42 THE VERMILION IRON-BEARING DISTRICT. 



ponds. A rough count gives 250 lakes within the region shown on the 

 topographic map. 



The lakes are somewhat scattered in the western portion of the district, 

 but are far more numerous in the eastern part. There are many small 

 ones with no visible surface outlet, and these are usually completely 

 surrounded by drift. The lakes lie in basins that trend northeast-south- 

 west, and with their short connecting streams they constitute the main 

 routes of travel through the district. Indeed, were it not for them the 

 district could be traversed only with extreme difficulty. A trip north 

 and south across the district is very arduous, as the trails, if any exist, are 

 long and over high, rough ridges, while the waterways are so narrow in this 

 direction as to make it seem useless to carry canoes for such long distances, 

 in view of the short distance they can be used, whereas without them such 

 a route would be thoroughly impracticable. On an east- west trip, however, 

 one can start from Tower, and go along the lines of lakes to Grunflint, on 

 the Cana,dian border, by canoes — a distance of 75 miles in a straight line, 

 and much greater b}^ the route traveled — and on the trip make only about 

 20 portages, not aggregating in all over 4 miles. A number of these 

 portages, moreover, are mere lift overs, from 10 to 50 yards long, and 

 others are the demies or petites d^charges of the French voyageurs, where 

 it is only necessary to lighten the canoe in order to float with safety over 

 the bowlders. 



Differences in ivater level. — The differences in level of the bodies of 

 water in the district are very considerable; but, owing to the fact that these 

 differences are rarely shown by bodies of water near one another, there are no 

 high falls. The highest lake above the level of the sea is a small one very 

 near the top of one of the highest hills in sec. 20, T. 65 N., R. 4 W., in the 

 eastern part of the district. This is at an elevation of 1,880 feet. Bass- 

 wood Lake, the lowest body of water in the district, is 1,300 foet above sea 

 level. The difference of these extremes, separated by 26 miles, is only 580 

 feet. 



Water power. — The streams connecting these lakes have for the most part 

 unimportant rapids in them. In a number of places, however, considerable 

 water power can be developed, as, for instance, at the Kawashachong Falls, 

 where the Kawishiwi empties into Fall Lake; at the Pipestone Falls on 

 Newton Lake; at several places on the upper Kawishiwi in sees. 30, 28, 



