and others have started for the Great Slave Lake, with Indians
and squaws, apprising him of it by letter.              I have done
two long letters for the �Times� duly forwarded, and am half
way towards completion of a third.        Also drawn two big cuts
and five two cols for Picayune.     Frank Noble took charge of part of
these, for transmission per express from Detroit; I going to the
vessel on Sunday afternoon, it stopping here in its passage southwards.
Frisell brought me news of it, he being abroad; and coming up to the
Fort to see me.     Hillard did the like, on two occasions, being
tarrying at the Mission House for a Chicago boat.   He�s off now.
Also Compo called, once, he being bound Detroit-wards.  A few
rambles have I had about the Island, which is very pretty,
and picturesque.   Uprising early on the first morning, I with
Barth took a before breakfast walk to the Arched Rock.
Through winding forest ways over gently undulating green hills, among
thick growing arbor-vitae, balsam fur, white and yellow pine, cedar,
birch and poplar, gathering hazel-nuts by the pocketful, plucking
the small, though sweet and ripe wild straw berries that grow
all over the island, we go, dew-drops glistening on the bright
leaves, and the glorious morning sun overhead.     The Roche
Perc�e as the French called it is a natural bridge or
Arch, hollowed out I fancy, by water power, ages past.
It is at the summit of a vast limestone bluff, perhaps over
a hundred feet in heighth, below it the abyss, sinking down,
and the lake.     There�s a minor arch at some distance
down, excavated in an abatment of the first.     The upper
one may be twelve feet thick, vertically twenty.   It has been