APPENDIX, 409 



of their examinations have been published in two of the principal 

 scientific journals of the country. It had been originally proposed, 

 to republish these papers in this Appendix, together with that 

 on the botanical collections, and some other topics ; but the long 

 time that has elapsed, renders it, on second thought, inexpedient. 

 Distinct references to the several papers are given. 



XII. 



A Letter embracing Notices of the Zoology of the Northwest. 

 By Henry E. Schoolckaft. 



Vernon, N. Y., October 27, 1820. 



Dear Sir : I reached this place, on my return from the sources 

 of the Mississippi River, on the 21st instant, having left the canal 

 at Oneida Creek at four o'clock in the morning, whence I footed 

 it three miles through the forest, by a very muddy road, to the 

 ancient location of Oneida Castle, while my baggage was carried 

 by a man on horseback. 



The plan of the expedition embraced the circumnavigation of 

 the coasts of Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. From the 

 head of the latter, we ascended the rapid Eiver of St. Louis to a 

 summit which descends west to the Upper Mississippi, the waters 

 of which we entered about five hundred miles above the Falls of 

 St. Anthony, and some three hundred miles above the ulterior 

 point reached with boats by Lieutenant Pike in December, 1805, 



From this point we ascended the Mississippi, by its involutions, 

 to its upper falls at Pakagama, w^here it dashes over a rock form- 

 ation. A vast plateau of grass and aquatic plants succeeds, 

 through which it winds as in a labyrinth. On this plateau we 

 encountered and passed across the southern Lake Winnipek. 

 Beyond this, the stream appears to be but little diminished, unless 

 it be in its depth. It is eventually traced to a very large lake 

 called Upper Lac Ceder Pouge, but to which we applied the name 

 of Cass Lake. This is the apparent navigable source of the river, 

 and was our terminal point. It lies in latitude 47° 25' 23". 



The whole of this summit of the continent is a vast formation 

 of drift and boulders, deposited in steps. In descending it, we 

 found the river crossed by the primitive rocks in latitude about 

 46°, and it enters the great limestone formation by the cataract of 



