NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 75 



Col. Drumniond, who led tlie night storming party, and was blown 

 up on the bastion of Fort Erie, in 1813. This station was first 

 occupied on the withdrawal of the British troops from Mackinac, 

 in 1815. This day's trip gave us a favorable idea of canoe 

 travelling. It also gave us an exalted idea of the gigantic sys- 

 tem of these lake waters, and their connecting straits. We had 

 never done gazing at the prospect before us, after turning the De- 

 tour, and did not retire from our camp fires early. The next 

 morning we embarked at five o'clocl^, a light dreamy mist hanging 

 over the waters. When this cleared away, we descried the ruin- 

 ed chimneys and buildings of St. Joseph, the abandoned British 

 post burned by Col. Croghan, in 1814.* The day turned out a 

 fine one, and we proceeded up the straits with pleasurable feel- 

 ings, excited by the noble and novel views of scenery continually 

 before us. Keeping the west side of a high limestone island 

 called Isle a la Crosse, we then eutered a sheet of water called Lac 

 Vaseau, or Muddy Lake. We had proceeded northwardly per- 

 haps twenty miles, when we encountered another of those large 

 islands for which these straits are remarkable, called ISTebeeshjf 

 or Sailor's Encampment Island. Our guides held up on its western 

 side, which soon brought us to the first rapids, and the commence- 

 ment of St. Mary's Eiver. A formation of sandstone is here ob- 

 served in the bed of the stream. The waters are swift and shal- 

 low, and the men encountered quite a struggle in the ascent, and 

 so much injured one of our canoes that it became necessary to un- 

 lade and menc] it. In the mean time, the atmosphere put on a 

 threatening aspect, with heavy peals of thunder, but no rain fol- 

 lowed till we again re-embarked and proceeded five or six miles, 

 when a shower fell. It did not, however, compel us to land, and 

 by six o'clock in the afternoon, the sky again became clear. We 

 had now ascended the strait and river so far, that it became cer- 

 tain we could reach our destination before night, and the men 

 worked with the greater alacrity. At eight o'clock we had sur- 

 mounted the second rapid, called the Little Eapid, ISTebeetung of 



* This fort was first erected by the British in 1795, the year before Michili- 

 mackinac was evacuated under Wayne's treaty with the Indians. 



f From Nebee, water ; hence Nebeesh, rapid water, or strong water, the name of 

 the rapids which connect the straits with the River St. Clary's. This word is the 

 derogative form of the Chippewa noun. 



