The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-24
From Schoolcraft's Narrative.
ITASCi LAKE.
THE SOURCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

ltaSca Lake, the Lac La Decne Vi TIE L leHOh,
is IN every respect beautiful sheet oil water,
seven or eight miles in extent, lying among mis-
OF dlluvIal formation, surnounted WIN pines,
which fringe the distant horizon, and form an
agreeable contrast with the green foliage OF IFS
immediate shores. Its greatest length IS from
southeast to northwest, with a southern pro
: loncaton, or bay, which receives a brook. The
! waters are temperate and bright and reflect
foliage produced by the elm, lynn. maple, and
cherry, together with other species more album
dant in northern attitudes The lake itself is OF
an irregular form.
II has singular island, upon which we land
ed, after an hours padding from the spot
Of our arrival and embarkalon. We found
here the fetula and spruce. The bones OF hsh
and of tortoise. found AT the locality OF former
Indian camp fires, indicate the existence OF these
species in the lake. And here, as well as
throughout the lakes of this region, are found
the duck, teal, and loon, in possession OF their
iavorIte secluSlons Innumerable shells "a
Suecies If small helix were driven up TO the
mead OF lfre Isfanu. other parts OF me 5s>.>
small species of the umo, which are found
El,c0s1- e: 81 =, r. 1,,,iz. And UJnay
here be remarked that this shell exists IN the
largest and heaviest species heretofore known
in the lower parts of this stream-the MlsSlSSlp-
pI having MS origin here.
The outlet Of Itasca Lake is perhaps ten or
twelve feet broad, with an apparent depth OF
twelve or eighteen inches. The discharge OF
water seems to be copious, compared TO It's IN
let. Springs may, however, produce accessions
which are not visible, and tins is probable, both
from the geological character of the country,
and the transparency and GOODNESS OF the
water.
L., a., e 81, LII,
object of geographical interest, which, in the
absence Of actual survey, IT may sub.erve the
purposes of useful inquiry TO estimate. From
notes on the ascent. 1t cannot be short OF one
| hundred and sixty feet above CasS Lake. Add
! ing the estimate of $50 feet. submitted in
! 1920 as the elevation Of that lake, the Missis-
sipp may be considered to originate at an alt-
tude of 400, say 800 feet above the Allan
! TIC
Its length assuming former data as the basis,
and computing il through the ltascan, or west
fork, may be placed at 3, go miles, one hun
dred and eighty two of which comprise an estl-
mate of its length above Cass Lake. Its gener-
al course, III ascending above the latter point,
is north of west, as far as Lac Travers. Then
south to It's primary forks, which is continued,
following up the east fork to Rubbakunna Lake,
and for some distance further. Ii then varies
short distance, north and northeast, then south
and southeast, and finally southwest, to its
main source in Ossawa Lake. The portage
thence to ltasca Lake is west southwest. Both
of these lakes appear to rise IN springs. on the
height of land. They are separated by about
six miles of country. Their latitude we had no
means of accurately determining. From daily
notes of the course and distances, kept by
Lieut.. J. Allen, as indicated by compass and
watch, their position is, however, shown to be
southwest, and not. as heretofore supposed,
northwest Of Cass Lake. They are, in fact, 4
little south of west from Leech Lake, which is
placed on our best maps in forty seven degrees
sixteen minutes. The highest northing obtain
ed by the Mississippi is one of the great diluv-
al plateau. containing the contiguous waters Of
Lac La Sable, Marquette, and Travers. which
cannot vary more than alew minutes from forty
eight degrees. These facts will explain the
error Of geographical writers, who supposed
that the parallel OF iorly-nlne degrees would
inlerSect the Mississippi. Its origin in the re-
mote and unfrequened area of country between
Leech Lake and Red River, probably an entire
degree of latitude south of Turtle Lake, which
still figures on some of our maps as its source,
throws both the forks of this stream out of the
usual route OF the fur trade, and furnishes per
haps the best reason why its actual source
has remained so long enveloped in obscurty
The Mississippi River traverses more degrees of
latitude than any other river in America, and
the remark might. perhaps, be extended to the
habtable globe. The extremes of its changes
in climate and vegetable productions are con
sequently very great. 1t occupies more than
three thousand miles of the distance between
the arctic and the equator. Long as it is, how
ever, it has a tributary longer than itself (the
Mssouri.) Like the Niger, It's mouth was dis
covered by expeditions down It's current but
unlike that stream, which has so long held the
geographical world IN suspense, its sources
have been also sought from It's central parts.
Its entire course is at length known and we
may now appeal with full certainty to the
BaliZe and ltasca Lake, as its most extensive
points. At the latter ii is placid basin of trans
parent spring water AT the former il is as
.urbid as earth in suspension can make it, and
carries a forest of floating trees on ITS bosom.
, Below the junction of It's primary forks, ii ex-
pands AT very unequal distances into eight
sheets OF clear water, each of which has features
worthy OF admiration. -Four of these, Lac Ira
vers, Cass Lake, Wnneped, and Lake Pepin,
are lakes OF handsome magnitude and striking
scenery. The number Of It's tributaries Of the
first, and the second, and the third class, is so
large that it would furnish labor of some re-
search to determine it, The Missouri, the
, Ohio. and the Arkansas, are of the noblest
class.
Whoever has stood at the junction of these
streams, as the writer has done, must have
been impressed with an idea of magnitude and
power. which words are incapable of convey
ing. The broadcast parts OF It's channel lie in
the central portions of its valley. Its depth is
grea, in all its lower parts, and increases as it
flows on to the Gulf, and It's general descent
and velocity are such as TO appear very striking
chancteristcs' Noble views arrest the eye of
the observer, in every part of its diversified
course Originating in a heavy and extensive
bed of diluvial soil, superimposed upon print
tive strata, il soon wears It's channel down to
the latter, and after running over them for sew
eral hundred miles, punges at length. at the
Falls of ST. Anthony, over the carboniferous
limestone formation, which is SO prevalent and
so valuable for its mineral deposits below that
point This is finally succeeded by duvial
and auvial banks, the latter orwhich are semi
annually enriched by fresh deposits and exhib-
il delta as broad and as exuberant as the Nile
Like the latter il has its cataracts in the Falls of
ST Anthony and Punkaigama. and IN numer-
Gus lesser leaps and cascades, where its current
is tossed into loan, and threatens destruction to
the navigator. Such are the physical traits,
and these are enough in character, magnitude,
and variety, To lead our contemplation irressli-
bly, " through nature up TO natures God"
|
From the data above given the descent Of the Misss
sppi will average fraction Ave inches per mile.
New WMorEss BIRp.-At the meeting of
the Linnean, Dec. IL, Mr.. Westiord called
the attention OF the society to wingless bird
on Lord Howe's Isand--an island situate be