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DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY 



irregular patches of quartz, from eight to ten feet long, and from six to twelve inches 

 wide, which cross the strike nearly at right angles. For a short distance before 

 reaching this fall, the river runs between hills of hornblendic and siliceous rocks, 

 varying from thirty to one hundred feet in height, and having generally a slaty 

 character. The fall of water at this place, including the rapids above and below 

 the perpendicular fall, is sixteen feet. About three quarters of a mile below this, 

 we entered Vermilion Lake. 



The first arm of the lake traversed runs east of north, and about four miles 

 from the mouth of the river is an exposure of No. 509. Nearly six miles further 

 down the lake, at the site of the Old Trading-Post, No. 510 is exposed, both 

 on the main shore and on the small islands opposite. We remained encamped at 

 this place two days, for the purpose of affording Colonel Whittlesey an opportunity 

 to determine its geographical position. 



The outline of this lake is exceedingly irregular. It presents a succession of 

 deep bays and rocky points running almost to the centre of the lake, and is studded 

 with rock-islands, some of them of considerable size. The long narrow points, deep 

 bays, and numerous indentations, pockets, and islands, render every part of the 

 lake a complete labyrinth, through the numerous winding and tangled channels of 

 which it is no easy matter for a stranger to find his way to a given point. The 

 lake is surrounded by low hills in every direction, and its shores and islands are all 

 densely wooded, there being only one or two small islands which have been laid 

 bare by fires. As you recede from the lake, the country rises gradually, and is 

 timbered with spruce, fir, ash, cedar, maple, aspen, and birch, with pine on the 

 ridges. Birch is scarce and small. In fact, the timber is all small, none being 

 above a medium size, compared with the same kinds at localities further south. 



The rocks show themselves at many points in the woods, and are bare for con- 

 siderable areas, or covered only with a coating of moss easily scraped away by the 

 foot. These rocks, which are eminently magnesian, begin at or near the point 

 where No. 509 was taken. They are thinly laminated, and present at different 

 places various degrees of fineness, from a hard, coarse variety, to a fine-grained 

 stone, almost fine enough for hones. They are traversed by numerous veins of 

 quartz, from an inch to five feet wide, some of which contain beautiful crystals of 

 iron pyrites ; and, from some indications noticed, other more valuable minerals will 

 probably be found associated with it. (Nos. 510 and 511.) 



The buildings erected here by the " Northwest Fur Company," about thirty-five 

 years ago, have long since disappeared, — nothing remaining of them now, except 

 piles of fallen chimneys, to mark the spot where they stood. The rocky point is 

 bare for a short distance in front of the old building spot, and the rock slopes 

 gradually down into the water. Back of where the houses stood are the remains 

 of a garden, now overgrown with bushes and small saplings. Where the ground is 

 yet open, the Indians have planted potatoes within the last two years. 



September 1st. We left the Old Trading-Post at 8h. At lOh. 25m. we got to 

 what appeared to be the lower end of the lake, but could discover no outlet. The 

 remainder of the day was spent in exploring bays, pockets, and channels, but 

 without success ; and we encamped about sundown on an island, about three miles, 



