NARKATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 137 



CHAPTEE XI. 



Physical traits of the Mississippi — The elevation of its sources — Its velo^ity and 

 mean descent — Etymology of the name Mississippi — Descent of the river to Sandy 

 Lake, and thence to the Falls of St. Anthony — Recross the great Bitobi Sa- 

 vanna — Pakagama formation — Description of the voyage from Sandy Lake to 

 Pine River — Brief notices of the natural history. 



The third geographical division in which it is proposed to 

 consider the Mississippi, begins at the Falls of St. Anthony. 

 AYithin half a day's march, before reaching this point from its 

 sources, the primitive and crystallized, and the altered and basal- 

 tic rocks are succeeded by the great limestone and sandstone 

 horizontal series of the carboniferous, magnesian, and metalliferous 

 rocks, which constitute by themselves so extraordinary a body of 

 geological phenomena. Entering on the level of the white sand- 

 stone stratum, which is fundamental in this column, about the 

 inlet of Eum River, the Mississippi urges its way over a gently 

 inclining bed of this rock, to the brink of this cataract, where it 

 drops perpendicularly about sixteen feet ; but the whole descent 

 of its level from the head to the foot of the portage path, cannot 

 be less than double that height. 



The river, at this point, enters a valley which is defined by rocky 

 cliffs, which attain various elevations from one to three hundred 

 feet, presenting a succession of picturesque or sublime views. In 

 some places these cliffs present a precipitous and abrupt facade, 

 washed by the current. In far the greatest number of cases, the 

 eminence has lost its sharp angles through the effects of frosts, 

 rains, and elemental action, leaving a slope of debris at the foot- 

 As the river descends, it increases in volume and in the extent of 

 its alluvions. These form, in an especial manner, its characteristic 

 features from St. Anthony's Falls to the junction of the Missouri, 

 a distance of not less than eight hundred miles. The principal 



