126 N. H. WINCH ELL — GLACIAL LAKES OF MINNESOTA 



the north its barrier was the northern glacier, and on all other sides it 

 was shut in b}'^ high gabbro hills. Its shoreline must have been very 

 tortuous. Its surface lay higher than that of any known glacial lake 

 in northern Minnesota, and its waters probabl}'- reached the Mississippi 

 river through lake Uphani and Sandy lake, in Aitkin county. 



25. Lake Onnamani 



This is the Indian name of the present Vermilion lake, and this lake 

 covered the same area and rose about 10 or 15 feet higher, its outlet 

 being about 1,370 feet above mean tide. The southern m.argin of the 

 northern ice-lobe at that time crossed the northern confines of Vermilion 

 lake, closing the i)resent outlet. I^ake Onnamani had discharge west- 

 ward from Partridge lake (the most northern portion of Vermilion lake) 

 through Hoodoo lake to Elbow and Pelican lakes, and probably ulti- 

 matel}^ into the extreme eastern part of lake Agassiz or lake Thompson. 



There were other glacial lakes due to the northward barrier of the 

 northern ice, but it is not necessary to dwell on this feature to much 

 greater length. One is known to have covered the valley occuj)ied now 

 by Long and Fall lakes, and it is probable that the waters of Vermilion 

 river were constantly ponded back, so as to find outlet over a low divide 

 into a branch of the Little Fork river. 



26. Lake Omimi 



There remains only lake Omimi, which was the latest of the glacial 

 lakes to disai)pear from the territory of the state. This was described 

 and named by Mr A. H. Elftman* in 1898. It occupied the valle}^ of 

 the Pigeon river at and above the western landing of the " grand port- 

 age " trail. It covered about 40 square miles, with an outlet about 1,360 

 feet above the sea. A stratified clay formed by this lake is seen along 

 the Pigeon river and along its tributaries from the west. Mr Elftman 

 considered that the outlet of this lake, which has not yet been discov- 

 ered, was toward the southeast; but it is difficult to accept that suppo- 

 sition, since the ice-barrier itself which caused this lake la}^ along the 

 southeast. The outlet was more probably toward the southwest and 

 to the Brule river. 



Other Lakes 



Besides the lakes which have been mentioned, there were several in 

 the southwestern part of the state, along the Coteau des Prairie which, 



♦American Geologist, vol. xxi, p. 104. 



