130 NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 



crossed it transversely in order to strike the inlet of the Missis- 

 sippi, and encamped on the other side. In this transit we met a 

 couple of Indian women in a canoe, who, being interrogated by 

 the interpreter, stated that they came to observe whether the wild 

 rice, which is quite an item of the Indian subsistence in this 

 quarter, was matured enough to be tied into clusters for beating 

 out. We estimated our advance this day, by the time denoted 

 by the chronometer, at iifty-one miles. 



We were again in our canoes the next morning at half-past 

 four o'clock. In coasting along the north shores of Winnipek 

 Lake, an object of limy whiteness attracted our attention, which 

 turned out to be a small island composed of granitical and other 

 boulders, which had served as the resting-place of birds, for which 

 the region above the Pakagama Falls is so remarkable, On land- 

 ing, a dead pelican was stretched on the surface. We had not 

 before observed this species on the river, and named the island 

 Shayta, from its Chippewa name. The buzzard, cormorant, brant, 

 eagle, and raven had hitherto constituted the largest species. 

 Along the shores of the river, the kingfisher and heron had been 

 frequent objects. With respect to the cormorant, it was observed 

 that the Indians classify it with the species of duck, their name 

 for it, ka-ga-ge-sheeb, signifying, literally, crow-duck. 



On again reaching the inlet of the Mississippi, its size and ap- 

 pearance corresponded so exactly to its character below the Win- 

 nipek, that it had evidently experienced but little or no change 

 by passing through this lake. The same width and volume were 

 observed which it had below this point; the same moderate ve- 

 locity ; the same borders of grassy savanna, and the same tendency 

 to redouble its length, by its contortions, appeared. In some 

 places, however, it approaches those extensive ridges of sandy 

 formation, bearing pines, which traverse, or rather bound, these 

 wide savannas. Through these channels the canoemen urged 

 their course with their usual alacrity — now stopping a few mo- 

 ments to breathe, and then, striking their paddles again in the 

 water with renewed vigor, and often starting off with one of their 

 animated canoe-songs. From about eight o'clock in the morning 

 till two in the afternoon we proceeded up the winding thread of 

 this channel, when the appearance of a large body of water in the 

 distance before us attracted attention. It was the first glimpse 



