enter into lake Michigan from the west, in the order named, viz. Tanahan, Wakayah, Masquedon, Cedar, Roaring, Milwakee, Saukie, Skabayagan, Maurice, and Fourche. The streams have all an eastern course, running generally parallel with each other at the distance of from ten to twenty miles, and heading from thirty to sixty miles from the lake.-Roaring river is so called from a rumbling noise, like distant thunder, which is heard every two or three days during the warm season; occasioned, it is thought, by the vast quantities of copper, which attract the electric fluid to that place. The Indians, in consequence approach this river with religious awe, as being the residence of the Great Spirit.

Green bay, is about 120 miles in length, and from six to thirty wide; extending north and south parallel with lake Michigan, with which it is connected, at the distance of from twenty to thirty miles. It receives several rivers, the principal of which is Fox river, already mentioned, which falls into the south end of the bay. North of Fox river, are the Rouge, Gaspard, Menomonie, and Sandy rivers, all falling into Green bay.

Between the Detour, or entrance of the bay and Michilimackinac, are the rivers Manistique and Mino Cockien; the first falls into lake Michigan thirty miles north of the mouth of the bay. It is a large river, which takes its rise from an extensive lake, and nearly communicates with lake Superior: its banks are high and sandy, and abound with pine timber. The Mino Cockien is also a large and deep stream, heads near lake Superior, and flows into lake Michigan about thirty-five miles south-west of Michilimackinac.

The strait or river St. Mary, connecting lakes Superior and Huron, is about fifty miles in length, and is divided into several channels, which form a variety of islands; the largest of which is St. Josephs, seventy-five miles in circumference.

That part of the territory stretching along the southern borders of lake Superior, is well watered by about thirty rivers. The St. Louis falls into West bay, at Fond du Lac; it is large and navigable 150 miles, and rises near the eastern head branches of the Mississippi. The north-west fur company have several trading houses established at its mouth, and on its banks towards its source.

A prodigious number of streams pay their tribute to the Mississippi from the east, between its source and Rocky river, which discharges its waters in the Illinois territory. Le Croix and Deer rivers, the extent of whose navigation

is yet unknown, and whose branches are interwoven with those of the St. Louis, enter the Mississippi below the forks of that river. Meadow river likewise falls into the Mississippi in N. lat, 46° 20′, and is navigable for canoes ninety miles, to Swan lake. Sandy lake river, is forty miles below Swan river, and connects the lake of the same name with the Mississippi. This lake is about twenty-five miles in circumference, and amongst a number of small rivers receives the Savannah, which by a portage of about four miles communicates with the afore-mentioned St. Louis, and is the channel by which the North-west company convey their goods. Muddy river joins the Mississippi twenty miles below Sandy lake outlet; the next stream is Red Cedar river, issuing from a lake of the same name, and is nearly equidistant between the river De Corbeau from the west and Sandy lake river,

Between this and the falls of St. Anthony are Shruboak, Lake, Clear, Elk, St. Francis, and Run rivers, all emptying from the east. St. Croix river joins the Mississippi several miles below the falls of St. Anthony; it is eighty yards wide at its month, 500 yards from which commences lake St. Croix, two or three miles wide and thirty-six long. This river communicates with Burntwood river, by a portage of half a mile only, and in its whole extent has not one fall or rapid worthy of notice. This, with the mildness of its current, and its other advantages, render it by far the most preferable communication that can be had with lake Superior from the waters of the Mississippi.

Chippeway river enters the Mississippi at the lower end of lake Pepin; it is a deep, wide, majestic stream, interlocking with the Montreal, flowing into lake Superior, and with the Menomonie running into Green bay.-Its branches are numerous; the most considerable of which are Rufus, Vermillion and Copper rivers.

Between lake Pepin and the Ouisconsin, the Buffalo, Black, and Prairie le Croix rivers enter the Missisippi from the east and north-east. Black river is about 200 yards wide, heads near Fox river of lake Michigan, and pursues a course nearly parallel with the Ouisconsin.

The Ousconsin joins the Mississippi at Prairie du Chiens, 350 miles above the Missouri, where it is about half a mile wide. It rises east of the sources of Fox river, within fifty miles of lake Superior, and is the grand channel of communication between Prairie du Chiens and Michilimackinac.

Rocky river takes its source near Green bay of lake

Michigan, more than 450 miles from its mouth, and is navigable upwards of 300 miles. It runs across the northwest corner of the state of Illinois, and enters the Mississippi 210 miles below Prairie du Chiens, and 390 above St. Louis.

The interior of the North-west territory is watered by innumerable small lakes and ponds, from which issue the head branches of all the principal rivers. These lakes generally abound with wild rice, water-fowls, and fish ; each in such prodigious quantities, that the Indians are in a manner exempted from the danger of famine.

*

Face of the country, soil, productions, &c.—The surface of the country is pretty similar to that of the territory last described. The dividing ridges between the Mississippi and lake Superior, which in some maps are erroneously represented as mountains, are chiefly covered with forests of pine, spruce, and hemlock, giving to the country a cold and dreary aspect. Towards the shores of lake Superior the country improves in fertility and appearance, and affords, in some placss, rich bottom and upland, which, in process of time, will no doubt be thickly inhabited. From the Fond du Lac to Point Shagomigon, the banks of this immense lake are in general of strong clay, mixed with stones, which render the navigation irksome and dangerous. From this point or rather peninsula, to the outlet of the lake, the shore is almost one continued straight line of sandy beach, interspersed with rocky precipices of limestone, from twenty to 100 feet high, without a single bay, and but few good harbours. The timber along the coast is chiefly composed of oak, sugar-maple, and pine; the bottoms have a deep and fertile soil, but the uplands are sandy. The country on the southern shore of the strait St. Marie, which connects lake Superior and Huron, will admit of extensive settlements; the eastern channel, called Miscoutinsaki, has a

This productive and highly valuable aquatic plant, is found in all the lakes, rivers, and bays of this territory; the Indian tribe called by the French Fols Avoines (wild rice caters,) live almost entirely upon it. It grows in water of from four to seven feet depth, but always rejects a sandy bottom; the plants extend from five to eight feet above the surface of the water, and are often so thick that they will wholly prevent the progress of canoes and boats. They are about the size of reed canes, full of joints, and of the colour and texture of bulrushes; the stalks above the water, and the branches which bear the grain, resemble oats. When the heads become ripe, the Indians pass through them with their canoes lined with blankets, and bending the stalks over the sides, beat off the grain with sticks; and such is the abundance of the harvest, that an expert Indian or squaw will soon fill a canoe.—It is equally nutritious and palatable as the common rice.

rapid, well adapted for mill-seats. The lands on the southern shore of the river of the same name, are excellent; prairies on its margin, and at a short distance back are groves of sugar-maple, in which the Chippeway Indians have numerous sugar-camps. From the Sault de Marie

to this river is almost one continued meadow. The Northwest company's factory is at the foot of the rapids, on the British side of the strait. The whole establishment consists of store-houses, a saw-mill, which supplies lumber for all their posts on lake Superior, a boat-yard, a stockade, and a garden: nine miles above, at Pine Point, is a dock-yard for constructing vessels, where a ship-carpenter resides, and several artificers are employed.

The alluvial bottoms throughout this territory are in general as rich as those of Ohio and Michigan, as is proved by the excellence of the corn crops at Green bay, Prairie du Chiens, and even on the banks of the Ontonagon, on the southern shore of lake Superior. The uplands and prairies south of the parallel of St. Anthony's falls, on the Mississippi, are generally good; interspersed, however, with tracts of wet land, and rocky prairies, mixed with extensive strips of light sandy soil, only suitable for the culture of barley and the smaller grains. High, bald hills present themselves, in places, along the banks of Rocky river and the Ouisconsin.

From the falls of St. Anthony to the source of the Mississippi, there is a gradual deterioration of both soil and climate. The pine, or fir region, may be said to commence at the falls; but there are some exceptions, where you meet with small bottoms of oak, ash, maple, &c. : the woods, however, are full of elk, deer, and buffalo, as far up as the river Corbeau, in N. lat. 45° 50'. From thence to Pine river, the shores of the Mississippi in general present a dreary prospect of high, barren knobs, covered with dead and fallen pine timber. From this there are occasional changes to ridges of yellow and pitch pine; also some small bottoms of elm, oak, and ash. The adjacent country is at least two-thirds covered with small lakes, some of which are three miles in circumference: this renders the communication impossible in summer, except with small bark canoes. Above Pine river there are but few situations fit for cultivation; game scarce, and the country a succession of pine and hemlock ridges, with here and there a prairie, and small bottoms of elm, beech, and basswood Finally, from Leech lake upwards, to the extreme source of the Mississippi, the whole face of the country has the appearance of an impenetrable and boundless swamp.

Of the minerals existing in this territory, lead, and copper appear to be the principal; but iron ore, copperas, alum, and limestone are found along the shores of lakes Huron and Superior. The lead mines situated between the Ouisconsin and Rocky rivers, and approaching to within five or six miles of the Mississippi, extend above seventy miles in length, and about three in breadth. At present they yield from twenty to 40,000 lbs. of lead a year; and are deemed equally inexhaustible as those of the Merrimack, near St. Genevieve.

Very specious accounts have been published, respecting the abundance of the copper ore to be found in various parts of the territory. Captain Carver states, that he discovered several mines of virgin copper, on both sides of the St. Croix, which was as pure as that found in any other country. This writer was of opinion that this mineral would become an important article of commerce; as the metal, which costs nothing on the spot, and requires but little expense to get it on board, could be conveyed in boats and ships to Quebec.-The cheapness and ease with which any quantity of it may be procured, will make up for the length of way that is necessary to transport it, before it reaches the sea coast; and enable the proprietors to send it to foreign markets on as good terms as it can be exported from other countries.

On the banks, and in the neighbourhood of the Ontonagon, which fails into lake Superior, Mr. Henry saw abundance of pure virgin copper, in masses of different dimensions: the Indians showed him one of twenty pounds weight. They were in the practice of manufac turing this metal into spoons and bracelets for themselves; and from the perfect state in which they found it, it required nothing but to beat it into shape. Upon a second visit to that river, accompanied by Indian guides, he discovered a mass of copper, which, according to his estimation, was no less than five tons weight, and so extremely malleable, that with an axe he cut off a portion weighing 100 pounds. On viewing the surrounding country, he conjectured that the mass had rolled from the side of an adjoining mountain. On the island of Nanibojou, upon the north-eastern coast of the lake, the same gentleman found several pieces of virgin copper; some resembling the leaves of vegetables, and others of animals: their weight was from an ounce to three pounds.

Captain Norburg, a Russian, in the British service, was employed to explore the borders of lake Superior, in quest of copper-mines. Having examined the coast of