30 



A General History of the Fur Trade, 



This lake may be denominated the grand reservoir of the 

 River St. Laurence, as no considerable rivers discharge 

 themselves into it. The principal ones are, the St. Louis, 

 the Nipigon, the Pic, and the Michipicoten. Indeed, the 

 extent of country from which any of them flow, or take 

 their course, in any direction, cannot admit of it, in conse- 

 quence of the ridge of land that separates them from the 

 rivers that empty themselves into Hudson's Bay, the gulph 

 of Mexico, and the waters that fall into Lake Michigan, 

 which afterwards become a part of the St. Laurence. 



This vast collection of water is often covered with fog, 

 particularly when the wind is from the East, which, driving 

 against the high barren rocks on the North and West shore, 

 dissolves in torrents of rain. It is very generally said, that 

 the storms on this lake are denoted by a swell on the pre- 

 ceding day ; but this circumstance did not appear from my 

 observation to be a regular phenomenon, as the swelis more 

 frequently subsided without any subsequent wind. 



Along the surrounding rocks of this immense lake, evi- 

 dent marks appear of the decrease of its water, by the lines 

 observable along them. The space, however, between the 

 highest and the lowest, is not so great as in the smaller 

 lakes, as it does not amount to more than six feet, the for- 

 mer being very faint. 



The inhabitants that are found along the coast of this wa- 

 ter, are all of the Algonquin nation, the whole of which do 

 not exceed 150 families.* 



These people live chiefly on fish ; indeed, from what has 

 been said of the country, it cannot be expected to abound in 

 animals, as it is totally destitute of that shelter, which is so 

 necessary to them. The rocks appear to have been over- 

 run by fire, and the stinted timber, which once grew there, 

 is frequently seen lying along the surface of them : but it 

 is not easy to be reconciled, that any thing should grow 

 where there is so little appearance of soil. Between the 

 fallen trees there are briars, with hurtleberry and gooseberry 

 bushes, raspberries, &c. which invite the bears in greater 

 or lesser numbers, as they are a favourite food of that ani- 



* In the year 1668, when the first missionaries visited the South of this 

 lake, they found the country full of inhabitants. They relate, that about 

 this time a band of the Nepisingues, who were converted, emigrated to 

 the Nipigon country, which is to the North of Lake Superior. Few of 

 their descendants are now remaining, and not a trace of the religion com- 

 municated to them is to be discovered. 



