MICHIPICOTEN ISLAND. 



13 



and the efforts made to move the vessel. Nevertheless the 

 captain thought it would be judicious to go into Micliipi- 

 coten harbour and examine her more narrowly, as well as 

 to shift the cargo and coal into their proper places. We 

 reached the entrance of Michipicoten harbour in safety, 

 but had scarcely advanced more than a few hundred 

 yards when we again grounded on a shoal, and remained 

 firmly fixed in a new position. In the evening the Agate 

 Islands in Michipicoten harbour were visited, and very 

 beautiful agates found in great abundance in the trap ; 

 but it was difficult to procure good specimens, on account 

 of the hardness of the matrix. 



During the afternoon the most singular effects of mirage 

 were continually changing the outline of a few low rocks 

 which projected above the level of the water, some two 

 or three miles from us ; and occasionally the steep wooded 

 hills of Michipicoten Island seemed to be filled with bril- 

 liant ever-changing little lakes, which, if they preserved 

 their apparent form for more than a minute, were most 

 curiously delusive. All the phenomenon which sunshine 

 and fog are capable of producing seem to be of constant 

 occurrence near the middle of Lake Superior ; not an 

 hour passed during the daytime without our witnessing 

 fog-bow, halo, or mirage of very singular beauty. At 

 4 p.m. on the 30th we steamed out of Michipicoten 

 harbour, and pursued a straight course to Thunder Bay. 



Early on the following morning we sighted the Paps 

 and Isle Eoyale. The magnificent scenery of Thunder 

 Bay and the adjacent shores of Lake Superior were gra- 

 dually revealed as the mist slowly disappeared with the 

 advancing day. Passed Thunder Cape at 2 p.m., and 

 anchored off Fort William about half-past 4. The 

 scenery of Thunder Bay is of the most imposing descrip- 

 tion. Pie Island, with its round eminence Le Pate, 850 



