2|14 Mr. Schoolcraft on the 



period appears distant, when the advantages flowing iVom a 

 mihtary post upon that frontier, will be produced by the 

 ordinary progress of our settlement; — for it presents few 

 enticements to the agriculturalist. A considerable portion 

 of the shore is rocky ; and its alluvions are? in general of too 

 sandy and light a texture for profitable husbandry. With 

 an elevation of six hundred and forty one feet above the 

 Atlantic ocean, (1) and drawing its waters from territories 

 all situated north of the forty fourth degree of north lati- 

 tude, lake Superior cannot be represented as enjoying a 

 climate very favourable to the productions of the vegetable 

 kingdom. Its forest trees are chiefly those of the fir kind, 

 mixed with white birch, (betula papyracea, the bark of 

 which is so much employed for canoes by the northern In- 

 dians,) and with some varieties of poplar, oak, and maple. 

 The meteorological observations which I have made, indi- 

 cate however, a warm summer, the average heat of the 

 month of June being 69°, but the climate is subject to a 

 long and severe winter, and to storms, and sudden trans- 

 itions of temperature, during the summer months. We saw 

 no Indian corn among the savages upon this lake, whether 

 the climate is unfavorable to its growth, or the wild rice (ze^ 

 zania aquatica) furnishes an adequate substitute, is not cer- 

 tain. A country lacking the advantages of a fertile soil, 

 may still become a very rich mining country, like the coun- 

 ty of Cornwall in England, — the Hartz mountains in Ger- 

 many, and a portion of Missouri in our own country ; but 

 this deficiency must be compensated by the advantages of 



(1) This level is predicated upon the following facts and estimates which 



I extract from my " Narrative Journal." 



"Elevation of lake Erie above the tide waters of the Hudson ac- 

 cording to the Report of the New- York Canal Commission- feet. 

 ers _.__..-... 560 



Estimate fall of Detroit river 20 miles at 6 inches per mile - - 10 

 St. Clair River 30 miles at 4 inches - - 10 



Rapids of St. Clair River at the outlet of lake Huron, in the 



distance of three miles _--.---9 



Estimated fall of the river St. Mary, between the Detour and 

 Point Iroquois, 60 miles at three inches per mile, (rapids not 

 included) - - - -- - - - - 15 



Nibish Rapid - 9 



Sugar Island Rapid ..------ 6 



Sault de St. Marie, (according to Col, Gratiot) - - - - 22,10 



Level of Lake Superior 641,10 



