The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-24
NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY OCTOBER "a, 1858.

iran RANGES Of LAKE superor we're visible and the whole
valley Of the Kamninquia lay mapped nVe 0''
below. :. -. 80
The song of a ccada burst out from time 70 time ana
whrred through the boundess forests until cs 70 inc ~
Occasionally the note Of the cherry pro sasc orS the occs
spnal fight Of an eagle hawk, or k~aro~ W. ~. =
que, surface of the lake, near the foot Oh .ne no
other sign the denzens Of the forest drew aenon OF
nsec, life, however, had proof more than emo h in
the Of sand flies, mosquitoes ana OlaSA - which
al The conteu,psiiou of SO wild beautiful sceae Mr.
Fleming found much difficulty VI optAn .ng sketch Of
Little log lake SO incessan, ~sls 'ne Attacks Of these
rine succeeded in checking the per<inacy the sand
flies which Of the three varieties Of pest wcre perhaps
The passage Of the portage very arduous unscrtak-
ing with large canoes and heavy baggage The burdens
carried by our royages and Indians were surprising
and called forth extraordinary of strength and
endurance In portaging the large two Indians
stripped themselves to the waist and with the
assistance Of two others, raised the FIVE fathom
canoes their hare shoulders and holding in
either hand the strings attached TO bow ard for
seadyng ther burden they proceeded with their
cumbrous oads When reaching the plateau of the
tain, as may be termed, and evidently suffering from
the extraordinary exerton required in carrying heavy
canoe nearly 80 feet long, and in its soaked condition
weighing about 400 lbs distance of threequarters Of
mile and rising $50 feet the wild and savage appearance
OF the Indians became actually rightfu Their long black
har was streaming over their faces perspraon poured
down their naked bodies, as, bending underneath their
loads they passed al swinging trot and gave warning
OF their approach the narrow portage path by loud
aad abrupt waugh" This astonishing irmness with
which these wild end rude men preserved their footing
down steep declves under the heavy pressure Of tho
burdens excited admiration and the perfect GOODNESS
with which they approached or shot the most dangerous
rapids singular with the vociferous
ing of our volatile French Canadian royageugs.n
The narrator of Major Longs Expedition in 1928, des
orioes the Fails Of kakabika probably ranking among
the nnest that known. Several travellers have cst
mated their height with different results. Mr. r. NJ. Bal
antyne considered them higher by few feet than Nj
agara.
Mr. Murray, of the Canadian Geological Commission,
found them by measurement to be ll9 feet IN ls4s re-
suit established by the careful survey of Mr. Dawson last
year who ascerained their actual altitude 10 be then l9
feet inches The volume of water which passes over
the perpendicular precpice certainly does not exceed one
half OF that which takes its leap the United States
side OF Niagara called the American fall Its color
light chocolate brown which, while gives very
liar aspect and even beauty when viewed from below in
strong sunshine decidedly inferior to the exquisite play
OF green and white generally seen in the waterfalls Of
| Europe.
KakabIsa, Cleft Rock is thirty miles from Lake su-
peror and the portage or carrying place II involves is
/ called by the uoyd9eurs the Mountain Portage
The taus covered with wild mint in August last;
and some humming birds appear to have established
themselves in the nelghborhood they were seen hover
ing the beautiful wild flowers which luxuriaed in
The fine occasionally directed by gusts Of wind
the but ,rcacherous bank Numerous springs CT
| in temperature slightly exceeding 20 degrees
| from that Of the turbid torrent of the Ka-
consist Of white cedar. Banskian pine. black and
basam spruce with aspen and balsm poplar in the val
ley below The plateau over which the portage trail
abounds in summer with strawberries hlueberres and
raspberres and everywhere rabbit tracks, runs
numerous. When viewed from the foot Of the taus the
play Of rainbow coors at noon, about the summit of the
falls and the bright green vegetation which clothes the
surrounding rocks, is truly wonderful
The Roseau, or Reedgrass river falls into Red river
about ten miles north Of the boundary line between Ru-
pers land and the United States With view TO learn
something Of the character Of this river of the country
through which il flows and the distance Of It's from
the Lake OF the Woods, in September last Mr. Hind
companed by his assistant, Mr. Fleming, and several
half breeds, made exploration Of the river from its
mouth the dead Of Roscau lake, further
progress horse back became impossible OF
| the swamps.
| Below the wgwams Is a fish weir rudely constructed
OF branches OF and brush In these pounds they
may be termed the Indians catch large quantities Of sb
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