A correspondent at Washington writes—­“The President” talks of a tour to the East.  He will probably leave here about the last of May.  He will go to Portland, then through New Hampshire and Vermont to Lake Champlain, and thence through the western part of New York to Buffalo.  This was originally the programme of Gen. Jackson’s tour to New England in 1833.

16th.  Charles Cleland, Esq., of Detroit, writes:  “My partner, Franklin Sawyer, Jr., has, for some months past, been collecting materials to enable him to publish a history of Detroit, and he has this moment requested me to solicit your friendly aid.  You might have in your possession many interesting facts, and much information which might give great value to the work.”

The true history of Detroit lies scattered abroad in the public archives of Paris and London, and in the Catholic College of Quebec.  It is inseparable in a measure, not only from the history of Michigan, but New France.

17th.  George L. Whitney, of Detroit, writes me respecting the printing of the narrative of my expedition to Itasca Lake.

19th.  Rev. John Clark writes from New York, that the Methodist Society have determined to establish a mission among the Chippewas at Sault St. Marie—­that he is pleased to hear the “native speakers” (Sunday, Cabeach and Tanchay) have wintered in the county, and that he expects to reach St. Mary’s by the 10th of June.

20th.  Dr. D. Houghton transmits from Detroit, a map necessary to illustrate my narrative of the expedition to Itasca Lake.

May 9th.  Wm. Cooper, of New York, undertakes to describe the collection of fresh-water shells made on the recent expedition.  “You are not, perhaps, aware,” he adds, “that Dr. Torrey is gone to Europe.  He sailed rather unexpectedly in February, and will be absent until next October.  I hope this will not be too great a delay for you, as it would be difficult to find another botanist equally capable of describing your plants.

“Dr. Dekay is in New York at present, and I have no doubt will contribute his assistance in the examination of your collection.”

Major H. Whiting remarks:  “The lake here is about two feet lower than it was at this time the last year.  How is the level with you?  I have the cause fixed on record this time. Mem.—­Not much snow during the winter, and a dry, a very dry spring—­only one brief rain during the months of March and April.  We must watch over these things and fix data, which will show that the theorizing of the past, has sprung mostly from the barrenness of observation.

“Emigration is settling again this way, as if the East were in love with the West.  I am not surprised at it.  An admirer of the picturesque might like the hills of the former, but a farmer would prefer to see them lie down on one of our prairies—­such as Prairie Rond.  I found out all their fascination when lately on a visit to the St. Joseph’s country.”