96 NAERATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 



whicli were liglitened of half their burden, in hopes of their being 

 able to ascend the stream quite to the Eock. Starting with my 

 party with alacrity, this trip was found to be one of no ordinary 

 toil. 



Not only was the country exceedingly rough, carrying us up 

 'and down steep depressions, but the heat of the sun, together 

 with the exercise, was oppressive, nor did our guides seem to 

 move with a precision which betokened much familiarity with 

 the region, if they did not feel, indeed, some compunction on 

 leading whites to view their long superstitiously concealed mine- 

 ral treasures. At one o'clock we came to an Indian path, leading 

 directly to the place. The guides here sat down to await the party 

 under Governor Cass, who were expected to join us at this spot. 

 The thermometer at this hour stood at 90" in the shade of the 

 forest. We had not been long seated when the other party made 

 their appearance ; but the Governor had been so much exhausted 

 by clambering up the river hills, that he determined to return to 

 his point of landing in the river. In this attempt he was guided 

 by one of the Ontonagon Indians, named Wabiskipenais,* who 

 missed his way, and wandered about he knew not whither. We 

 leave him to thread his way back into the valley, with the Execu- 

 tive of the Territory, wearied and perplexed, at his heels, while 

 the results of my excursion in search of the copper rock are de- 

 tailed. After the reunion at the path, my mineralogical party 

 proceeded some five or six miles, by estimation, farther, through 

 a more favorable region, towards the object of search. On 

 approaching the river, they passed some antique excavations 

 in the forest, overgrown with saplings, which had the appearance 

 of age, but not of a remote age. , Coming to the brink of the 

 river, we beheld the stream brawling over a rapid stony bed, 

 at the depth of, perhaps, eighty or a hundred feet below. To- 

 wards this, its diluvial, banks, charged with boulders and pebbles, 

 sloped at a steep angle. At the foot, laid the large mass we were 

 in search of, partly immersed in the water. Its position may be 

 inferred from the following sketch : — 



* From wahiska, Tvhite (transitive animate), &u<\. penasee, a bird. 



