NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 119 



skill of a balancing master to keep. For the distance of three 

 •pozes [pauses] this is the condition of the path ; afterwards, the 

 footing becomes dry, and there are ascending sand ridges, which 

 are easily crossed. 



Dr. Wolcott, to whom I had handed my geological note-book, 

 made the following observations. " We left the vertical strata 

 of slate, about two miles above the Portage aux Coteaux. They 

 were succeeded by rocks of hornblende, which continued the 

 whole distance to the head of the Grand Kapid. These rocks 

 were only to be observed in the bed of the river, and appeared 

 to be much water-worn, and manifestly out of place. Soon after 

 we left the Portage aux Coteaux, the hills receded from the river, 

 and its banks for the rest of the way were generally low, often 

 alluvial, and always covered vnih. a thick growth of birch, elm, 

 sugar-tree (acer saccharinum), and the whole tribe of pines, with 

 an almost impenetrable thicket of underbrush. 



"The appearances of this day (11th) have been similar to those 

 of yesterday, except that the country bordering the river became 

 entirely alluvial, and the poplar became the predominating growth, 

 while the evergreen almost entirely disappeared. The rocks were 

 seldom visible, except upon the rapids, and then only in the bed 

 of the river, and were entirely composed of hornblende, all out 

 of place, and exhibiting no signs of stratification, but evidently 

 thrown confusedly together by the force of the current. 



"The Savanne Eiver is about twenty yards broad at its junction 

 with the St. Louis, but soon narrows to about half the breadth, 

 which it retains until it forks at the distance of about twelve 

 miles from its mouth. Its whole course runs through a low 

 marshy meadow, the timbered land occasionally reaching to the 

 banks of the river, but generally keeping a distance of about 

 twenty rods on either side. The meadow is, for the most part, 

 covered with tufts of willow and other shrubs, common to marshes. 

 The woods, which skirt it, are of the same kinds observed on the 

 preceding days, except that a species of small oak frequently 

 appears among it. The river becomes so narrow towards its 

 head, that it is with great difficulty canoes can make their way 

 through its- windings; and the portage commences a mile or two 

 from its source, which is in a tamarak swamp." 



The height of laud between the east and west Savanne, Dr. 



