Preparations for the expedition--Constitution of the party--Mode of
travel in canoes--Embarkation, and incidents of the journey across
the Lake, and up the River St. Clair--Head winds encountered on
Lake Huron--Point aux barques--Cross Saganaw Bay--Delays in
ascending the Huron coast--Its geology and natural history--Reach
Michilimackinac.
From the moment of our arrival at Detroit, we devoted ourselves, with
intensity, to the preparation necessary for entering the wilderness. We
were to travel, from this point, by a new mode of conveyance, namely,
the Indian bark canoe, called a chimaun, a vehicle not less novel than
curious. Constructed of large and thick sheets of the rind of the betula
papyracea, or northern birch, which are cut in garment-like folds, and
sewed together with the thin fibrous roots of the spruce, on a thin
framework of cedar ribs, and having gunwales, with a sheathing of the
same material, interposed between the bark and ribs. The seams are
carefully gummed with the pitch of the pine. The largest of these canoes
are thirty-six feet in length, and seven feet wide in the centre,
tapering to a point each way. They carry a mast and sail, and are
steered and propelled with light cedar paddles. They are at once light,
so as to be readily carried over the portages, and so strong as to bear
very considerable burdens. Those intended for us, were ordered from the
Chippewas of Lake Huron, near Saganaw Bay. It was necessary to have
mosquito-bars, portfolios, knapsacks, and various contrivances, and to
make baggage of every sort assume the least possible bulk and space. The
public armorer had orders to furnish me suitable hammers and other
minerological apparatus for preparing and packing specimens. The
expedition was quite an event in a remote town, and everybody seemed to
take an interest in the preparation. A fortnight passed away in these
preparations, and in awaiting the arrival of the canoes, respecting
which there was some delay. It was the 24th of May before we were ready
to embark. Besides the gentlemen mentioned as constituting the
travelling party, ten Canadian _voyageurs_ were taken to manage the
canoes, ten United States soldiers to serve as an escort, and ten
Ottowa, Chippewa, and Shawnee Indians to act as hunters, under the
directions of James Riley, an Anglo-American, and Joseph Parks, a
Shawnee captive (at present, head chief of the Shawnee nation), as
interpreters. This canoe contained a chief called Kewaygooshkum, a
sedate and respectable man, who, a year afterwards, played an important
part at the treaty of Chicago.
The grand point of departure and leave-taking, was at Grose Point, at
the foot of Lake St. Clair, a spot nine miles distant. For this point,
horses and carriages, with the numerous friends of Gov. Cass, pushed
forward at an early hour; and there was as much enthusiasm manifested,
by all classes, as if a new world was about to be discovered. I had a
strong wish to witness the mode of canoe travelling, and, declining an
opportunity to join the cavalcade by land, took my seat beside Major
Forsyth in the Governor's canoe. The Canadians immediately struck up one
of their animating canoe songs, the military escort at the same moment
displayed its flag and left the shore, and the auxiliary Indians, fired
with the animation of the scene, handled their paddles briskly, and shot
their canoe rapidly by us. A boat-race was the consequence. The Indians
at first kept their advantage, but the firmer and more enduring nerves
of the Canadians soon began to tell on our speed, and as we finally
passed them, the Indians gracefully yielded the contest. We were two
hours in going to Grose Point, with the wind slightly ahead.
The banks of the River Detroit present continuous settlements, in which
the appearance of large old orchards and windmills, among farm-houses
and smooth cultivated fields, reminds the visitor that the country has
been long settled. And he will not be long in observing, by the
peculiarity of architecture, dress, manners, and language, that the
basis of the population is French. We found our land party had preceded
us, and as the winds were adverse, we encamped in linen tents along the
open shore. The next day the wind increased, blowing quite a gale down
the Lake. I busied myself by making some meteorological and geological
observations. The shores of Lake St. Clair are formed of a fertile
alluvium, resting on drift. There are some heavy boulders of primitive
rock resting on this, which denote a vast field of former drift action
around the shores of these lakes.
The wind abated about eleven o'clock on the morning of the 26th, when
the men commenced loading the canoes. It was twelve before we embarked.
The mode of their embarkation is peculiar. The canoes, when laden, are
hauled out in deep water; the men then catch up the sitters on their
backs, and deposit them in their respective seats; when this was done,
they struck up one of their animated songs, and we glided over the
smooth surface of the lake with rapidity, holding our course parallel
with its shores, generally, until reaching a prominent point of land
near Huron River.[12]
[12] Now called Clinton River, a change made by Act of Legislature,
the frequent repetition of this name by the French having been found
inconvenient in the lake geography. 1853.
From Point Huron we crossed the lake, to reach the central mouth of the
St. Clair River, thereby saving a tedious circuit; by the time we had
half accomplished the transit, we encountered a head wind, which put the
strength of the men severely to the test, and retarded our reaching the
mouth of the river till dark. The River St. Clair has several mouths,
which branch off above through a broad delta, creating large islands.
These channels discharge a vast amount of argillaceous drift and mud,
which has so far filled up the lake itself, that there is anchorage, I
believe, in every part of it; and the principal ship channel is scooped,
by the force of the current, out of a very compact blue clay--the
geological residuum of ancient formations of clay-slates in the upper
country.
The shores are often but a few inches _above_, and often a few inches
_below_ the surface, where they give origin to a growth of reeds, flags,
and other aquatic plants, which remind the traveller of similar
productions at the Balize of the Mississippi. In this nilotic region,
myriads of water-fowls find a favorite resort. To us, however, these
jets of alluvial formation, bearing high grass and rushes were as so
many friendly arms stretched out to shelter us from the wind; but they
were found to be so low and wet, that we were compelled to urge our way
through them, in search of a dry encampment, till within two hours of
midnight. This brought us to the upper end of Lawson's Island, where we
arrived, wet, weary, and cold. We had advanced about twenty-five miles,
having been ten hours, in a cramped posture, in our canoes. This initial
day's journey was calculated to take away the poetry of travel from the
amateurs of our party, and to let us all know, that there were toils in
our way that required to be conquered.
We slept little this night, and waited for daylight and sunrise, as if
the blessed luminary would have an animating effect upon our actual
condition. We again embarked at seven o'clock in the morning. We now
stowed away things with more handiness than at the first embarkation,
and we began, ourselves, to feel a little more at home in this species
of voyaging.
We had three canoes in our little squadron provided with masts and
sails, and a small United States pennant to each, so that the brigade,
when in motion, and led, as it usually was, by the chanting canoemen,
had a formidable and animated appearance.
The River St. Clair is a broad and noble stream, and impressed us as
justifying the highest encomiums bestowed on it by Charlevoix, La
Hontan, and other early French travellers. We ascended it thirty miles,
which brought us to Fort Gratiot, at the foot of the rapid which marks
the outlet of Lake Huron. In this distance, we passed, at separate
places, nine vessels at anchor, being detained by head winds, and
encountered several Chippewa and Ottowa canoes, each of which were
generally occupied by a single family, with their females, blankets,
guns, fishing apparatus, and dogs. They evinced the most friendly
disposition.
In landing at Oak Point,[13] I observed a green snake (coluber æstivus)
in the act of swallowing a frog, which he had succeeded in taking down,
except the extremity of its hind legs. A blow was sufficient to relieve
the frog, which still had sufficient animation to hop towards the river.
The snake I made to pay the forfeit of his life.
[13] Now the site of Algonac.
At Fort Gratiot, we were received by Major Cummins, U. S. A., who
occupied the post with sixty men. The expedition was received with a
salute, which is due to the Governor of a Territory.
Two soldiers who were sickly, were here returned, and five able-bodied
men received to supply their places, thus increasing the aggregate of
the party to forty persons.[14]
[14] To cover any arrangements of this kind, general orders had been
issued by Gen. Macomb, to the commandants of the western posts.
The banks of the River St. Clair are wholly alluvial or diluvial. There
is not a particle of rock in place. One idea presses itself prominently
to notice, in reflecting on the formation of the country. It is the vast
quantum of clay, mixed drift, and boulders, which have evidently been
propelled, by ancient forces, down these straits, and afterwards
arranged themselves according to affinities, or gravitation. At the
precipitous banks between the inlet of Black River and Fort Gratiot,
this action has been so clearly within the erratic block period of De la
Buck, that it has imbedded prostrate forest-trees, and even freshwater
shells, beneath the heavy stratum of sand, resting immediately upon the
fundamental clay beds, upon which the city of Detroit, and indeed the
alluvions of the entire straits rest.[15] We again encountered at this
place, blocks of the primitive or crystalline boulders, which were first
seen at Grosse Point. There are some traces of iron sand along the shore
of this river, the only mineral body, indeed, which has thus rewarded my
examinations.
[15] In the artesian borings for water, undertaken by Mr. Lucius Lyon,
at Detroit, in 1833, these clay beds were found to be one hundred and
fifteen feet deep.--Vide _Historical and Scientific Sketches of
Michigan_, p. 177.
We left our encampment, at Fort Gratiot, at eight o'clock next morning.
A strong and deep rapid is immediately encountered, up which, however,
vessels having a good wind find no difficulty in making their way. On
surmounting this, we found ourselves on the level of Lake Huron. The
lake here bursts upon the view in one of those magnificent landscapes
which are peculiar to this region. Nature has everywhere operated on the
grandest scale. Wide ocean expanses and long lines of shore spread
before the eye, which gazes admiringly on the broad and often brilliant
horizon, and then turns, for something to rest on, along the shore. Long
ridges of gravel, sand, and boulders, meet it here. Beyond and above
this storm-battered beach, are fringes of woods, or banks of clay. The
monotony of travelling by unvaried scenes is relieved by an occasional
song of the boatmen, or an occasional landing--by changes of
forest-trees--of the wind, or flights of the gull, duck, plover, and
other birds; but the traveller, is apt, before evening comes, to fancy
himself very much in the position of a piece of merchandise which is
transported from place to place. Glad were we when night approached, and
the order to encamp was heard. It was estimated we had advanced
thirty-five miles.
On passing along the Huron coast about fifteen miles, a bank of dark
clay is encountered, which has an elevation of thirty or forty feet, and
extends six or eight miles. We soon after came to the White Rock--an
enormous detached mass, or boulder of transition,[16] or
semi-crystalline limestone. It is a noted landmark for _voyageurs_ and
travellers, and an equally celebrated place of offerings by the Indians.
I requested to be landed on it, and detached some specimens.
Geologically, it is a member of the erratic block group, and we must
look for its parent bed at a more westerly point. There is no formation
of limestone, in this quarter, to which it can be referred. It bears
marks of attrition, which shows that it has been rubbed against other
hard bodies; and if transported down the lake on ice, it is necessary to
consider these marks as pre-existing at the era of its removal.
[16] This term has disappeared from the geological vocabulary under
the researches of Sir Roderick J. Murchison, Mr. Lyell, and other
distinguished generalizers.
On embarking in the morning, the wind was slightly ahead, which
continued during the forenoon, changing in the after-part of the day, so
that we were able to hoist sail. About four o'clock the weather became
cloudy and hazy, the wind increasing, at the same time attended with
thunder and lightning. A storm was rapidly gathering, and the lake
became so much agitated that we immediately effected a landing, which
was not done without some difficulty, on a shallow and dangerous shore,
thickly strewn with boulders. We pitched our tents on a small peninsula,
or narrow neck of land, covered with beautiful forest-trees, which was
nearly separated from the main shore. Shortly after our arrival a vessel
hove in sight, and anchored on the same dangerous lee shore. We were in
momently expectation of her being driven from her moorings, but were
happily relieved, the next morning, to observe that she had rode out the
storm.
The lake was still too rough on the following day, and the wind too
high, to permit our embarking. We made an excursion inland. The country
proved low, undulatory, and swampy. The forest consisted of hemlock,
birch, ash, oak, and maple, with several species of mosses, which gave
it a cold, bleak character. The margin of the forest was skirted with
the bulrush, briza canadensis, and other aquatic plants. The whole day
passed, a night, and another day, with nothing but the loud sounding
lake roar in our ears. A heavy bed of the erratic block formation
commences at this point, and continues to Point aux Barques, the eastern
cape of Saganaw Bay.
In one of these displaced masses--a boulder of mica slate, I discovered
well-defined crystals of staurotide. This formed my second mineralogical
acquisition.[17] There were, also, some striking water-worn masses of
granitical and hornblende porphyry.
[17] In passing along this coast in 1824, an Indian picked up, in
shallow water, a small boulder imbedding a mass of native silver.
Breaking off the most prominent mass, he still observed the metal
forming veins in the rock, and brought both specimens to an officer of
the British Indian department at Amherst (Lieut. Lewis S. Johnson),
who presented them to me. This discovery is described in the _Annals
of the New York Lyceum of Natural History_, vol. i. part 8, page 247.
It was the 1st of June before we could leave the spot where we had been
confined. We embarked at six o'clock, the lake being sufficiently
pacific, though not yet settled. But after proceeding about a league, it
again became agitated, and drove us ashore, where we lay without
encamping. Kewaygushkum was requested to send some of his young men in
quest of game. The soldiers and engagees also formed fishing parties, at
a contiguous river; but about three o'clock in the afternoon all the
parties returned completely unsuccessful. There was neither fish nor
game to be had. At the same time the agitation of the lake ceased, the
wind springing up from an opposite quarter, which enabled us to hoist
sail. This put every one in a pleasant humor, and we proceeded along the
coast till evening, and encamped on a small sandy bay, which puts into
the land, immediately beyond the promontory of Point aux Barques--an
estimated distance of twenty-five miles from our starting-point in the
morning.
At the distance of a league before reaching this point, the first
stratum of rock, _in situ_, presents itself. It is a gray friable
sandstone, elevated from ten to twenty feet above the water, but
attaining a greater height in the approach to this noted cape. This
stratum of sandstone rock, which is of a perishable character, is
exposed to receive the shock of the waves of Lake Huron for several
hundred miles from the north and west. It exhibits the force and fury of
the lake action by the numerous cavities which have been worn into it,
at the water's edge, and by the sub-bays which have, in some localities,
been formed in the line of dark opposing cliffs. It was in one of these
sub-bays that we encamped, on a smooth sandy beach, which appears to
have been a favorite encamping ground of the natives. But although we
had met several canoes of Chippewas, on the route between Fort Gratiot
and this point, none were found at the place of our encampment. Such of
them as we approached, on the lake, were invariably in want of food, and
received it with evident marks of gratification.
On going inland, back from our encampment, we found a succession of arid
ridges of sand, which had been evidently produced by the prostrated
sandstone of the coast, which, after comminution by the waves, had been
carried to this position by the winds. These ancient dunes and ridges
were covered sparsely with pitch pines and aspen, and having their
surfaces covered with the uva ursi, pyrola, and smaller shrub-growth
common to arenaceous soils.
On the day following, we ascended along the eastern shores of Saganaw
Bay, a distance of eighteen miles, which brought us to Point aux Chenes.
At this place the guides pointed to a group of islands about midway of
the bay, for which we steered. The calmness of the weather favored the
traverse. We reached and landed on the largest of the group, called
Shawangunk, by the Indians, probably from its southernmost position. I
found it to consist of a dark, compact limestone, imbedding masses of
chalcedony and calcareous spar. I also picked up a detached mass of
argillaceous oxide of iron, and some fragments of striped hornstone.
Anxious to improve the favorable time for effecting the passage, we
pushed on for the opposite western shore, which was safely reached. We
then steered down the bay, skirting a low sandy shore some twenty miles
or more, till entering the open lake, and reaching the River aux Sables.
On entering this river, and after having pitched our camp, we were
visited by a band of Chippewa Indians, with friendly salutations. It
appeared that the arrival of the expedition had been anticipated by
them, they having themselves constructed and furnished the canoes for
it, and being well acquainted with the official position, at Detroit, of
the leader of our party. The principal Chief, the Black Eagle, addressed
a speech to Governor Cass, in which he appropriately recognized these
relations, welcomed him to his village, and recommended the condition of
his people to his notice. The calumet was then smoked in the usual style
of Indian ceremony, the pipe-bearer beginning with persons of first
rank, and handing it in the supposed order of grade, to the lowest
member of the official family. The ceremony was ended by shaking of
hands. All this was done with the ease and dignity of an oriental
sheikh. We had anticipated savages, and savage manners, and armed
ourselves to the teeth, pushing a point with an army official at
Detroit, until we were each provided with a short rifle. But this first
formal council with the sons of the forest, began to open our eyes to
the true character of the Indian manners and diplomacy, in their
intercourse with government officials.
The chiefs, after their departure, sent to our encampment a present of
fresh sturgeon, a species which is caught abundantly in the aux Sables
at this time, for which returns were made of such articles as were most
acceptable to them. Being out of the Bay, we employed the following day
making advances along the Huron coast, an estimated distance of
forty-eight miles. In this distance, we passed Thunder Bay. Encamped on
a low, calcareous shore, bearing cedar and spruce, which the Indians
call Sho-she-ko-naw-be-ko-king, or Flat Rock Point. A few miles after
leaving River aux Sables, the Highlands of Sables present themselves at
a short distance back from the shore. This ridge, which is a landmark
for mariners, runs from southeast to northwest, and is visible as far as
Thunder Bay. The limestone, which is dark and of an earthy fracture, is
very much broken up on the shore, and contains various species of
organic remains. On crossing the Bay, we landed on an island covered
with debris, where we observed one of those imitative, water-worn,
primitive boulders, resembling altars, which are frequently set up by
the Indians as the places of depositing some offering, or out of mere
respect for some local god.
At six o'clock the next morning we were again in our canoes, assiduously
moving along the Huron coast; but, after proceeding about a league, a
storm of wind and rain suddenly arose, driving us from the lake. A few
hours served to restore its calmness, but we had not gone over a couple
of leagues when we were again compelled by the rising wind to take to
the shore, where we were detained the rest of the day, listening to the
capricious murmurs of the lake. This position was directly opposite
Middle Island, a noted anchorage about six miles distant. All night the
waves of the lake were heard. The morning broke without change. Lake
Huron still evinced an angry aspect, threatening to renew the struggle
of yesterday. It was concluded to send the canoes forward, relieved of
our weight, and proceed ourselves on foot along the beach. Walking on
this became difficult on those parts of it where the fossiliferous and
shelly limestone had been broken up and heaped in small fragments. Among
these, we recognized specimens of the cornu-ammonis, and the maderpore,
with some other species. The cedars and brushy growth generally stood so
thick, and grew so closely to this line of debris, that it was
impracticable to take the woods. The toil, however, rewarded us with
some specimens of the organic forms imbedded in the rock, while it
enabled the topographers to secure the data for a very perfect map of
the coast. At ten o'clock in the morning we reached the east cape of
Presque Isle Bay, where the canoes came to take us across to the
peninsula of that name. After completing this, the men landed the canoes
and baggage on the peninsula side, and carried them across the narrow
sandy neck of land; but, on reaching the open lake beyond it, the wind
was found too strongly adverse to permit embarkation. The Canadians have
the not inappropriate term of _degrade_ for this species of detention;
we were here foiled, indeed, in our high hopes of pushing ahead, and
compelled to wait on the naked sands for many weary hours. While thus
detained, the Indians brought in a brown rabbit,[18] a species of lake
tortoise, and some pigeons, being their only fruits of success in
hunting, except a single grouse, or partridge, which had crowned their
efforts since leaving Detroit. It must be borne in mind, however, that
there has been very little opportunity for hunting, that we have had
abundant supplies, and that our mode of travelling is such as to alarm
all game within sound of our track. They have, indeed, brought reports
at several points of seeing the footprints of the deer and black bear,
but they have not had the leisure to pursue them.
[18] This is presumed to be a variety of the American Hare, and may
be distinguished by the following characters: Body eighteen inches
long; color of the hair grayish-brown on the back, grayish-white
beneath. Neck and body rusty and cenerous. Legs pale rust color. Tail
short, brown above, white beneath. Hind legs longest, and callous a
short distance from the paws up. Ears tipped with black. Covering of
the body rusty fur, beneath long coarse hair. Probable weight six
pounds.
At five o'clock, the wind abated so much as to permit embarkation, and
our canoemen hastened forward with the intention of travelling all
night, but at eleven o'clock it freshened to such a degree, and at the
same time became so intensely dark, that we were compelled to land and
encamp. Neither the topography, mineralogy, or any branch of the
physical geography of a country can be ascertained without minute
examination; and this constitutes, indeed, the object of the
investigations, which have been, thus far, so toilsomely pursued against
adverse winds since the commencement of the expedition; but they have
disclosed facts which reveal the true structure and physical history of
this bleak, ungenial coast; this hope serves, every day, to give new
impetus to the voyage.
Another day along the Huron coast. It was now the 6th of June. The
_voyageurs_ began now to manifest great anxiety to reach
Michilimackinac, and had their canoes in the water at a very early hour.
We all participated in this feeling, and saw with pleasure the long
lines of sandy shores, strewed with boulders and pebbles, that were
swiftly passed. We had traced about forty miles of the coast when we
reached the foot of Bois Blanc Island, and pushed over the intervening
arm of the lake to get its south or lee shore. This was a labor of
hazard, as the wind was directly ahead, and drove the waves into the
canoes. When accomplished, we had the shelter of this island for twelve
miles, till reaching its southwest part. We then passed, due north,
between it and Isle Ronde, which brought the wind again ahead. But the
men had not kept this course long, when Michilimackinac, with its
picturesque and imposing features, burst upon our view.
Nothing can present a more refreshing and inspiring landscape. From
that moment the _voyageurs_ appeared to disregard the wind. Striking
into the water with bolder paddles, and opening one of their animating
boat-songs, all thought of past toils was forgotten, and, urged forward
with a new impetus, we entered the handsome little crescent-shaped
harbor at four o'clock. The expedition was received with a salute from
the fort, in command of Capt. B. K. Pierce, U. S. A.,[19] in compliment
to the Governor of the Territory, and we landed amid the congratulations
of the citizens, who pressed forward to welcome us.
[19] Of this officer, who was a brother of Franklin Pierce, President
of the United States, Gardner's _Army Dictionary_ gives the following
notice: Benjamin K. Pierce (N. H.), First Lieutenant Third Artillery,
March, 1812; Adjutant, 1813; Captain, October, 1813; retained May 15,
in artillery; in Fourth Artillery, May 21; Major ten years fa.
service, Oct. 1, 1823; Major First Artillery, June 11, 1836
(Lieutenant-Colonel Eighth Infantry, July 7, 1838, declined); Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonel "for distinguished service in affair at Fort
Drane," Aug. 21, 1836 (Oct. 1836), in which he commanded: Colonel
Regular Creek Mounted Volunteers, in Florida War, Oct. 1836;
Lieutenant-Colonel First Artillery, March 19, 1842. Died April 1,
1850, at New York.
Thus terminated the first part of our journey, after a tedious voyage of
fourteen days, in which we had encountered a series of almost continued
head-winds and foul weather. The distance by ship is usually estimated
at three hundred miles; by following the indentations of the coast, and
entering Saganaw Bay, we found it three hundred and sixty.[20] We found
the Huron coast, to the line of which our observations were limited,
bearing, in its vegetation, indubitable marks of its exposure to the
northern winds. As a section of the lake geology, it is simple and
instructive, exhibiting strata of sandstone and non-crystalline and
fossiliferous limestone in horizontal positions, without the slightest
disturbance in their dip or inclinations. Its mineralogy is scanty,
being nearly confined, so far as observed, to some common silicious
minerals, and traces of argillaceous and magnetic oxides of iron. The
erratic block-stratum or drift, is remarkable, and prepares the mind for
the still heavier accumulations of this kind which are perceived to be
spread over the northern latitudes.[21]
[20] Among the erratic block or drift stratum, I observed on the
south Huron coast singularly striking, round fragments of white
quartz, imbedding red fragments of coarse jasper; a rock, which I
afterwards found in places on the south end of Sugar Island, in St.
Mary's Straits, which lies directly north of the general position,
and may serve as a proof of the course of the drift.
[21] _Vide_ Geo. Report, Appendix.