NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 231 



CHAPTEE XXII. 



Ascent of the Mississippi above Queen Anne's Lake — Reach the primary forks of 

 the riA'er — Ascend the left-hand, or minor branch — Lake Irving — Lake Marquette 

 — Lake La Salle — Lake Plantagenet — Encamp at the Naiwa rapids at the base of 

 the Height of Land, or Itasca Summit. 



A SHORT bait was made on entering Queen Anne's Lake, to 

 examine an object of Indian superstition on its east sbore. This 

 consisted of one of tbose water-worn boulders which assume the 

 shape of a rude image, and to which the Chippewas apply the 

 name Shingahawassin, or image-stone. Nothing artificial appeared 

 about it, except a ring of paint, of some ochreous matter, around 

 the fancied neck of the image,* We were an hour in crossing 

 the lake southwardly from this point, which would give a mean 

 rate of five miles. At the point of landing, stood a small, de- 

 serted, long building, which Ozawindib informed me had been 

 used as a minor winter trading station. I observed on the beach, 

 at this spot some small species of unios, and, at higher points on 

 the shore, helices. "We here noticed the passenger pigeon. 

 The forest exhibited the elm, soft maple, and white ash. Pro- 

 ceeding directly south from this spot a short distance, we en- 

 tered the Mississippi, which was found to flow in with a broad 

 channel and rapid current. This channel Lieutenant Allen esti- 

 mated to be but one hundred yards long, at which distance we 

 entered into a beautiful little lake of pellucid water and a pic- 

 turesque margin, spreading transversely to our track, to which I 

 gave the name of Irving. Ozawindib held his way directly 

 south through this body of water, striking the river again on 

 its opposite shore. We had proceeded but half a mile above 



* An object of analogous kind was noticed, during the prior expedition of 1820, 

 at an island in Thunder Bay of Lake Huron. Vide p. 55. 



