Holey Lake, we entered the Weepinapannis, a narrow grassy river,
which runs parallel to the Lake for a considerable distance, and forms
its south bank into a narrow peninsula. In the morning we arrived
at the Swampy Portage, where two of the boats were broken against
the rocks. The length of the day’s voyage was nineteen miles and
a half.
In consequence of the accident yesterday evening, we were detained
a considerable time this morning, until the boats were repaired, when
we set out, and, after ascending a strong rapid, arrived at the portage
by John Moore’s Island. Here the river rushes with irresistible
force through the channels formed by two rocky islands; and we
learned, that last year a poor man, in hauling a boat up one of these
channels, was, by the breaking of the line, precipitated into the
stream and hurried down the cascade with such rapidity, that all
efforts to save him were ineffectual. His body was afterwards found,
and interred near the spot.
The Weepinapannis is composed of several branches which separate
and unite, again and again, intersecting the country in a great
variety of directions. We pursued the principal channel, and having
passed the Crooked Spout, with several inferior rapids, and crossed
a small piece of water, named Windy Lake, we entered a smooth deep
stream about three hundred yards wide, which has got the absurd
appellation of the Babbit Ground. The marshy banks of this river
are skirted by low barren rocks, behind which there are some groups
of stunted trees. As we advanced, the country becoming flatter, gradually
opened to our view, and we at length arrived at a shallow,
reedy lake, the direct course through which leads to the Hill Portage.
This route has, however, of late years been disused, and we therefore
turned towards the north, and crossing a small arm of the lake,
arrived at Hill Gates by sunset; having come this day eleven miles.
October 1.—Hill Gates is the name imposed on a romantic defile,
whose rocky walls, rising perpendicularly to the height of sixty or
eighty feet, hem in the stream for three quarters of a m;iPj in many
places so narrowly, that there is a want of room to ply the oars. In
passing through this chasm we were naturally led to contemplate the
mighty but, probably, slow and gradual effects of the water in wearing
down such vast masses of rock; but in the midst of our speculations,
the attention was excited anew to a grand and picturesque rapid,
which, surrounded by the most wild and majestic scenery, terminated
the defile. The brown fishing-eagle had built its nest on one of the
projecting cliffs. In the course of the day we surmounted this and
another dangerous portage, called, the Upper and Lower Hill Gate
Portages, crossed a small sheet of water, termed the White Fall Lake,
and entering the river of the same name, arrived at the White Fall
about an hour after sunset, having come fourteen miles on a S. W.
course.
The whole of the 2d of October was spent in carrying the cargoes
over a portage of thirteen hundred yards in length, and in launching
the empty boats over three several ridges of rock which obstruct the
channel and produce as many cascades. I shall long remember the
rude and characteristic wildness of the scenery which surrounded
these falls; rocks piled on rocks hung in rude and shapeless masses
over the agitated torrents which swept their bases, whilst the bright
and variegated tints of the mosses and lichens, that covered the face
of the cliffs, contrasting with the dark green of the pines which
crowned their summits, added both beauty and grandeur to the
scene. Our two companions, Back and Hood, made accurate sketches
of these falls. At this place we observed a conspicuous lop-stic/c, a
kind of land-mark, which I have not hitherto noticed, notwithstanding
its great use in pointing out the frequented routes. It is a pine-
tree divested of its lower branches, and having only a small tuft at
the top remaining. This operation is usually performed at the instance
of some individual emulous of fame. He treats his compa