MOOSE TRACKS. 253 



his fathers. The shores all around it were bold and rocky, 

 save on the western side, where a broad sandy beach, of 

 a quarter of a mile in extent, lay between the water and 

 the shadow of the deep forest beyond. A solitary island 

 of half a dozen acres, covered with majestic pines and tall, 

 straight spruce trees, rises near the centre of the lake, 

 adding a new charm to its quiet beauty. The waters of 

 this little lake are clearer and more transparent than those 

 of any other we had seen ; we could see the white shells 

 on its sandy bottom, fifteen feet below the surface. This 

 peculiarity induced us to believe that we were above the 

 stratum of iron ore which seems to underlay most of this 

 wild region, coloring, while it does not render impure, the 

 waters of most of these lakes and rivers. I have frequently, 

 in my wanderings in these northern wilds, stumbled upon 

 outcropping orebeds, which, were they nearer market, or 

 more accessible to the energy and enterprise of the American 

 people, would be capable of building up gigantic fortunes, 

 but they are all valueless here, and probably will continue 

 so for generations to come. 



We saw the fresh tracks of a moose on the sandy beach, 

 tracks that had been made that morning, and we concluded 

 to spend the day here, in the hope of securing one of these 

 gigantic deer. We rowed to the island, intending to encamp 

 there. We entered a little bay, of half an acre, the points 

 forming it coming within a few yards of each other, and the 

 branches of the trees intertwining their long arms lovingly 

 above. As we landed, our dogs began nosing and dashing 



