102 NAKRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Proceed along the southern coast of Lake Superior from the Ontonagon, to Fond 

 du Lac — Porcupine range of mountains — Streams that run from it, at parallel 

 distances, into the lake — La Pointe — Group of the Federation Islands — River 

 St. Louis — Physical geography of Lake Superior. 



Head winds detained the expedition at tlie moutli of the On- 

 tonagon, during the day and the day following that of our arrival 

 from the copper rock. It was the first of July, at half-past four 

 o'clock, A. M., when the state of the lake permitted us to embark. 

 Steering west, we now had the prominent object of the Porcupine 

 Mountains constantly in view. At the distance of fifteen miles, 

 we passed the Pewabik Seebe, or Iron Eiver. This stream, after 

 ascending it a couple of miles, is a mere torrent, pouring from 

 the Porcupine Mountains, over a very rough bed of grauwakke, 

 which forbids all navigation. At the computed distance of five 

 leagues beyond this stream, we pafesed the river called Pusabika, 

 or Dented Eiver, so called from standing rocks, which resemble 

 broken human teeth. The Canadians, who, as previously 

 remarked, appear to have had but a limited geographical voca- 

 bulary, called this Carp River, neglectful of the fact that they 

 had already bestowed the name on a small river which flows into 

 the bay south of Granite Point.* "VVe were now at the foot of 

 the Kaug range, which is one vast upheaval of trap-rock, and 

 has lifted the chocolate-colored sandstone, at its base, into a ver- 

 tical position. The Pusabika River originates in this high trap 

 range, from which it is precipitated, at successive leaps, to the level 

 of the lake, the nearest of which, a cascade of forty feet, is within 

 three miles of the river's mouth. 



Six miles further brought us to the Presque Isle River of the 



* Now the seat of the Marquette Iron Works. 



