The hunter had already been driven into the forest, and she despaired of being allowed to lead a single life, and climbing to the summit of the bluff, seated herself upon the awful brink, and began to sing her death-song. Terrified at the prospect of her suicide, and repenting of their cruelty, the parents now strove to prevent her from performing her intention, and were seconded by their friends. Some climbed the rock to seize the desperate maiden, and the others took their stations at the foot of the precipice; but no exertions, protestations, or promises, would avail; and, throwing herself from the summit, she was killed by the fall. The scenery between Lake Pepin and the St. Croix is not as lofty nor as picturesque as that below; but its interest is greatly enhanced by the greater number of Indians. The Red wing village is nearly midway between the two lakes mentioned, and contains about six hundred souls. A short distance from this village are two isolated mountains, where may be seen a most magnificent panorama of the wilderness. These mountains, from time immemorial, have been used as altars where Indian war parties have offered up their sacrifices, previous to going to battle. At the present time, however, their only inhabitants are rattlesnakes. Lake St. Croix empties into the Mississippi, and its principal inlet is a river of the same name, which rises in the vicinity of Lake Superior. This is the valley through which the traders and Indians have been in the habit of passing, for a century past, on their way from the western prairies to Lake Superior, and from the lake back again to the prairies. The river is only distinguished for one waterfall of uncommon beauty. The lake is about twenty-five miles long, from two to five wide, and surrounded with charming scenery. The water is clear, but of a rich brown color, and well supplied with fish, of which the trout is the most abundant. From St. Croix to St. Peter's, the banks of the Mississippi are steep but only about one hundred and fifty feet in height. The river is here studded with islands, whose shadowy recesses are cool during the hottest weather-and a more delightful region for the botanist to ramble can not be found elsewhere on the face of the earth. The water is clear as crystal, and its bosom is generally covered with waterfowl, from the graceful snow-white swan to the mallard and wood-duck. Isolated Indian wigwams are frequently seen here, pitched on the margin of the stream and at the foot of vine-covered precipices. The Mines of Lake Superior.-Isle Royale is a portion of the territory ceded by the Chippewa Indians to the United States, by the treaty of October, 1842. So imperfectly known was the region thus acquired, that it was represented, in the instructions of the government to the first mineral agent, in the spring of 1843, as an "unexplored region-a newly-acquired country." This island had long been known to the Indians and fur-traders, as being rich in minerals, yet it was ceded by name, although clearly included in the general description. The consequence was, that after mineral locations had been made upon the island, in 1843, by Professor Locke, of Cincinnati, a portion of the Chippewas insisted that Isle Royale was not ceded by the treaty of 1842. The Indians were instigated to assert this pretended claim, by the "traders and designing men" who had obtained some knowledge of its great mineral riches. This pretended claim caused the suspension of mining operations on the island, and another treaty was made in 1844, whereby the Indians solemnly acknowledge the cession of the island by the treaty of 1842. The owners of the locations on the island, after various delays, obtained the recognition of their rights, from the government, and in the spring of 1846, associated themselves together under the name of the Isle Royale and Ohio mining company, and proceeded at once to the island with an efficient force for mining operations. Isle Royale is in the northwest part of Lake Superior, in forty-eight degrees north latitude, and eighty-nine degrees west longitude, extending northeast and Isle Royale may be described as a mighty "up-heave" of irregular cliffs, bluffs, and mountains of rock-the elevation in many places being five hundred feet above the lake. The mountain ranges run nearly parallel with the island. There are also innumerable deep ravines or gutters, which are here called dikes, running parallel through the island, at the bottom of which metalliferous veins are invariably found, and to which the intervening veins or feeders usually lead. southwest forty-five miles, and varies | poses. There are also many small praifrom three to five and eight miles in ries producing wild grass. width. It is about one hundred and twenty-five miles in circumference, and has a greater number of harbors-larger, safer, of much easier access, and far more beautiful-than is within all the remaining territorial limits of the United States upon the lake. Rock harbor, upon the southeast coast of the island, is fifteen miles long, and from half a mile to a mile wide. Between the main land and the lake is a chain of islands for ten miles, between which are channels of deep water from the harbor to the lake. These islands are irregular elevations of rock covered with evergreens. Resting upon the transparent waters of the harbor, they present the most attractive feature in one of Nature's most enchanting pictures. stone, amygdaloid, sienite, and sienitic porphyry prevail; the mountain ranges are generally green stone also. The prevailing character of the rock on the different portions of the island is altered sand rock, underlaid with the true red sand-stone and conglomerate, which makes its appearance near Rock harbor, and continues along the southern The next harbor of importance is at coast. Green stone also shows itself "Siskowit bay," eighteen miles south-frequently. On the northern coast, green west from Rock harbor. This harbor would afford safe anchorage for all the vessels of the upper lakes, and is at all times accessible through "Medary's entrance." Washington harbor comes next, at the west end of the island, extending inland about three miles. Then comes Todd's harbor, and M'Cargo's cove, on the north and northeast coastboth safe and beautiful harbors for vessels of any burden. Besides these, there are numerous inlets and indentations along the coast, except on the northwest shore, where perpendicular cliffs extend for fifteen miles. The northeast end of the island resembles a man's hand-the thumb being the point at the entrance into Rock harbor, and the fingers the four elevated ridges extending into the lake, with deep bays or inlets intervening, two, four, and six miles in length. The lake around the northeast end of the island is thickly dotted with small islands of rock, from forty to two hundred and fifty feet high, covered with evergreens and white birch. There are numerous beautiful lakes of pure water upon the island, from one to three miles in length, abounding in fish, furnishing streams of sufficient volume for saw-mills and all mining pur The island is thickly wooded, evergreens of small growth prevailing. The varieties are balsam, spruce, yellow and white cedar, white pine, tamerack, white birch, several kinds of poplar, black alder, mountain oak, a few black ash and maples, juniper bushes, and dwarf cherries. The pine and spruce are sufficient in number and size for boards and timber for the use of the island. The fruit consists of blue-berries, raspberries, wild strawberries, thimble-berries, and cranberries. The animals are rabbits, red and gray squirrels, lynx, and carriboos (a species of deer). The fowls are ducks, loons, gulls, partridges, pigeons, night-hawks, jay-birds, owls, bats, &c. The fish are speckled trout, Mackinac trout, Siskowit trout, white-fish, mullet, pickerel, and herring. During the summer months the climate is mild, healthful, and rejuvenating; the days not too hot for comfortable labor, and the nights just cool enough for refreshing sleep. In the winter the snow falls from two to four feet deep, and the weather is cold, without sudden changes. "The great lakes of our country, which may justly be considered inland seas, are the following: Champlain, Ontario, Erie, St. Clair, Huron, Michigan, and Superior. These lakes are of great depth, as well as of great extent. The entire line of lake coast embraces about 5,000 miles, 2,000 miles of which constitute the coast of a foreign power. THE GREAT AMERICAN LAKES.-We| New York. Lake Ontario is connected can n perhaps, close the description with Lake Erie by means of the Welof the latest cismontain state added to land canal through Canada, and by the confederation, more appropriately means of Oswego and Erie canals than by the following brief record of the through the state of New York. Lake depth, and width, and average extent of Erie is connected with Lake St. Clair by the great American lakes, two of which the deep and navigable strait of Detroit, lave its borders. It is from the recent twenty-five miles long. Lake St. Clair is official report of the chief of the topo- connected with Lake Huron by the deep graphical bureau, and therefore may be and navigable strait of St. Clair, thirtyrelied upon. two miles long. Lake Huron is connected with Lake Michigan by the deep and wide strait of Mackinaw, and with Lake Superior by strait of St. Mary's, fortysix miles long. This strait is navigable throughout except for about one mile of its length, immediately adjacent to Lake Superior, where from rocks and the extreme rapidity of the current, navigation ceases. These difficulties can, however, be easily surmounted by a canal of not more than a mile long, with locks to overcome a fall of about twenty-one feet. The only additional obstruction to this immense extent of inland navigation is in St. Clair lake, on approaching the St. Clair strait. This obstruction consists of an extensive bar, but not of great 240 miles long. width, over which not more than seven feet of water, in depressed conditions of the lakes, can be counted upon. From an examination of this shoal, it has been found to consist of an indurated marl, leaving but little cause of doubt that if a channel were once dredged through, it would remain a durable improvement. Lake Champlain is Lake Ontario is Its Its greatest width width Its average Its greatest width Lake Huron is 105 miles long. 12 miles. 52 miles. 57 miles. 38 miles. 18 miles long. 270 miles long. 340 miles long. 83 miles. "Lake Champlain lies exclusively (except the strait near Rouse's point) within the states of Vermont and New York; the former occupying its eastern, the latter its western margin. It is not considered a dangerous lake to navi420 miles long. gate; and the principal protection which its commerce requires, is in form of breakwaters, to shelter its open harbors." 135 miles. 100 miles. Its greatest width Its average width "These lakes may be considered as connected throughout their whole extent. Lake Champlain connects with Lake Ontario by means of the river Richelieu; the lock and dam navigation of St. Lawrence river; the Ottawa river and Rideau canal through Canada; and the Champlain and Erie canals of *This does not include the extensive bay of Georgian, itself 120 miles long, and average 45 wide. The vast commerce of these lakes, and the great extent of coast, prove the necessity of the surveys through which this information is obtained, in order that we may possess an accurate knowledge of the bars, rocks, and shoals, to which this active commerce on so extensive a line of coast is imminently exposed. NEW or ALTA CALIFORNIA was discovered about 1542, by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who explored the coast as far north as the forty-third degree of north latitude. Portions of the coast were visited by Sir Francis Drake in 1578, by Francisco Galli in 1582, and by Sebastian Vescayna in 1603. Vescayna discovered the ports of San Diego and Monterey, and closed the career of northern exploration which had originated with Cortez. In 1767, the Jesuits, by whom the settlement of Lower California had been accomplished, fell under the displeasure of the government of Spain, and were expelled from the peninsula. The Marquis de Croix, who was at that time viceroy of New Spain, replaced them by the rival order of the Franciscans, upon whom he strongly urged the spiritual conquest of the upper province. This enterprise the government considered more important than the settlement of the peninsula. The accounts which were current of the wealth of the country were very flattering, and political reasons induced them to lend efficient assistance to the adventure. Both France and England at that time evinced considerable interest in the islands of the Pacific, and the countries upon its coast; and the explorations of Bourgainville and Cook had begun to excite alarm. Russia also, with noiseless, but certain advance, was stretching her gigantic empire alone the western coast, and Spain recognised the necessity of preventing these dangerous intruders from obtaining a foothold in her American possessions. Under these circumstances, the spiritual subjugation of Upper California was accomplished in a comparatively short time. The same career of privation and toil was run by the priestly pioneers as marked the settlement of the peninsula, |