228 GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR. 
here given before entering upon a detailed description of the country. I have not thought 
it necessary to refer particularly to the mountain ranges which intersect this country. The 
great rocky range, from the point where it commences to separate the tributaries of the 
Columbia and the Missouri, far to the northward of the 56th parallel, has a general course 
north 40° west. The divide commences on the 42d parallel, at the longitude of 109°, and 
wending westward to 123° longitude in the 56th parallel. In about parallel 45 a second 
backbone of the Rocky mountains leaves the main chain and courses a direction north 25° west, 
crossing Clark’s Fork at the Cabinet mountain, and proceeding in the same general direction 
to the waters of the Koutenay. This chain is known as the Bitter Root, Cœur d’Aléne, and 
Koutenay mountains, and is considered and described by Lewis and Clark as a portion of the 
Rocky mountains. Between the Bitter Root mountains and the next range, known in California 
as the Sierra Nevada, and in Oregon and Washington as the Cascade mountains, is a great 
interior plain, denominated the plain of the Columbia, and which will be minutely described 
as we goon. The Cascade mountains have a general direction north and south, and are at an 
average distance from the coast of 120 miles. These mountains are generally high and rugged, 
having many snowy peaks, and with but one river stream from the Sacramento to far north of 
Fraser’s river, which really breaks through the mountains from the interior plains. The 
mouth of the Columbia, and the waters of Puget Sound, the Georgian bay, and the Straits de 
Fuca, will be referred to hereafter; but for harbors, the western terminus of this foute, 
central to such a vast geographical area in the temperate zone, and central to the great water 
lines, canals, railroads, and seats of commerce of the eastern slope, is the most splendid road- 
stead, admitted in the opinion of all military and naval officers, and all commercial men, on the 
shores of all the oceans. 
UPPER MISSOURI AND GREAT LAKES TO RED RIVER OF THE NORTH. 
But to resume: This scheme of railroad connexions for the northern route connects with 
Lake Superior at its western end, and the waters of the Mississippi at St. Paul, the head of 
continuous steamboat navigation; and also on its western terminus there is a connexion both 
with the Columbia valley and the Puget Sound, over the Cascade mountains. Lake Superior 
is rapidly growing in importance. Its commerce, and particularly its steamboat business, more 
than double every year. Superior City, which is the most western point, has a large and 
capacious harbor, where the coming season steamers will arrive daily. Bayfield, on its south- 
western shore, has also very extensive space for the secure anchorage of vessels, and, equally 
with Superior City, will soon be in railroad communication with the waters of the Missis- 
sippi. The Mississippi itself, above St. Paul, has flowing into it many tributaries having 
reaches of navigable waters. Even as long ago as 1853 steamers were running from Saint 
Anthony to Sauk Rapids. | 
The first obstruction to continuous navigation of the Mississippi is the falls of St. Anthony, 
situated 10 miles above the mouth of the Minnesota, in latitude 45°. 
From above this to Sauk Rapids is 90 miles, and in sixty miles further occur four more 
rapids, which may, however, be easily removed, as they consist only of loose boulders, thus 
giving another long extent of navigable waters. Crow Wing river, which empties at this 
point from the west, has no obstruction except from movable boulders, and has a depth of at 
least four and a half (41) feet up to its principal branch, Leaf river, a distance of about sixty 
miles by the windings, or twenty in a straight line. Leaf river decreases from four to two 
