OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. xli

This feems to have been caufed by fome convulfion of nature, for
many of the iflands difplay a compofition of lava, intermixed with
round flones of the fize of a pigeon’s egg. The furrounding rock is
generally hard, and of a dark blue-grey, though it frequently has the
appearance of ironand copper. The South fide of the lake, from Point
Shagoimigo Eaft, is almoft a continual ftraight line of fandy beach, in-
ter{perfed with rocky precipices of lime-ftones, fometimes rifing to an
hundred feet in height, without a bay. The embankments from that
point Weftward are, in general, of ftrong clay, mixed with ftones, which
renders the navigation irkfome and dangerous. On the fame fide,
at the River Tonnagan, is found a quantity of virgin copper. The
Americans, foon after they got poffeffion of that country, fent an en-
gineer thither; and I fhould not be furprifed to hear of their employing
people to work the mine. Indeed, it might be well worthy the attention
of the Britifh fubje@s to work the mines on the North coaft, though:
they are not fuppofed to be fo rich as thofe on the South.

Lake Superior is the largeft and moft magnificent body of frefh water
in the world: it is clear and pellucid, of great depth, and abounding in
a great variety of fifh, which are the moft excellent of their kind. There
are trouts of three kinds, weighing from five to fifty pounds, fturgeon,
pickerel, pike, red and white carp, black bafs, herrings, &c. &c. and the
laft and beft of all, the Ticamang, or white fifh, which weighs from

four to fixteen pounds, and is of a fuperior quality in thefe waters.

This lake may be denominated the grand. refervoir of the River

St. Laurence, as no confiderable rivers difcharge themfelves into it.
£ ; The