IRON ORE — ANCIENT LAKE SHORE. 107 



Old decayed wigwams, constructed of willows, indicated that this 

 spot had long been a favourite place of resort for the Indians, for the 

 same reason, doubtless, which rendered it so welcome to ourselves. 



On the summit of a ridge south-west of our halting-place, large 

 masses of magnetic iron ore were discovered, some of which were 

 partially encased in basaltic rock. In the ravine whence the spring 

 broke out, were found pebbles of alabaster, obsidian, and other 

 rocks, apparently the result of the disintegration of beds of con- 

 glomerate, none of which, however, was seen in place. 



Saturday, October 27. — Ther. at sunrise, 35°. Resuming our 

 journey, we took a course south by east, which led us past the 

 ridge upon which we had halted two nights before. The forma- 

 tion was porous trap, and the direction of the ridge north by west 

 and south by east. We then passed along the base of a range of 

 low hills, composed apparently of trap and basalt. After travel- 

 ling ten miles, we came to a range of higher hills extending north- 

 west and south-east. Here the dark limestone was again observed, 

 but the stratification could not be ascertained. We then passed, 

 in a southerly direction, through deep sand, along what at one 

 time had been the beach of the lake, as. drift-wood was frequently 

 seen lying on the sands that stretch out to the eastward for many 

 miles. In one instance a drifted cotton-wood log was seen, lying 

 near what had evidently been the water-line of the lake, as thick 

 as the body of a man. On our right was a high ridge or promon- 

 tory, with a narrow bottom sloping down to the edge of the flat. 



The soil here was not so clayey as heretofore, being composed in 

 many places of calcareous- sand and decomposed conglomerate. 

 Some masses of the latter were seen, resembling exactly that met 

 with on the eastern side of the promontory range putting out into 

 the lake. The country to-day has been similar to that passed over 

 previously — dry, barren, and entirely destitute of water. We dug 

 a well some five feet deep on the edge of the flat, which soon filled 

 with water. The mules crowded around the hole, and seemed to 

 watch the process of our labour, as if sensible of the object of our 

 exertions, but upon tasting the water, refused to drink, although 

 they had been travelling the whole day without a drop. Day's 

 march, about sixteen miles. 



Sunday, October 28. — Our little stock of water had become so 

 reduced that we were compelled to forego our coffee this morning, 

 and the most rigid economy in the use of the former was strictly 

 enforced. We were on the road very early, and followed for seve- 



