PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 57 



lakes that are not salt. I had no means of ascertaining the 

 density of the water of this lake ; but having caused several 

 gallons of it to be evaporated by distillation, I subsequently 

 made an analysis of the residue, which proved to be a mix- 

 ture of sulphates and hydrochlorates of soda and magnesia." 



The true meaning of the name is undoubtedly neither En- 

 chanted, nor Devil (as Mr. Nicollet calls it) ; but medicinal, 

 or, as w^e usually call it, Mineral Lake. This is evident 

 both by Mr. Nicollet's description, who says he analyzed it 

 and found it to contain soda and magnesia in sulphates, and 

 by his own translation of the same w^ord when applied to a 

 river and a hill. In describing East iMedicine River (which 

 is the English name he applies to it), he says, it derives its 

 name from a beautiful hill on its right bank, called by the 

 Sioux Pahah-wakan, translated by the voyageurs, " Butte de 

 Medicine," and, in English, " Medicine Hillock." The lat- 

 ter word in the name is the same in each. One in conjunc- 

 tion with mini, water ; the other with pahah, hill. The lake 

 should therefore be called Mineral Lake ; and the hill which 

 they name Mini Wakan Chante is Mineral Lake Heart. 

 The Dacota word Wakan, in the vocabulary given by Major 

 Long, is interpreted *' mysterious medicine." 



There is one feature in the scenery of this country, rather 



too partial and confined, perhaps, to be worthy of an extended 



notice, but yet certainly too remarkable to be entirely passed 



over. In some places the limestone stands out high above 



tlie surrounding surface, isolated and naked, in the form and 



appearance of great mural escarpments, sometimes looking 



like an old castle or tower. About the Tete des Morts, in 



Jackson County, and near Dubuque, on the Catfish, and on 



the Little Maquoqueta, in the settled portion of Iowa, are 



some of these appearances. On La Hontan, or Canoe River, 



there is one very remarkable specimen of this work, in a 



4* 



