve 

 feet broad, with an apparent depth of tw r elve to 

 eighteen inches. The discharge of water appears to 



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