52 NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 



or an occasional landing — by cbanges of forest-trees — of the wind, 

 or flights of the gull, duck, plover, and other birds; but the travel- 

 ler, is apt, before evening comes, to fancy himself very much in 

 the position of a piece of merchandise which is transported from 

 place to place. Glad were we when night approached, and the 

 order to encamp was heard. It was estimated we had advanced 

 thirty-five miles. 



On passing along the Huron coast about fifteen miles, a bank 

 of dark clay is encountered, which has an elevation of thirty or 

 forty feet, and extends six or eight miles. We soon after came 

 to the White Kock — an enormous detached mass, or boulder of 

 transition,* or semi-crystalline limestone. It is a noted landmark 

 for voyageurs and travellers, and an equally celebrated place of 

 offerings by the Indians. I requested to be landed on it, and 

 detached some specimens. Geologically, it is a member of the 

 erratic block group, and we must look for its parent bed at a 

 more westerly point. There is no formation of limestone, in this 

 quarter, to which it can be referred. It bears marks of attrition, 

 which shows .that it has been rubbed against other hard bodies ; 

 and if transported down the lake on ice, it is necessary to consi- 

 der these marks as pre-existing at the era of its removal. 



On embarking in the morning, the wind was slightly ahead, 

 which continued during the forenoon, changing in the after-part 

 of the day, so that we were able to hoist sail. About four o'clock 

 the weather became cloudy and hazy, the wind increasing, at 

 the same time attended with thunder and lightning. A storm 

 was rapidly gathering, and the lake became so much agitated 

 that we immediately effected a landing, which was not done with- 

 out some difl&culty, on a shallow and dangerous shore, thickly 

 strewn with boulders. We pitched our tents on a small penin- 

 sula, or narrow neck of land, covered with beautiful forest-trees, 

 which was nearly separated from the main shore. Shortly after 

 our arrival a vessel hove in sight, and anchored on the same 

 dangerous lee shore. We were in momently expectation of her 

 being driven from her moorings, but were happily relieved, the 

 next morning, to observe that she had rode out the storm. 



* This term has disappeared from the geological vocabulary under the researches 

 of Sir Roderick J. Murchisou, Mr. Lyell, and other distinguished generalizers. 



