NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 207 



parnassia caroliniana and seottia cerna * The fury of the waves 

 renders it a region wholly unfitted to the whole tribe of fresh- 

 water shells. A petrifaction of the fagus ferruginia, brought from 

 a spring on the banks of the St. Joseph's River by Gov. Cass, on 

 his home route, on horseback, presented the petrifying process in 

 one of its most perfect forms {vide p. 206). Surfeited with a species 

 of scenery in which the naked sand dunes were often painful to 

 the eye, from their ophthalmic influence, and of geological pros- 

 trations which seemed to lay the coast in ruins, we were glad 

 to reach the solid rock formations, supporting, as they did, a soil 

 favorable to green forests. 



A partial eclipse of the sun had been calculated for the 5th of 

 September (1820), to commence at seven o'clock, twenty minutes; 

 but, though we were on the lake, and anxious to note it, the 

 weather proved to be too much overcast, and no effects of it were 

 observed. This eclipse was observed, according to the predic- 

 tions, at Philadelphia. 



The morning of the 8th proved calm, which permitted us to 

 cross the mouth of Grand Traverse Bay. This piece of water is 

 nine miles across, with an unexplored depth, and has some 300 

 Chippewas living on its borders. Six miles north of this point, 

 we reached and crossed Little Traverse Bay, which is occupied 

 by Ottawas. These two tribes are close confederates, speak dia- 

 lects of the same language which is readily understood by both, 

 and live on the most friendly terms. The Ottowas on the head 

 of Little Traverse Bay, and on the adjoining coast of Lake Michi- 

 gan — which, from its principal village, bears the names of Village 

 of the Cross, and of Waganukizzie,t or L'Arbre Croche — are, to a 

 great extent, cultivators of the soil, and have adopted the use of 

 hats, and the French copot^ having laid aside paints and feathers. 

 They raise large quantities of Indian corn for the Mackinac mar- 

 ket, and manufacture, in the season, from the sap of the acer sac- 

 charinum, considerable quantities of maple sugar, which is put 

 up, in somewhat elongated bark boxes, called muckucks, in which 

 it is carried to the same market. We found them, wherever they 

 were encountered, a people of friendly manners and comity. 



* Dr. John Torrey, Am. Journ. Science, vol. iv. 



f From Wayanuk, a crooked or croched tree, and izzie, an animate termination, 

 denoting existence or being, carrying the idea of its being charmed or enchanted. 



