None of his party were acquainted with the road; but, after giving him directions both general and particular, Mr.Kinzie promised to _blaze_ a tree, or _set up a chip_ for a guide, at every place which appeared more than usually doubtful.
We now found ourselves in a much more diversified country than any we had hitherto travelled.

Gently swelling hills, lovely valleys, and bright sparkling streams were the features of the landscape.

But there was little animate life.

Now and then a shout from the leader of the party (for, according to custom, we travelled Indian file) would call our attention to a herd of deer "loping," as the Westerners say, through the forest; or an additional spur would be given to the horses on the appearance of some small dark object, far distant on the trail before us.

But the game invariably contrived to disappear before we could reach it, and it was out of the question to leave the beaten track for a regular hunt.
Soon after mid-day, we descended a long, sloping knoll, and by a sudden turn came full in view of the beautiful sheet of water denominated Gros-pied by the French, _Maunk-suck_ by the natives, and by ourselves Big-foot, from the chief whose village overlooked its waters.