1831.  BETULA LAKE.  LARCH LAKE.—­The 7th of August, which dawned upon us in Lake Chetac, proved foggy and cool.  The thermometer at 4, 7 and 8 A.M., stood respectively at 50 deg., 52 deg. and 56 deg..  We found the outlet very shallow, so much so, that the canoes could with difficulty be got out while we walked.  It led us by a short portage into a small lake called Betula, or Birch Lake, a sylvan little body of water having three islands, which we were just twenty-five minutes in crossing by free strokes of the paddles.  Its outlet was still too shallow for any other purpose than to enable the men to lead down the empty canoes.  We made a portage of twelve hundred and ninety-five yards into another lake, called Larch or Sapin Lake—­which is about double the size of the former lake.  We were half an hour in crossing it with an animated and free stroke of the paddle—­the men’s spirits rising as they find themselves getting out of these harassing defiles and portages.

A WAR PARTY SURPRISED.—­We took breakfast on the beach while the canoes were for the last time being led down the outlet.  We had nearly finished it on the last morsel of the fawn, and were glancing all the while over the placid and bright expanse, with its dark foliage, when suddenly a small Indian canoe, very light, and successively seven others, with a warrior in the bow and stern of each, glided from a side channel, being the outlet into its other extremity.  As soon as our position was revealed, they stopped in utter amazement, and lighting their pipes began to smoke; and we, nearly as much amazed, immediately put up our flag, and Lt.  Clary paraded his men.  We were more than two to one on the basis of a fight.  A few moments revealed our respective relations.  It was the Lac Courtorielle detachment of the Rice Lake war party, and gave us the first intimation of its return.  It was now evident that the man on the Little Chippewa from whom we purchased the fawn was but an advanced member of the same party.  As soon as they perceived our national character, they fired a salute and cautiously advanced.  It proved to be the brother of Mozojeed and two of his sons, with thirteen other warriors, on their return.  Each had a gun, a shot-bag and powder horn, a scalping knife and a war club, and was painted with vermilion lines on the face.  The men were nearly naked, having little but the auzeaun and moccasons and the leather baldric that confines the knife and necessary warlike appendages and their head gear.  They had absolutely no baggage in the canoe.  When the warrior leaped out, it was seen to be a mere elongated and ribbed dish of the white birch bark, and a man with one hand could easily lift it.  Such a display of the Indian manners and customs on a war party, it is not one in a thousand even of those on the frontiers is ever so fortunate as to see.