I find from the observations and suggest_The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 1 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

the [Julian] source of the Mississippi, that it was his opinion the

line of limits between the United States and Great Britain must run

such a course from the head of the Lake of the Woods as to touch the

source of the Mississippi; and this I discovered to be the opinion of

the North West Company, who, we may suppose or reasonably conclude,

speak the language held forth by their government. The admission of

this pretension will throw out of our territory all the upper part of

Red river, and nearly two-fifths of the territory of Louisiana.

Whereas, if the line be run due west from the head of the Lake of the

Woods, it will cross Red river nearly at the entrance of Reed river,

and, it is conjectured, strike the western ocean at Birch Bay, in

Queen Charlotte Sound. Those differences of opinion, it is presumed,

might be easily adjusted between the two governments at the present

day; but it is believed that delays, by unfolding the true value of

the country, may produce difficulties which do not at present exist.

The North West Company have made establishments at several places on

the south side of Lake Superior, and on the head waters of the

Sauteaux and St. Croix, which discharge into the Mississippi. The

first I met with on the voyage up was at Lower Red Cedar Lake, about

150 miles above Isle de Corfeau [Corbeau], on the east side of the

river, and distant therefrom six miles. It is situated on the north

point of the lake, and consists of log buildings, flanked by picketed

bastions on two of its angles. The next establishment I met with was

situated on Sandy Lake: for a description of which, see document

[herewith] marked A. Midway between Sandy Lake and Leech Lake is a

small house not worthy of notice [Grant's: see note 52 p. 144]. On

the southwest side of the latter lake, from the outlet of the

Mississippi, stand the headquarters of the Fond du Lac department: for

information relative to which, have reference to document marked B.

Here resides the director of this department. In document C is a

recapitulation of the specific articles of 115 packs of peltry, which

will give an idea of the whole, amounting per said voucher to 233

packs per annum in the Fond du Lac department. Document D will explain

the relative price of goods in that district; but the trading prices

are various, according to situations and circumstances. Voucher E

shows the number of men, women, and children in the service of the

North West Company in the district aforesaid, with their pay per

annum, etc. This department brings in annually 40 canoes; from which,

by a calculation made by a gentleman [George Anderson] of veracity and

information, who has been 18 years in the Indian trade and in the

habit of importing goods by Michilimackinac, it appears that the

annual amount of duties would be about $13,000. The Lower Red river,

which I conceive to be within our territory, would yield about half

that sum, $6,500, and the Hudson Bay Company's servants, who import by

the way of Lake Winipie, $6,500 more.

Thus is the United States defrauded annually of about $26,000. From my

observations and information, I think it will be an easy matter to

prevent the smuggling of the Fond du Lac department, by establishing a

post with a garrison of 100 men, and an office of the customs, near

the mouth of the St. Louis, where all goods for the Fond du Lac

department must enter. This is at present the distributing point,

where the company have an establishment, and where the goods, on being

received from Kamanitiquia, are embarked for their different

destinations. That point also commands the communication with Lake de

Sable, Leech Lake, Red Lake, etc. I am also of opinion that the goods

for Red River, if it be within our boundary, would enter here, in

preference to being exposed to seizure. It is worthy of remark that

the charter of the Hudson's Bay Company extends to all its waters: and

if the British government conceived they had authority to make such a

grant, they certainly would claim the country therein specified, which

would extend far south of the west line from the head of the Lake of

the Woods.

The North West Company were about to push their trade down the

Mississippi until they would have met the traders of Michilimackinac;

but I gave them to understand that it could not be admitted, as

appears per letter to Mr. Dickson.

A. _Description of the N. W. Company's Fort at Sandy Lake._

The fort at Sandy Lake is situated on the S. side, near the W. end,

and is a stockade 100 feet square, with bastions at the S. E. and N.

W. angles, pierced for small-arms. The pickets are squared on the

outside, round within, about one foot diameter, and 13 feet above

ground. There are three gates: the principal one fronts the lake on

the N., and is 10 × 9 feet; the one on the W. 6 × 4 feet; and the one

on the E. 6 × 5 feet. As you enter by the main gate you have on the

left a building of one story, 20 feet square, the residence of the

superintendent. Opposite this house on the left of the E. gate, is a

house 25 × 15 feet, the quarters of the men. On entering the W. gate

you find the storehouse on the right, 30 × 20 feet, and on your left a

building 40 × 20 feet, which contains rooms for clerks, a workshop,

and provision store.

On the W. and N. W. is a picketed inclosure of about four acres, in

which last year they raised 400 bushels of Irish potatoes, cultivating

no other vegetables. In this inclosure is a very ingeniously

constructed vault to contain the potatoes, and which likewise has

secret apartments to conceal liquors, dry goods, etc.

B. _Description of the N. W. Company's Fort at Leech Lake._

The fort is situated on the W. side of the lake, in lat. 47° 16' 13"

N. It is built near the shore, on the declivity of a rising ground,

having an inclosed garden of about 5 acres on the N. W. It is a square

stockade of 150 feet, the pickets being 16 feet in length, 3 feet

under and 13 feet above the ground, bound together by horizontal bars

each 10 feet long. Pickets of 10 feet are likewise driven into the

ground on the inside of the work, opposite the apertures between the

large pickets. At the W. and E. angles are square bastions, pierced

for fire-arms.

The main building in the rear, fronting the lake, is 60 × 25 feet, 1½

story high; the W. end of this is occupied by the director of the Fond

du Lac department. He has a hall 18 feet square, bed-room, and

kitchen, with an office. The center is a trading shop of 12½ feet

square, with a bedroom in the rear, of the same dimensions. The E. end

is a large store 25 × 20 feet, under which is an ice-house well

filled. The loft extends over the whole building, and contains bales

of goods, packs of peltries; also, chests with 500 bushels of wild

rice. Beside the ice-house, there are cellars under all the other

parts of the building. The doors and window-shutters are musket-proof.

On the W. side is a range of buildings 54 × 18 feet, fronting the

parade, the N. end of which is a cooper's shop 18 × 14 feet, with a

cellar; joining to which is a room called the Indian hall, expressly

for the reception of Indians, and in which the chiefs who met me in

council were entertained. In this hall are two closed bunks for

interpreters; its dimensions are 22 × 18 feet. Adjoining this is a

room 18 feet square for the clerks, in which my small party were

quartered. Under both of the latter rooms are cellars.

On the E. side is a range of buildings 50 × 18 feet, which has one

room of 20 feet and one of 15 feet, for quarters for the men; also, a

blacksmith's shop of 15 feet, which is occupied by an excellent

workman. On the left of the main gate, fronting the river, is the

flag-staff, 50 feet in height.

They intended building a small blockhouse over the main gate, fronting

the lake, to place a small piece of artillery in. There are likewise

gates on the N. and E. flanks, of about 10 × 8 feet.

D. _The price of goods in exchange with the Indians._

Blankets, 3 and 2½ point, each, [VI-5]plus 4 $8

Blankets, 2 point, each, 2 4

Blankets, 1½ point, each, 1 2

Blue strouds, per fathom, 4 8

Scarlet cloth, 8-6, 6 12

Worsted binding, per piece, 4 8

Vermilion, per pound, 4 8

Molten [glass beads], blue and white, per fathom, 2 4

Gunpowder, per half-pint, 1 2

Balls, per 30, 1 2

Shot of all sorts, per handful, 1 2

Tobacco, per carrot, 4 8

Twist tobacco, per fathom, 1 2

Beaver-traps, each, 4 8

Half-axes, each, 2 4

Castites, 1 2

N. W. guns, each, 10 20

Knives, each, 1 2

For wampum and silver works, as well as rum, there is no regulation;

but the real price of goods here, in exchange for peltry, is about 250

per cent. on the prime cost.

GEO. ANDERSON.

C.--_Recapitulation of Furs and Peltries, North West Company, 1804-5,

Fond du Lac Department; Marks and Numbers as per margin._

TABLE LEGEND:

Column A = Marks.

Column B = Numbers.

Column C = Wt. of Packs, lbs.

Column D = Bears.

Column E = Bear Cubs.

Column F = Beaver, Mixed.

Column G = Beaver, Large.

Column H = Beaver, Small.

Column I = Beaver, Wt. in lbs.

Column J = Badgers.

Column K = Carcajoux.

Column L = Deer.

Column M = Foxes.

Column N = Fishers.

Column O = Lynxes.

Column P = Martens.

Column Q = Minks.

Column R = Original skins dr's'd.

Column S = Do. Parchment.

Column T = Do. Green.

Column U = Otters.

Column V = Racoons.

Column W = Musk Rats.

Column X = Wolves.

======+====+===+==+=+==+==+==+==+==+=+==+=+==+==+===+==+==+==+==+===+==+===+=

A | B | C | D|E| F| G| H| I| J|K| L|M|N | O| P | Q| R| S| T| U | V| W |X

------+----+---+--+-+--+--+--+--+--+-+--+-+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+---+--+---+-

N. W. | 1 | 92| | | | | | | | |45| | | | | | | | | | | |

L. L. | 2 | 92| | | | | | | | |47| | | | | | | | | | | |

[Leech| 3 | 93| | | | | | | | |47| | | | | | | | | | | |

Lake] | 4 | 91| | | | | | | | |45| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 5 | 90| | | | | | | | |47| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 6 | 91| | | | | | | | |47| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 7 | 92| | | | | | | | |39| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 8 | 87| | | | | | | | |40| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 9 | 92| | | | | | | | |38| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 10 | 91| | | | | | | | |38| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 11 | 92| | | | | | | | |38| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 12 | 87| | | | | | | | |38| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 13 | 90| | | | | | | | |44| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 14 | 92| | | | | | | | |39| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 15 | 93| | | | | | | | |35| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 16 | 93| | | | | | | | |40| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 17 | 99| | | | | | | | |40| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 18 | 88| | | | | | | | |35| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 19 | 96| | | | | | | | | 2| | | | | | | | | | |655|

| 20 | 95| | | | | | | | | 2| | | | | | | | | | |607|

| 21 | 90| | |68| | |90| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 22 | 89| | |66| | |89| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 23 | 92| | |64| | |92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 24 | 92| | |71| | |92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 25 | 92| | |68| | |92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 26 | 92| | |65| | |92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 27 | 91| | |73| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 28 | 89| | |75| | |89| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 29 | 90| | |75| | |90| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 30 | 90| | |85| | |90| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 31 | 91| | |61| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 32 | 92| | |60| | |92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 33 | 91| | |67| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 34 | 91| | |74| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 35 | 91| 5| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |60 | | |

| 36 | 99| 4| | | | | | | | 2| | | | | | | | |60 | | |

| 37 | 92|18| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 38 | 93| 4| | | | | | | | 3| |22|25| | | | | |22 | | |

| 39 | 92| 6| | | | | | | | | |11| 4| | 2| | | |16 | 1| 94|

| 40 | 87| 6| | | | | | |1| 2|1|11| | 5|21| | | | |27|144|

| 41 | 92| 6| |29| | |20| | | 7| | 1| 1| | 5| | | |16 |10| 58|

| 42 | 93| | |66| | |93| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 43 | 93| | |79| | |93| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 44 | 90| | |70| | |93| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 45 | 93| 2| | | | | | 1| |12| | 3| | 14| 2|13| | |7⅓ | 2| 9 |

| 46 | 91| | | |79| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 47 | 90| | | |89| | |90| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 48 | 91| | | |69| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 49 | 91| | | |73| | |91| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 50 | 87| 2| | | | | | |1| 2| |12| 1| 3|15| 4| | |45 | | |

| 51 |104| 2| |36| | | | | | 1| | 2| 2| | 2| 2| | |10 | 1|137|

| 52 |127| 1| |46| | | | | | | | 4| | 4| 3| 2| | |11 | 2|117|

N. W. | 1 | 94| | | |57| 9|94| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

R. | 2 | 91| | | |51|14|91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

[Red | 3 | 92| | | |50|22|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Lake] | 4 | 92| | | |49|19|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 5 | 92| | | |54|31|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 6 | 92| | | |59| 6|62| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 7 | 95| 7|1| | 2| | | | | | | | 3| | |11| | | | 3| |

| 8 | 92| | | | 2| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |672|

| 9 | 92| | | | | | | |1| 1| |15| | | | | | 1|67 | | |1

| 10 | 90| | | | 1| | | | | 1| | | 3| | |11| | | | | |

| 11 | 90| 8|2| | 2| | | | | |1| 3| 7| 37|24| 5| | | | | 3|

| 12 | 95| | | |45| 8| | | | | | 2| | | | | | |11 |13| |

| 13 | 93| 4|4| | | | | | | | |11| | 7|19| 9| 1| | 1 | 3| 58|

| 14 | 93| 2|2| |13| 9| | | | | | 7| | 1| 1|11| | | 6 | 4| 6|

| 15 | 92| | | | 3| 6|14| | | | | | | 2| 1| | 2| 8| 1 | | 1|

N. W. | 1 | 86| | | | | | | | |14|1|18| | 3| 7| | | |25 | 7| |

S. | 2 | 91| | | | | | | | | 6| | | | | | | | | | |500|

[Sandy| 3 | 88| | | |40|29|88| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Lake.]| 4 | 91| | | |37|32|91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 5 | 91| | | |37|30|91| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 6 | 90| | | |31|37|90| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 7 | 89| | | |38|26|89| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 8 | 92| | | |41|33|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 9 | 86| | | |43|17|86| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 10 | 87| | | |32|40|87| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 11 | 88| | | |41|28|88| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 12 | 90| | | |44|22|90| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 13 | 87| | | |35|38|87| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 14 | 92| | | |43|23|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 15 | 95| | | | | | | | | 5| |22| | | | | | |63 | | |

| 16 | 92| | | | | | | | |25| | 6| 3| 15|14| | | | |16| |

| 17 | 86| | | | | | | | |32| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 18 | 90| | | | | | | | |31| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 19 | 91| | | | | | | | |29| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 20 | 95| | | | | | | | |33| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 21 | 87| 7|1| |30| |43| | | 6| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 22 | 83| | | |38|33|83| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 23 | 93| | | |34|42|93| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 24 | 87| | | |34|43|87| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 25 | 89| | | |36|37|89| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 26 | 92| | | |57|14|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 27 | 94|16|1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 28 | 94| 4| | | | | | | | 2| |11| | | | | | |58 | | |

| 29 | 90| | | | | | | | | 2| | | | | | | | | | |60 |

| 30 | 91| | | | | | | | | | | 5| 1| 43|22| 1|11| | |10| |

| 31 | 93| | | | | | | | |39| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 32 | 93| | | | | | | | |43| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 33 | 90| | | | | | | | |43| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 34 | 91| | | | | | | | |35| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 35 | 99| | | | | | | | |41| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 36 | 86| | | | | | | | |44| | | | | | | | | | | |

| 37 | 72| | | | | | | | | 7| | | | | 2|13| 1| | 1 | | 55|

| 38 | 92| 1| | |35|33| | | | 5| | | | | | 1| | | 5 | | |

F. L. |Sum-| | 1| | | 7| |12| | | | | 1| | | 3| | 1| | 4 | |162|

|mer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

[Fond |Nos.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

du | 1 | 91| | | | 2| | 4| | | | | | | | | | | | | |615|

Lac.] | 2 | 93| | | |51|14|93| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 3 | 92| | | |45|24|92| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 4 | 93| | | |44|25|93| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 5 | 88| | | |41|34|88| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 6 | 95| 5| | | | | | | | | | | |199|40| 8| | | | | |

| 7 | 95| 5| | | | | | | | | |16| | | | 6| | |35 | | |

| 8 | 95| 4| | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1| | | | |472|

| 9 | 93| 9|4| | | | | | | 2|1| | 3| | | 6| | | 6 | 6| 49|

| 10 | 98| |1| |30|19| | | | 1| | | | | | 2| | 2| | | |

|A. | | | | |11| |15| | | | | | | 2| | 2| | | 3 | | |

|Pac-| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

|ton | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

------+----+---+--+-+--+--+--+--+--+-+--+-+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+---+--+---+-

Amount of the above returns, 115 Packs.

Different establishments not included, 34 Packs.

Amount of the E. of the X. Y. Company, 84 Packs.

Total amount, 233 Packs.

E. _Return of men employed in the N. W. Company's Department of Fond

du Lac, for 1805, with the amount of their wages per annum, etc._

Accountants, 3

Clerks, and men receiving interpreters' wages, 19

Interpreters, 2

Canoe-men, 85

---

Total, 109

_Women and Children belonging to the Establishment._

Women, 29

Children, 50

---

Total, 79

Livres.

Sum of the wages per annum of the above 109 men, 63,913

Average wages of each man, 586 7

Due by the N. W. Company, 38,566 8

Due to the N. W. Company, 24,326 16

N. B. The above women are all Indians, there not being a single white

woman N. W. of Lake Superior.

FOOTNOTES:

[VI-1] This article, for which I introduce a new chapter, with a new

major head, formed Doc. No. 17 of the orig. ed., pp. 35-40 and a

folder, of the Appendix to Pt. 1. The original title of the piece is

preserved as a minor head of the chapter, and this will also serve to

effect some sort of typographical uniformity with the following five

pieces, A, B, C, D, E, which are integral parts of the article, yet

were in the orig. ed. separated from the rest of the article under a

different heading, in larger type than the main heading itself;

moreover, the piece marked C, whose proper position was of course

between B and D, was a separate folding blanket-sheet bound to face p.

40, thus coming after E. The construction of this table is such that

it can be printed on two pages of the present edition, and be put

between D and E.

Pike's remarks on the fur-trade are sound and very much to the point;

together with his descriptions of the trading-houses, etc., they

represent probably the best account extant of things as they were in

1805. His present Observations, etc., as well as his correspondence

with Hugh M'Gillis (Arts. 8 and 9 of the foregoing chapter, pp.

247-254), were extracted for use in the Statutes, Documents, and

Papers bearing on the Discussion respecting the Northern and Western

Boundaries of the Province of Ontario, pub. Toronto, Hunter, Rose and

Co., 1877, 8vo, pp. 318-323.

[VI-2] The Indian trade is not among the least of the vexed questions

which the United States has sought to answer in the natural and

necessary process of causing the Indians to make their exeunt from the

world's stage. The prices at which goods were sold by private

individuals, whether French, English, or American, seem exorbitant,

extortionate--in a word, monstrous! But trade is a thing that seems to

regulate itself, without regard to theory or sentiment; the Indian

trade certainly did. I once asked the lion-tamer of a popular circus

what was the secret of his profession, expecting some discerning

remarks from him on the power of the human eye over wild beasts, and

so forth; but all he told me was, "You just have to know your lion."

In war, trade, or religion, you just have to know your Indian, as our

soldiers, traders, and priests found out for their respective selves.

General Whiting has some extremely moderate and judicious words on the

subject, in his Life of Pike, p. 231 _seq._, which I will reproduce in

substance, as it was a part of Pike's business on this voyage to keep

an eye on the Indian traders and trade. The various expenses attending

the transport of goods swelled the original value to such an

extraordinary degree that a knife cost an Indian the ordinary price of

a handsome sword, when he stuck it in his belt; and by the time his

squaw had put a yard and a half of blue strouds around her waist, her

lord was in debt for an amount that would have bought a city belle a

ball dress. Such high prices would have been ruinous to the Indian had

not their trade customs furnished a corrective. Few Indians ever

hunted beforehand; they seldom got their stock of skins to offer for

sale at a fair or any price, else the traffic would have been on more

nearly equal terms. They must have their outfit for the chase first,

and then they must feel the pangs of hunger before they would start on

a hunt. The trader was obliged to overcome their indolence by offering

certain inducements, besides furnishing the necessary means. This was

an invention of necessity on which the whole system of credits was

based, and on which such a structure of extortion and other evils was

reared. The trader had to let his goods go on credit into lazy,

improvident, always uncertain and often dishonest or criminal hands,

with no security for any adequate return for his outlay except in a

scale of ordinary prices that would cover him in case of extraordinary

losses. He took great risks and put up his premium accordingly. He

expected to realize 200 to 250 per cent. on the price of goods for

which he got anything, to cover the loss on what he got nothing for.

Thus the Indians were a prey to cupidity and extortion; they were

swindled, as it seems to us. Yet they had a way of getting even with

the most unprincipled trader, sometimes of beating him at his own

game. At the end of the hunt the Indian brought in his peltries. "If

these paid his debt," says Whiting, "which was not often the case, the

account was squared; if an arrearage remained, as was generally the

case, no reasoning nor threats could convince the red man that the

responsibility held over to another season, and that his obligations

survived the hunt. When that hunt terminated, and the furs obtained by

it had been fairly rendered, he considered the account as canceled.

Whether it was balanced or not was a question he did not undertake to

answer.

"One of the objects Lieutenant Pike appears to have been instructed to

keep in view while on his trip, was the investigation of these evils

of the Indian trade, and to ascertain where proper trading

establishments could be fixed, which were intended to correct them.

These establishments were of course to be made under the patronage of

the Government. They were afterward actually made under the 'factor'

system. In a benevolent spirit, the United States enacted that certain

stores should be conveniently placed within the Indian territory,

where factors, having a salary and no interest in the trade, were to

keep on hand a constant supply of articles suitable for the Indians,

which were to be exchanged with them for peltries, the articles

bearing only a fair cost, all expenses included, and the peltries

being received at a fair rate. Government thus, out of kindness to the

Indians, became a trader, and a competitor with individual traders.

"The theory was as promising as it was benevolent; but, like many

theories, it did not fulfill expectation when put into practice. It is

true that the Indian under it was sure of a just equivalent for such

furs and peltries as he brought in. This assurance was spread abroad

by agents, and was generally known and understood. But an important

consideration had been omitted in the calculations that suggested the

arrangement. Most of the Indians are improvident, and leave the morrow

to take care of itself. The future causes them no anxiety. It is the

present moment, with its gratifications, or its wants, that occupies,

almost exclusively, their minds--the former exhausted with blind

avidity, the latter borne with passive endurance. They seldom lay up

the means of providing themselves with the small equipments of a

hunting expedition. While they used the bow and arrow, it was

different. Then a few hours' exertion of their own hands provided all

that was necessary. But the moment a gun was put into their hands,

their dependence upon the trader was secured. They must have

ammunition, or their guns were more useless than the bow and arrow;

and they could obtain this only on credit.

"Hence the United States factor, who had a knife at a few shillings,

and a stroud at not many more, and powder and ball at a fair rate, but

who could sell for cash only, or its equivalent, would find his

shelves nearly as full at the end of the season as at the beginning;

while the individual trader, who sold on credit, though he might sell

at an enormous profit, at a thousand per cent. above his government

competitor, would empty his shelves in a few weeks. Besides, no system

can work well unless it is managed well. The factor was expected, by

the law, to be honest and disinterested; and he was often so. Still,

he was in a remote part of the country, and beset by temptations, and

dealt with a people that were supposed to be unable to tell tales that

could be understood. The system was abandoned after a vain experiment

of a few years."

About the time that Pike was on this expedition, Lewis and Clark also

had their attention turned to the same business. One of the results of

their observations was Lewis' Essay on an Indian Policy, which had

special regard to the commercial aspects of the case, and will never

go entirely out of date till the last Indian has bought his last

bullet, or had it fired into him. The reader is referred to this

article, occupying pp. 1215-43 of the 1893 ed. of L. and C.

Trade is one of those things which, like a hen hunting for a nest,

does best when let alone. Any hen will lay more eggs and hatch more

chicks in a nest of her own selection than in the most artful

contrivances of the coop to provide for her comfort and convenience.

All interference with a man's tendency to take advantage of his

neighbor is unwise, and injurious to both parties. It tends to sharpen

the wits of the one and make him more of a knave than he was before;

while it blunts the wits of the other with a specious sense of being

protected, and thus makes him a bigger fool than ever. Trade being

what it is, in consequence of the great quantity of human nature there

is in mankind, can never be legislated into anything else than an

attempt to enrich one's self at another's expense by buying cheap and

selling dear. Free trade in all the markets of the world is the only

natural postulate; all tariff regulations and restrictions are simply

necessary concessions to the inherent weakness of artificial systems

of trade. The evils of damming individual channels of trade--or

rather, of attempting to dam them with desultory yet reiterated

interference--reach a climax of absurdity and injury in what is known

as tariff-tinkering. Very likely they ought to be _dammed_--all

avenues of selfishness ought to be; but they never will be in this

world. As to the practical worldly wisdom displayed in specific

measures to promote commercial activity by legislative interference,

it is probable that any jockey in the land, with a hidebound horse for

sale and some arsenic in his pocket, could give our legislators

pointers on those tricks which are said to be in all trades but ours.

[VI-3] "A Mr. M'Coy" is not easily identified. I am inclined to think

that the name is McKay or Mackay, and that the person meant is

Alexander Mackay, who had been with Sir A. Mackenzie, left the N. W.

Co. in 1810, for Astor's American Fur Co., and was blown up with the

ship Tonquin in 1811; but I am far from feeling sure of this.

[VI-4] David Thompson was among the Mandans from Dec. 29th, 1797, to

Jan. 10th, 1798. He left McDonald's house, which was near the mouth of

Mouse r., on Nov. 28th, en route to the Missouri. On Dec. 7th he

reached the old Ash house on Mouse r., "settled two years ago and

abandoned the following spring." Being unable to procure a guide here,

he took the lead himself and struck for Turtle mountain, west of which

he again crossed Mouse r., and followed this stream up to the bight of

the great loop it makes in North Dakota, at a point 37 m. from the

Missouri. Here leaving the river and coming south over the plains, he

struck the Missouri Dec. 29th, at a point 6 m. above the uppermost

Mandan village. These villages are said to have been five in number,

and to have contained in all 318 houses and seven tents, inhabited by

Mandan and Willow Indians in about equal numbers. (The census of the

Willow Indians is given as from 2,200 to 2,500, in another place in

Thompson's MS., where he calls them Fall Indians.) While among the

Mandans Thompson prepared a vocabulary of about 375 words of their

language. He left the villages Jan. 10th, 1798; but being delayed by

storms, it was Jan. 24th before he reached Mouse r., and Feb. 3d when

he regained McDonald's house. I take these items from J. B. Tyrrell's

paper on the journeys of David Thompson, read before the Canadian

Institute Mar. 3d, 1888, and pub. in advance of the Proceedings,

Toronto, 1888, 8vo, pp. 7, 8: see also note 9, 167. Another account

of Thompson's travels occupies pp. 94-103 of Statutes, etc., N. and W.

Bound. Ontario, pub. Toronto, 8vo, 1877.

[VI-5] The _plus_ in the fur-trade was the standard of value, viz.: one

prime beaver (abiminikwa). In the above scale of prices the _plus_ was

reckoned as $2. The scale was a multiple or fraction of this, which

answered the purpose of an English shilling, French franc, Indian

rupee, or our dollar. Thus Perrault tells us that in 1784 a bear, an

otter, or a lynx was worth a _plus_; three martens or 15 muskrats were

also a _plus_; a buffalo was two _plus_, etc. A keg of "made" liquor,

_i. e._, three-fourths water, one-fourth alcohol, with a little

strychnine, _Cocculus indicus_, or tobacco-juice to flavor and color

it, has been sold to many an Indian for 20 to 40 _plus_. During my

recent canoe voyage to the source of the Mississippi, I believe that I

could have been provisioned, lodged, and transported by the Chippewas

for a month at the cost of a gallon or two of "made" whisky, had I

been provided with that article and disposed to put it to an unlawful

purpose.

CHAPTER VII.

GEOGRAPHY OF THE MISSISSIPPI.[VII-1]

_Observations on the Soil, Shores, Quarries, Timber, Islands, Rapids,

Confluent Streams, Highlands, Prairies, and Settlements on the

Mississippi,[VII-2] from St. Louis to its Source._

From St. Louis to the mouth of the Missouri, on the east is a rich

sandy soil, timbered with buttonwood, ash, cottonwood, hackberry, etc.

The west side is highlands for a short distance above the town; then

it is bordered by a small prairie, after which is bottom-land, with

the same timber as on the east. The current is rapid, and the

navigation in low water obstructed by sand-bars.

Immediately on the peninsula formed by the confluence of the

Mississippi and Missouri rivers is a small Kickapoo settlement,

occupied in summer only. On the west shore is a rich prairie, with

small skirts of woods; and on the east shore is generally high hills,

from 80 to 100 feet, extending to the mouth of the Illinois. The

current of the Mississippi, above the entrance of the Missouri, is

quite mild until you arrive at the mouth of the Illinois; where,

owing to the large sand-bars and many islands, it is extremely rapid.

The Illinois River is about 450 yards wide at its mouth, and bears

from the Mississippi N. 75° W. The current appears not to exceed 2½

miles per hour. The navigation and connecting streams of this river

are too well known to require a description at the present day. From

the Illinois to Buffalo river the E. shore is hills, but of easy

ascent. On the W. is continued the prairie, but not always bordering

on the river. The timber on both sides is generally hackberry,

cottonwood, and ash. Buffalo [Cuivre] river comes in on the W. shore,

and appears to be about 100 yards wide at its mouth; it bears from the

Mississippi S. 30° W. From the Illinois to this river the navigation

is by no means difficult, and the current mild.

Thence to Salt or Oahahah river, the east shore is either immediately

bounded by beautiful cedar cliffs, or the ridges may be seen at a

distance. On the W. shore there is a rich low soil, and two small

rivers which increase the waters of the Mississippi. The first

[Buffalo creek] called Bar river, about 20 yards in width. The second

[now Noir[VII-3] or Bear creek] is about 15 yards. Salt river bears from

the Mississippi N. 75° W., and is about 100 or 120 yards wide at its

entrance, and when I passed appeared to be perfectly mild, with

scarcely any current. About one day's sail up the river there are salt

springs, which have been worked for four years; but I am not informed

as to their qualities or productions. In this distance the navigation

of the Mississippi is very much obstructed by bars and islands; indeed

to such a degree as to render it in many places difficult to find the

proper channel. The shores are generally a sandy soil, timbered with

sugar-maple, ash, pecan, locust, and black walnut. The E. side has

generally the preference as to situations for buildings.

From this to the river Jaustioni [Jauflione, Jeffrion, or North Two

Rivers: see note 14, pp. 10, 11], which is our boundary between the

Sac nation and the United States on the west side of the Mississippi,

we have hills on the W. shore, and lowlands on the E., the latter of

which is timbered with hickory, oak, ash, maple, pecan, etc.; the

former the same, with an increase of oak. The E. is a rich sandy

soil, and has many very eligible situations for cultivation. About

seven miles below the Jaustioni a Frenchman is settled on the W.

shore. He is married to a woman of the Sac nation, and lives by a

little cultivation and the Indian trade. The [North] river before

mentioned is about 30 yards wide at its mouth, and bears from the

Mississippi about S. W. In this part of the river the navigation is

good.

From this to the Wyaconda river [at La Grange, Lewis Co., Mo.] the

navigation is easy, with very few impediments; and the soil on both

sides pretty good. This river pays its tribute to the Mississippi by a

mouth 100 yards wide, and bears from the latter nearly due W. Just

below its entrance is [Durgan's creek] a small stream 15 yards wide,

which discharges into the Mississippi. Between this river and the

River de Moyen [Des Moines] there is one small [Fox] river emptying

into the Mississippi on the W., about 55 yards in width, and bearing

S. by W. The first part of the distance is obstructed by islands, and

the river expands to a great width, so as to render the navigation

extremely difficult; but the latter part affords more water and is

less difficult. The timber is principally oak and pecan; the soil as

on the river below. For a description of de Moyen, see the chart

herewith; and for that of the rapids [near Keokuk] see my diary of

Aug. 20th.

Above the rapid de Moyen, on the W. bank of the Mississippi [at

Montrose, Lee Co., Ia.], is situated the first Sac village, consisting

of 13 lodges; and immediately opposite is the establishment of Mr.

Ewing,[VII-4] the American agent at that place. Whence to a large

prairie on the E. side, on which [and on Henderson river] is situated

the second Sac village; the E. side of the river is beautiful land,

principally prairie. The W. is in some part highland; both sides are

timbered with oak, ash, etc. The navigation is by no means difficult.

Thence to the Iowa river the navigation is much obstructed with

islands. In ascending Iowa river 36 miles you come to a fork, the

right branch of which is called Red Cedar river, from the quantity of

that wood on its banks; this is navigable for batteaux nearly 300

miles, where it branches out into three forks, called the Turkey's

foot. Those forks shortly after lose themselves in Rice lakes.

The Iowa river bears from the Mississippi S. W. and is 150 yards wide

at its mouth. The E. shore of the Mississippi is high prairie, with

yellow clay banks, and in some places red sand. On the W. is prairie

also, but bounded on the shore by skirts of woods. About 10 miles up

the Iowa river, on its right bank, is a village of the Iowas.

From this place to Rock river we generally had beautiful prairies on

the W., but in some places very rich land, with black walnut and

hickory timber. Stony [Rock] river is a large river which takes its

source near Green bay of Lake Michigan more than 450 miles from its

mouth, and is navigable upward of 300 miles; it empties into the

Mississippi on the E. shore, and is about 300 yards wide at its mouth.

It bears from the Mississippi almost due E. About three miles up this

river, on the S. bank [Milan, Rock Island Co., Ill.], is situated the

third town of the Sac nation, which, I was informed by Mr. James Aird,

was burned in the year 1781 or 1782, by about 300 Americans, although

the Indians had assembled 700 warriors to give them battle. For a

description of the rapids of Stony river, see my diary of Aug. 28th.

Between Iowa river and Turkey river, on the W., you find Wabisipinekan

river. It coasts along Red Cedar river in a parallel direction, with

scarcely any wood on its banks. The next water is the Great Macoketh,

and 20 leagues higher is the little river of the same name. These two

rivers appear to approach each other, and have nothing remarkable

excepting lead mines, which are said to be in their banks.

A little above the rapids of Rock river, on the W. side of the

Mississippi, is situated the first Reynard village; it consists of

about 18 lodges [Le Claire, Scott Co., Ia.]. From this place to the

lead mines [Dubuque, Ia.] the Mississippi evidently becomes narrower;

but the navigation is thereby rendered much less difficult. The shores

are generally prairie, which, if not immediately bordering on the

river, can be seen through the skirts of forests which border the

river. The timber is generally maple, birch, and oak, and the soil

very excellent. To this place we had seen only a few turkeys and deer,

the latter of which are pretty numerous from the river de Moyen up.

For a description of the lead mines, see my report from the prairie

des Chiens of Sept. 5th.[VII-5]

From the lead mines unto Turkey river the Mississippi continues about

the same width; and the banks, soil, and productions are entirely

similar. Turkey river empties on the W., bears from the Mississippi

about S. W., and is about 100 yards wide at its mouth. Half a league

up this river, on the right bank, is the third village of the

Reynards, at which place they raise sufficient corn to supply all the

permanent and transient inhabitants of the Prairie des Chiens. Thence

to the Ouiscousing the high hills are perceptible on both sides, but

on the W. almost border the river the whole distance. The Ouiscousing

at its entrance is nearly half a mile wide, and bears from the

Mississippi nearly N. E.

This river is the grand source of communication between the lakes and

the Mississippi, and the route by which all the traders of

Michilimackinac convey their goods for the trade of the Mississippi

from St. Louis to the river de Corbeau, and the confluent streams

which are in those boundaries.

* * * * *

The voyage from Michilimackinac to the Prairie des Chiens, by the

Ouiscousing and Fox rivers, is as follows:[VII-6]

"The distance between Michilimackinac and the settlement at

the bottom of Green bay is calculated to be 80 leagues. On

leaving Michilimackinac there is a traverse of five miles

to Point St. Ignace [in Mackinac Co., Mich.], which is the

entrance into Lake Michigan. Four leagues from

Michilimackinac is an island of considerable extent, named

St. Helens [or Helena], which may be seen from that place

on a clear day. The shore [of Lake Michigan] from

Michilimackinac to Point du Chene [Pointe au Chêne, Oak

Point], which is a league distant from the island, is

rocky; and from this point to the island of Epouvette,

which is a very small one near the banks of the lake, is

high and covered with pine; the soil is very barren. From

this island to the river Mino Cockien [Milakokia] is five

leagues. Two small islands are on the way, and a river

where boats and canoes may take shelter from a storm. The

river Mino Cockien is large and deep, and takes its rise

near Lake Superior. From this to Shouchoir [Pointe Seul

Choix, in Schoolcraft Co., Mich.] is ten leagues. The shore

[along by Points Patterson, Scott, and Hughes] is

dangerous, from the number of shoals that extend a great

way into the lake. This rock [or point], called Shouchoir,

is an excellent harbor for canoes, but its entrance, when

the wind blows from the lake, is difficult; but when once

in, canoes and boats may lie during any storm without

unlading. A custom prevails here among the voyagers for

everyone to have his name carved on the rocks the first

time he passes, and pay something to the canoe-men. From

this to the river Manistique [Monistique, at Epsport,

Schoolcraft Co., Mich.] is five leagues. This is a large

river; the entrance is difficult, from a sand-bank at its

mouth, and the waves are very high when the wind blows from

the lake. At certain seasons sturgeon are found here in

great numbers. The banks of this river are high and sandy,

covered with pine. It takes its rise [in part] from a large

lake [of the same name], and nearly communicates with Lake

Superior. From this to the Detour [Pointe de Tour (Turning

Point), end of the peninsula in Delta Co., between Baie de

Noc and Lake Michigan] is 10 leagues [passing Point

Wiggins, Pointe au Barque, and Portage bay]. The shore is

rocky, flat, and dangerous. Here begins the Traverse, at

the mouth of Green bay. The first island is distant from

the mainland about a league, and is called the Isle au

Detour [now Big Summer island]; it is at least three

leagues in circumference. There are generally a few

Sauteaux lodges of Indians on this island during the summer

months. From this to Isle Brule [Gravelly island] is three

leagues. There are two small [Gull] islands from these to

Isle Verte [St. Martin's island], and it is two leagues to

Isle de Pou [Washington island], called so from the

Poutowatomies having once had a village here, now

abandoned. In the months of May and June there is a fishery

of trout [_Salmo (Cristivomer) namaycush_], and they are

taken in great quantities by trolling. There are also

whitefish [_Coregonus clupeiformis_] in vast numbers. The

ship channel is between this island and Isle Verte. Thence

to Petit D'Etroit [Détroit] to the mainland is three

leagues, where some lodges of Ottawas and Sauteaux raise

small quantities of corn; but their subsistence, during the

summer months, chiefly depends upon the quantities of

sturgeon [_Acipenser rubicundus_] and other fish, with

which the lake here abounds. From Petit D'Etroit [the

strait between Washington island and the mainland of Door

Co., Wis., in which are Detroit, Plum, and Pilot islands]

to the mainland is three leagues, and is called the Port de

Mort [Porte des Morts], from a number of Reynard canoes

having been wrecked at this place, where everyone perished.

The shore is bold and rocky [Hedgehog Harbor, Death's Door

Bluffs, Sister Bluffs, etc.]. From this it is four leagues

to the Isle Racro [Horseshoe island, in Eagle bay], which

is a safe harbor, inaccessible to all winds. From this to

Sturgeon bay is eight leagues. The shore is bold and rocky

[Eagle Bluff, Egg Harbor, etc.], and several large

[Chambers, Green, and the small Strawberry, and Hat]

islands lie a few miles distant. A few Sauteaux families

raise corn here and reside during the summer season. Trout

and sturgeon are here in great numbers. Sturgeon's bay is

two miles across and about four leagues in length, and

communicates by a portage [now a canal] with Lake Michigan,

near Michilimackinac. Distant from the lake about two

leagues is the Isle Vermillion [off Little Sturgeon bay].

Here were a few years ago a number of Fols Avoin

inhabitants, who were accustomed to raise corn; but for

what reasons they have left this place I cannot learn. From

this is 13 leagues to the entrance of Fox river. On leaving

Isle Vermillion, the woods and general appearance of the

country begin to change, and have a very different aspect

from the more northern parts of this lake [_i. e._, Green

bay]. A small river called Riviere Rouge [Red river, and

town of same name, in Kewaunee Co.] falls into the lake

[Green bay], about halfway between Isle Vermillion and La

Baye [La Baie;[VII-7] location of Green Bay, seat of Brown

Co.]. On approaching La Baye, the water of the latter

[lake, _i. e._, Green bay] assumes a whiter appearance, and

becomes less deep. A channel which winds a good deal may be

found for vessels of 50 and 60 tons burden; loaded vessels

of these dimensions have gone up Fox river to the French

settlement [of La Baie, site of Depere], opposite which is

the Fols Avoin village [present site of Nicollet], which

consists of 10 or 12 bark lodges. A great number of

Sauteaux, and some Ottawas, come here in the spring and

fall. Three leagues from La Baye [present Green Bay] is a

small village [below present Little Kaukauna] of the same

nation; and there is another three leagues higher, at the

portage of Kakalin [Little Rapids[VII-8]]. This portage is a

mile long; the ground even and rocky. There is a fall of

about ten feet, which obstructs the navigation. For three

leagues higher are almost continual rapids, until the fall

of Grand Konimee [vicinity of present Kaukauna], about five

feet high. Above this, the river opens into a small lake,

at the end of which is a strong rapid, called Puant's rapid

[now Winnebago rapids], which issues from a lake of that

name [_i. e._, Lake Winnebago, in Winnebago Co.[VII-9]]. This

lake is 10 leagues long, and from two to three wide. At its

entrance [where are now Menasha and Neenah, Winnebago Co.]

is another Puant village, of about the same number of

lodges, and at this end is a small river, which, with the

interval of a few portages, communicates with Rock river

[of Wisconsin and Illinois]. About midway between the two

Puant villages is a Fols Avoin village, on the south

[-east] side of the lake [in Calumet Co.], of 50 or 60 men.

Five leagues from the entrance of the lake, on the north

[-west] side, Fox river falls in [at Oshkosh, Winnebago

Co.], and is about 200 yards wide. Ascending two leagues

higher, is a small Fols Avoin village, where is a lake [Lac

Butte des Morts] more than two leagues long; and about a

league above this lake the river de Loup [Wolf river, after

flowing through Poygan lake] joins Fox river near a hill

[and town] called the But de Mort [Butte des Morts], where

the Fox nation were nearly exterminated by the French and

Confederate Indians. The rivers and lakes are, at certain

seasons, full of wild rice. The country on the borders of

this [Fox] river is finely diversified with woods and

prairies. Any quantity of hay may be made, and it is as

fine a country for raising stock as any in the same

latitude through all America. From the But de Mort to the

Lac a Puckway[VII-10] is 28 leagues. Here is another Puant

village, of seven or eight large lodges. This lake is three

leagues long; four leagues above it Lac de Bœuff [Buffalo

lake] begins, which is also four leagues long; this is full

of wild rice, and has a great many fowl in their season.

From Lac de Bœuff to the forks [confluence of the Necha

river with Fox river], which is five leagues from the

portage of the Ouiscousing, and 10 leagues above the forks

[??], is a very small lake, called Lac Vaseux [Muddy lake],

so choked with wild rice as to render it almost impassable.

The [Fox] river, although very winding, becomes more and

more serpentine on approaching the portage, and narrows so

much as almost to prevent the use of oars. The length of

the portage to the Ouiscousing [river, at present town of

Portage, Columbia Co.] is two miles; but when the waters

are high, canoes and boats pass over loaded. Here the

waters at that time separate, one part going to the Gulf of

Mexico, and the other to that of St. Lawrence. In wet

seasons the portage road is very bad, the soil being of a

swampy nature. There is for nearly halfway a kind of

natural canal, which is sometimes used, and I think a canal

between the two rivers might be easily cut [Wis. Cent., and

C., M., and St. P. R. R. to Portage now]. The expense at

present attending the transport is one-third of a dollar

per cwt.; for a canoe $5 and a boat $8; this is not cash,

but in goods at the rate of 200 per cent. on the sterling.

There are at present two white men who have establishments

there; they are much incommoded by the Puants of Rock

river, who are troublesome visitors. The Ouiscousing is a

large river; its bottom sandy, full of islands and

sand-bars during the summer season. The navigation is

difficult even for canoes, owing to the lowness of the

water. From the portage to its confluence with the

Mississippi is 60 leagues [about 40 leagues--112 miles].

The Saques and Reynards formerly lived on its banks, but

were driven off by the Sauteaux. They were accustomed to

raise a great deal of corn and beans, the soil being

excellent. Opposite the Detour de Pin, halfway from the

portage, on the south side, are lead mines, said to be the

best in any part of the country, and to be wrought with

great ease. Boats of more than four tons are improper for

the communication between the Mississippi and

Michilimackinac." (_[Colonel Robert] Dickson._)

The present village of Prairie des Chiens was first settled in the

year 1783, and the first settlers were Mr. Giard, Mr. Antaya, and Mr.

Dubuque. The old village is about a mile below the present one, and

existed during the time the French were possessed of the country. It

derives its name from a family of Reynards who formerly lived there,

distinguished by the appellation of Dogs. The present village was

settled under the English government, and the ground was purchased

from the Reynard Indians. It is situated about one league above the

mouth of the Ouiscousing river. On the E. bank of the river there is a

small pond or marsh which runs parallel to the river in the rear of

the town, which, in front of the marsh, consists of 18 dwelling-houses,

in two streets; 16 in Front Street and two in First Street. In the

rear of the pond are eight dwelling-houses; part of the houses are

framed, and in place of weatherboarding there are small logs let into

mortises made in the uprights, joined close, daubed on the outside

with clay, and handsomely whitewashed within. The inside furniture of

their houses is decent and, indeed, in those of the most wealthy

displays a degree of elegance and taste.

There are eight houses scattered round the country, at the distance of

one, two, three, and five miles: also, on the W. side of the

Mississippi [now Bloody Run, on which is N. McGregor, Clayton Co.,

Ia.] three houses, situated on a small stream called Giards [or

Giard's] river, making, in the village and vicinity, 37 houses, which

it will not be too much to calculate at 10 persons each. The

population would thus be 370 souls; but this calculation will not

answer for the spring or autumn, as there are then, at least, 500 or

600 white persons. This is owing to the concourse of traders and their

engagees from Michilimackinac and other parts, who make this their

last stage previous to launching into the savage wilderness. They

again meet here in the spring, on their return from their

wintering-grounds, accompanied by 300 or 400 Indians, when they hold a

fair; the one disposes of remnants of goods, and the others reserved

peltries. It is astonishing that there are not more murders and

affrays at this place, where meets such an heterogeneous mass to

trade, the use of spirituous liquors being in no manner restricted;

but since the American has become known, such accidents are much less

frequent than formerly. The prairie on which the village is situated

is bounded in the rear by high bald hills. It is from one mile to

three-quarters of a mile from the river, and extends about eight miles

from the Mississippi, to where it strikes the Ouiscousing at the Petit

Grey, which bears from the village S. E. by E.

If the marsh before spoken of were drained, which might be easily

done, I am of the opinion it would render healthy the situation of the

prairie, which now subjects its inhabitants to intermitting fevers in

the spring and autumn.

There are a few gentlemen residing at the Prairie des Chiens, and many

others claiming that appellation; but the rivalship of the Indian

trade occasions them to be guilty of acts at their wintering-grounds

which they would blush to be thought guilty of in the civilized world.

They possess the spirit of generosity and hospitality in an eminent

degree, but this is the leading feature in the character of frontier

inhabitants. Their mode of living has obliged them to have transient

connection with the Indian women; and what was at first policy is now

so confirmed by habit and inclination that it is become the ruling

practice of the traders, with few exceptions; in fact, almost one-half

the inhabitants under 20 years have the blood of the aborigines in

their veins.

From this village to Lake Pepin we have, on the W. shore [Iowa and

Minnesota], first Yellow river [present name; at its mouth Council

Hill, Allamakee Co., Ia.], of about 20 yards wide, bearing from the

Mississippi nearly due W.; second, the [Upper] Iowa river, about 100

yards wide, bearing from the Mississippi about N. W.; third, the

Racine [Root] river, about 20 yards wide, bearing from the Mississippi

nearly W., and navigable for canoes 60 miles; fourth, the rivers

Embarra [Embarras, or Zumbro] and Lean Claire [l'Eau Claire, now White

Water or Minneiska], which join their waters just as they form a

confluence with the Mississippi, are about 60 yards wide, and bear

nearly S. W.

On the E. shore [Wisconsin], in the same distance, is the river de la

Prairie la Cross [La Crosse river], which empties into the Mississippi

at the head of the prairie of that name. It is about 20 yards wide,

and bears N. N. W. We then meet with the Black [present name] river, a

very considerable stream about 200 yards wide at its mouth, on which

the traders frequently winter with the Puants and Fols Avoins. Next we

pass the river of the Montaigne qui Trompes dans l'Eau [Rivière de la

Montagne qui Trempe à l'Eau, now Trempealeau river], a small stream in

the rear of the hill of that name. Then we find the Riviere au Bœuff

[Buffalo river], about 30 yards wide, bearing N. by W. At the entrance

of Lake Pepin, on the E. shore, joins the Sauteaux [Chippewa] river,

which is at least half a mile wide, and appears to be a deep and

majestic stream. It bears from the Mississippi nearly due N. This

river is in size and course, for some distance up, scarcely to be

distinguished from the Ouiscousing; it has a communication with

Montreal river by a short portage, and by this river with Lake

Superior.[VII-11] The agents of the N. W. Company supply the Fols Avoin

Sauteaux who reside at the head of this river; and those of

Michilimackinac, the Sioux who hunt on its lower waters.

In this division of the Mississippi the shores are more than

three-fourths prairie on both sides, or, more properly speaking, bald

hills which, instead of running parallel with the river, form a

continual succession of high perpendicular cliffs and low valleys;

they appear to head on the river, and to traverse the country in an

angular direction. Those hills and valleys give rise to some of the

most sublime and romantic views I ever saw. But this irregular scenery

is sometimes interrupted by a wide extended plain which brings to mind

the verdant lawn of civilized life, and would almost induce the

traveler to imagine himself in the center of a highly cultivated

plantation. The timber of this division is generally birch, elm, and

Cottonwood; all the cliffs being bordered by cedar.

The navigation unto [Upper] Iowa river is good, but thence to the

Sauteaux river is very much obstructed by islands; in some places the

Mississippi is uncommonly wide, and divided into many small channels

which from the cliffs appear like so many distinct rivers, winding in

a parallel course through the same immense valley. But there are few

sand-bars in those narrow channels; the soil being rich, the water

cuts through it with facility.

La Montaigne qui Trompe dans l'Eau stands in the Mississippi near the

E. shore, about 50 miles below the Sauteaux river, and is about two

miles in circumference, with an elevation of 200 feet, covered with

timber. There is a small [Trempealeau: see note 56, pp. 52-54]

river which empties into the Mississippi in the rear of the mountain,

which I conceive once bounded the mountain on the lower side, and the

Mississippi on the upper, when the mountain was joined to the main by

a neck of low prairie ground, which in time was worn away by the

spring freshets of the Mississippi, and thus formed an island of this

celebrated mountain.

Lake Pepin, so called by the French, appears to be only an expansion

of the Mississippi. It commences at the entrance of the Sauteaux, and

bears N. 55° W. 12 miles to Point de Sable, which is a neck of land

making out about one mile into the lake from the W. shore, and is the

narrowest part of the lake. From here to the upper end the course is

nearly due W. about 10 miles, making its whole length 22 miles, and

from 4 to 1½ miles in width; the broadest part being in the bay below

Point de Sable. This is a beautiful place; the contrast of the

Mississippi full of islands, and the lake with not one in its whole

extent, gives more force to the grandeur of the scene. The French,

under the government of M. Frontenac, drove the Reynards or

Ottaquamies [Outagamas, etc.] from the Ouiscousing, pursued them up

the Mississippi, and, as a barrier, built a stockade [Fort

Beauharnois?] on Lake Pepin on the W. shore, just below Point de

Sable. As was generally the case with that nation, they blended the

military and mercantile professions, by making their fort a factory

for the Sioux. The lake, at the upper end, is three fathoms deep; but

this, I am informed, is its shoalest part. From [Upper] Iowa river to

the head of Lake Pepin, elk are the prevailing species of wild game,

with some deer, and a few bear.

From the head of Lake Pepin for about 12 miles, to Cannon river, the

Mississippi is branched out into many channels, and its bosom covered

with numerous islands. There is a hill on the W. shore [at Red Wing],

about six miles above the lake, called the Grange [la Grange, the

Barn], from the summit of which you have one of the most delightful

prospects in nature. When turning your face to the E. you have the

river winding in three [South, Middle, and North] channels at your

feet; on your right the extensive bosom of the lake, bounded by its

chain of hills; in front, over the Mississippi, a wide extended

prairie; on the left the valley of the Mississippi, open to view quite

to the St. Croix; and partly in your rear, the valley through which

passes Riviere au Canon. When I viewed it, on one of the islands below

appeared the spotted lodges of Red Wing's band of Sioux. The white

tents of the traders and my soldiers, and three flags of the United

States waving on the water, gave a contrast to the still and lifeless

wilderness around and increased the pleasure of the prospect.

From Cannon river to the St. Croix, the Mississippi evidently becomes

narrower, and the navigation less obstructed by islands. St. Croix

river joins the Mississippi on the E., and bears from the latter

almost due N. It is only 80 yards wide at its mouth, but 500 yards up

commences [Lower] Lake St. Croix, which is from 1½ to 3 miles wide,

and 36 long. This river communicates with Lake Superior by the Burnt

river, by a portage of half a mile only, and in its whole extent has

not one fall or rapid worthy of notice.[VII-12] This, with the mildness

of its current, and its other advantages, render it by far the most

preferable communication which can be had with the N. W. from this

part of our territories. Its upper waters are inhabited by the Fols

Avoins and Sauteaux, who are supplied by the agents of the North West

Company; and its lower division, by the Sioux and their traders.

The Mississippi from Cannon river is bounded on the E. by high ridges,

but the left is low ground. The timber is generally ash and maple,

except the cedar of the cliffs. From the St. Croix to the St. Peters

the Mississippi is collected into a narrow compass; I crossed it at

one place with 40 strokes of my oars,[VII-13] and the navigation is very

good. The E. bank is generally bounded by the river ridges, but the W.

sometimes by timbered bottom or prairie. The timber is generally

maple, sugar-tree, and ash. About 20 miles below the entrance of the

St. Peters, on the E. shore, at a place called the Grand Morais

[Marais, Big Marsh, now Pig's Eye marsh or lake], is situated Petit

Corbeau's village of 11 log houses. For a description of the St.

Peters see the chart herewith.

From the St. Peters to the Falls of St. Anthony the river is

contracted between high hills, and is one continual rapid or fall, the

bottom being covered with rocks which in low water are some feet

above the surface, leaving narrow channels between them. The rapidity

of the current is likewise much augmented by the numerous small, rocky

islands which obstruct the navigation. The shores have many large and

beautiful springs issuing forth, which form small cascades as they

tumble over the cliffs into the Mississippi. The timber is generally

maple. This place we noted for the great quantity of wild fowl.

As I ascended the Mississippi, the Falls of St. Anthony did not strike

me with that majestic appearance which I had been taught to expect

from the descriptions of former travelers. On an actual survey I find

the portage to be 260 poles; but when the river is not very low, boats

ascending may be put in 31 poles below, at a large cedar tree; this

would reduce it to 229 poles. The hill over which the portage is made

is 69 feet in ascent, with an elevation at the point of debarkation of

45°. The fall of the water between the place of debarkation and

reloading is 58 feet; the perpendicular fall of the shoot is 16½ feet.

The width of the river above the shoot is 627 yards; below, 209. For

the form of the shoot, see a rough draught herewith.[VII-14] In high

water the appearance is much more sublime, as the great quantity of

water then forms a spray, which in clear weather reflects from some

positions the colors of the rainbow, and when the sky is overcast

covers the falls in gloom and chaotic majesty.

From the Falls of St. Anthony to Rum river, the Mississippi is almost

one continual chain of rapids, with the eddies formed by winding

channels. Both sides are prairie, with scarcely any timber but small

groves of scrub oak. Rum river is about 50 yards wide at its mouth,

and takes its source in Le Mille Lac,[VII-15] which is but 35 miles S. of

Lower Red Cedar Lake. The small Indian canoes ascend this river quite

to the lake, which is considered as one of the best fur

hunting-grounds for some hundreds of miles, and has been long a scene

of rencounters between the hunting-parties of the Sioux and Sauteaux.

Last winter a number of Fols Avoins and Sioux, and some Sauteaux

wintered in that quarter. From Rum river to Leaf river, called [not]

by Father Hennipin and [but by] Carver the river St. Francis,[VII-16] and

which was the extent of their travels, the prairies continue with few

interruptions. The timber is scrub-oak, with now and then a lonely

pine. Previous to your arrival at Leaf river, you pass Crow [Carver's

Goose] river on the W., about 30 yards wide, which bears from the

Mississippi S. W. Leaf river is only a small stream of not more than

15 yards over, and bears N. by W.

The elk begin to be very plenty; there are also some buffalo,

quantities of deer, raccoons, and on the prairie a few of the animals

called by the French brelaws [blaireaux, badgers].

Thence to Sac [or Sauk] river, a little above the Grand Rapids [Sauk

Rapids, St. Cloud, etc.], both sides of the river are generally

prairie, with skirts of scrub-oak. The navigation is still obstructed

with ripples, but with some intermissions of a few miles.

At the Grand Rapids the river expands to about ¾ of a mile in width,

its general width not being more than ⅗ of a mile, and tumbles over

an unequal bed of rocks for about two miles, through which there

cannot be said to be any channel; for, notwithstanding the rapidity of

the current, one of my invalids who was on the W. shore waded to the

E., where we were encamped. The E. bank of these rapids is a very high

prairie; the W. scrubby wood-land. The Sac river is a considerable

stream, which comes in on the W. and bears about S. W., and is 200

yards wide at its mouth.

The quantity of game increases from Sac river to Pine creek [now Swan

river], the place where I built my stockade and left part of my party;

the borders are prairie, with groves of pine on the edge of the bank;

but there are some exceptions, where you meet with small bottoms of

oak, ash, maple, and lynn [linden, basswood or whitewood, _Tilia

americana_--bois blanc of the voyageurs].

In this distance there is an intermission of rapids for about 40

miles, when they commence again, and are fully as difficult as ever.

There are three small creeks[VII-17] emptying on the W. scarcely worthy

of notice, and on the E. are two small rivers called Lake and Clear

Rivers; the former, quite a small one [now called Little Rock], bears

N. W., and is about 15 yards wide at its mouth; about three miles from

its entrance is a beautiful small [Little Rock] lake, around which

resort immense herds of elk and buffalo. Clear river [now called

Platte river] is a beautiful little stream of about 80 yards in width,

which heads in some swamps and small lakes [Platte, Ogechie, etc.] on

which the Sauteaux of Lower Red Cedar Lake and Sandy Lake frequently

come to hunt. The soil of the prairies from above the falls is sandy,

but would raise small grain in abundance; the bottoms are rich, and

fit for corn or hemp.

Pine creek [now Swan river] is a small stream which comes in on the W.

shore, and bears nearly W. It is bordered by large groves of white and

red pine.

From Pine creek to the Isle De Corbeau, or river of that name [now

called Crow Wing], two small rivers come in on the W. shore. The first

[now Pike creek] is of little consequence; but the second, called Elk

[or as now Little Elk] river, is entitled to more consideration, from

its communication with the river St. Peters. They first ascend it to a

small lake, cross this, then ascend a small stream [Long Prairie

river, a branch of Crow Wing river] to a large [Osakis] lake; from

which they make a portage of four miles W. and fall into the Sauteaux

[or Chippewa[VII-18]] river, which they descend into the river St.

Peters. On the E. side is one small stream [Nokasippi river], which

heads toward Lower Red Cedar Lake, and is bounded by hills.

The whole of this distance is remarkably difficult to navigate, being

one continued succession of rapid shoals and falls; but there is one

[fall which] deserves to be more particularly noticed, viz.: The place

called by the French Le Shute de la Roche Peinture [La Chute de la

Roche Peinte, Rapids of the Painted Rock, now Little falls], which is

certainly the third obstacle in point of navigation which I met with

in my whole route. The shore, where there is not prairie, is a

continued succession of pine ridges. The entrance of the river De

Corbeau is partly hid by the island of that name, and discharges its

waters into the Mississippi above and below it; the lowest channel

bearing from the Mississippi N. 65° W., the upper due W. This, in my

opinion, should be termed the Forks of the Mississippi, it being

nearly of equal magnitude, and heading not far from the same source,

although taking a much more direct course to their junction. It may be

observed on the chart that, from St. Louis to this place, the course

of the river has generally been N. to W. and that from here it bears

N. E.

This river affords the best and most approved communication with the

Red river; and the navigation is as follows: You ascend the river De

Corbeau 180 miles, to the entrance of the river Des Feuilles [now Leaf

river], which comes from the N. W. This you ascend 180 miles also;

then make a portage of half a mile into Otter Tail Lake,[VII-19] which

is a principal source of Red river. The other [Long Prairie] branch of

the river De Corbeau bears S. W. and approximates with the St. Peters.

The whole of this river is rapid, and by no means affording so much

water as the Mississippi. Their confluence is in latitude 45° 49' 50"

N. In this division the elk, deer, and buffalo were probably in

greater quantities than in any other part of my whole voyage.

Thence to Pine river [present name: not to be confounded with Pike's

Pine creek, now Swan river] the Mississippi continues to become

narrower, and has but few islands. In this distance I discovered but

one rapid, which the force of the frost had not entirely covered with

ice. The shores in general presented a dreary prospect of high barren

nobs, covered with dead and fallen pine timber. To this there were

some exceptions of ridges of yellow and pitch-pine; also some small

bottoms of lynn, elm, oak, and ash. The adjacent country is at least

two-thirds covered with small lakes, some of which are three miles in

circumference. This renders communication impossible in summer, except

with small bark canoes.

In this distance we first met with a species of pine [fir] called the

sap pine [French sapin, balsam-fir, _Abies balsamea_]. It was equally

unknown to myself and all my party. It scarcely ever exceeds the

height of 35 feet, and is very full of projecting branches. The leaves

are similar to other pines, but project out from the branches on each

side in a direct line, thereby rendering the branch flat. This

formation occasions the natives and voyagers to give it the preference

on all occasions to the branches of all other trees for their beds,

and to cover their temporary camps; but its greatest virtue arises

from its medicinal qualities. The rind is smooth, with the exception

of little protuberances of about the size of a hazel-nut; the top of

which being cut, you squeeze out a glutinous substance of the

consistence of honey. This gum or sap gives name to the tree, and is

used by the natives and traders of that country as a balsam for all

wounds made by sharp instruments, or for parts frozen, and almost all

other external injuries which they receive. My poor fellows

experienced its beneficial qualities by the application made of it to

their frozen extremities in various instances.

Pine river bears from the Mississippi N. 30° E., although it empties

on that which has been hitherto termed the W. shore. It is 80 yards

wide at its mouth, and has an island immediately at the entrance. It

communicates with Lake Le Sang Sue [Leech lake] by the following

course of navigation: In one day's sail from the confluence, you

arrive at the first part of White Fish Lake [present name], which is

about six miles long and two wide. Thence you pursue the river about

two miles, and come to the second White Fish Lake, which is about

three miles long and one wide; then you have the river three miles to

the third lake, which is seven miles long and two in width. This I

crossed on my return from the head of the Mississippi on the [20th] of

February; it is in 46° 32' 32" N. lat. Thence you follow the river a

quarter of a mile to the fourth lake, which is a circular one of about

five miles in circumference. Thence you pursue the river one day's

sail to a small lake; thence two days' sail to a portage, which

conveys you to another lake; whence, by small portages from lake to

lake, you make the voyage to Leech Lake. The whole of this course lies

through ridges of pines or swamps of pinenet [épinette[VII-20]], sap

pine, hemlock, etc. From the river De Corbeau to this place the deer

are very plenty, but we found no buffalo or elk.

From this spot to [Lower] Red Cedar Lake, the pine ridges are

interrupted by large bottoms of elm, ash, oak, and maple, the soil of

which would be very proper for cultivation. From the appearance of the

ice, which was firm and equal, I conceive there can be but one ripple

in this distance. [Lower] Red Cedar lake lies on the E. side of the

Mississippi, at the distance of six miles from it, and is near equally

distant from the river De Corbeau and Lake De Sable [Sandy lake]. Its

form is an oblong square, and may be 10 miles in circumference. From

this to Lake De Sable, on the E. shore, you meet with Muddy [now Rice]

river, which discharges itself into the Mississippi by a mouth 20

yards wide, and bears nearly N. E. We then meet with Pike [now Willow:

see note 49, p. 127] river, on the W., about 77 [air-line about 15]

miles below Sandy lake, bearing nearly due N.; up which you ascend

with canoes four days' sail, and arrive at a Wild Rice lake, which you

pass through and enter a small stream, and ascend it two leagues; then

cross a portage of two acres into a [Big Rice] lake seven leagues in

circumference; then two leagues of a [Kwiwisens or Little Boy] river

into another small lake. Thence you descend the current N. E. into

Leech lake. The banks of the Mississippi are still bordered by pines

of different species, except a few small bottoms of elm, lynn, and

maple. The game is scarce, and the aborigines subsist almost entirely

on the beaver, with a few moose, and wild rice or oats.

Sandy Lake River, the discharge of said lake, is large, but only six

[about two] miles in length from the lake to its confluence with the

Mississippi. Lake De Sable is about 25 miles in circumference, and has

a number of small rivers running into it. One of those is entitled to

particular attention: the Savanna, which by a portage of 3¾ miles

communicates with the river [Fond Du Lac or] St. Louis, which empties

into Lake Superior at Fond Du Lac, and is the channel by which the N.

W. Company bring all their goods for the trade of the Upper

Mississippi. Game is very scarce in this country.

In ascending the Mississippi from Sandy Lake, you first meet with the

Swan river [still so called: not to be confounded with the other of

the same present name] on the east, which bears nearly due E., and is

navigable for bark canoes for 90 miles to Swan Lake. You then meet

with the Meadow [or Prairie] River, which falls in on the E., bears

nearly E. by N., and is navigable for Indian canoes 100 miles. You

then in ascending meet with a very strong ripple [Grand rapids], and

an expansion of the river where it forms a small lake. This is three

miles below the Falls of Packegamau [Pokegama], and from which the

noise of that shoot might be heard. The course of the river is N. 70°

W.; just below, the river is a quarter of a mile in width, but above

the shoot not more than 20 yards. The water thus collected runs down a

flat rock, which has an elevation of about 30 degrees. Immediately

above the fall is a small island of about 50 yards in circumference,

covered with sap pine. The portage, which is on the E. (or N.) side,

is no more than 200 yards, and by no means difficult. Those falls, in

point of consideration as an impediment to the navigation, stand next

to the Falls of St. Anthony, from the source of the river to the Gulf

of Mexico. The banks of the river to Meadow river have generally

either been timbered by pine, pinenett [épinette], hemlock, sap pine

[sapin or balsam-fir], or aspen tree. Thence it winds through high

grass meadows or savannas, with pine swamps appearing at a distance to

cast a deeper gloom on the borders. From the falls in ascending, you

pass Lake Packegamau on the W., celebrated for its great production of

wild rice; and next meet with Deer river [present name] on the E.,

the extent of its navigation unknown. You next meet with the Riviere

Le Crosse[VII-21] [Rivière à la Crosse] on the E. side, which bears

nearly N., and has only a portage of one mile to pass from it into the

Lake Winipeque Branch of the Mississippi [through Little Lake

Winnibigoshish].

We next come to what the people of that quarter call the forks of the

Mississippi, the right fork of which bears N. W., and runs eight

leagues to Lake Winipeque [Winnibigoshish[VII-22]], which is of an oval

form, and about 36 miles in circumference. From Lake Winipeque the

river continues five leagues to Upper Red Cedar [now Cass] Lake, which

may be termed the Upper Source of the Mississippi. The [other fork or]

Leech Lake Branch bears from the forks S. W., and runs through a chain

of meadows. You pass Muddy [or Mud] lake, which is scarcely anything

more than an extensive marsh of 15 miles in circumference; the river

bears through it nearly N., after which it again turns W. In many

places this branch is not more than 10 or 15 yards in width, although

15 or 20 feet deep. From this to Leech Lake the communication

[through Leech Lake river] is direct and without any impediment. This

is rather considered as the main source, although the Winipeque Branch

is navigable the greatest distance.

To this place the whole face of the country has an appearance of an

impenetrable morass or boundless savanna. But on the borders of the

lake is some oak, with large groves of sugar-maple, from which the

traders make sufficient sugar for their consumption the whole year.

Leech Lake communicates with the river De Corbeau by seven portages,

and with the river Des Feuilles; also, with the Red river, by the Otter

Tail Lake on the one side, and by [Upper] Red Cedar Lake and other

small lakes to Red Lake on the other. Out of these small lakes and

ridges rise the upper waters of the St. Lawrence, Mississippi,[VII-23]

and Red river, the latter of which discharges itself into the ocean

by Lake Winipie, Nelson's River, and Hudson's Bay. All those waters

have their upper sources within 100 miles of each other, which I

think plainly proves this to be the most elevated part of the N. E.

continent of America. But we must cross what is commonly termed the

Rocky Mountains, or a Spur of the Cordeliers [Cordilleras], previous

to our finding the waters whose currents run westward and pay tribute

to the western ocean.

In this quarter we find moose, a very few deer and bear, but a

vast variety of fur animals of all descriptions.

FOOTNOTES:

[VII-1] This article, for which I make a new chapter with a major head,

was in the orig. ed. _a part_ of Doc. No. 18 of the Appendix to Pt. 1,

running from p. 41 to p. 56; the remainder of the document--continuing

without break to p. 66, and including also a folding table--being an

account of the Indians. I make a separate chapter for this

ethnographic matter, beyond. I retain as a minor heading of the

present chapter Pike's original title of No. 18, nearly in his words;

but must cut it down to exclude "the savages," and in so doing I also

reduce its verbiage a little. As thus restricted, this article is a

rapid review or cursory description of the Mississippi, in so far as

Pike ascended and descended this river. Having already given a copious

commentary in my notes on his itinerary, I must refer the reader back

to these for most details; here I simply bracket a few names in the

text for the purpose of ready recognition, and restrict my notes to

new matters which come up.

[VII-2] The form of the word _Mississippi_ was not fixed with eleven

letters till after 1800. President Jefferson, a scholar of his times

and especially interested in linguistics, used nine or ten letters.

Our fashion of doubling all the consonants except the first is

distinctly an innovation which has no advantage over _Misisipi_, but

on the contrary the undesirable effect of obscuring the pronunciation

of the Algonquian elements by neutralizing the vowels. Analysis of the

eleven letters shows three consonantal sounds, one of them repeated,

and each of these four followed by a short if not neutral vowel:

_Mi-si-si-pi_. The initial _m_ is a nasolabial, not likely to vary,

and in fact constant. This is followed by a sibilant surd, repeated,

with probable and actual variation to _s_ of _c_ or _ch_ in one or

both places. The final consonant _p_ is a labial surd, easily and

actually variant to its sonant _b_. The name is really a term of two

words: Misi Sipi=Misi River--whatever Misi may mean. Waiving this, and

taking the name as one word, the _actual_ variations which I have

noted from time to time may be thus displayed as regards the eleven

letters: (1) _M_, constant; (2) _i_, variant to _a_ and _e_; (3) first

_s_, var. to _c_, or missing; (4) second _s_, var. to _c_ and _ch_, or

missing; (5) second _i_, nearly constant, when present; (6) third _s_,

var. to _c_, not to _ch_, when present; (7) fourth _s_, same as third

_s_; (8) third _i_, var. to _e_ and _y_; (9) first _p_, var. to _b_;

(10) second _p_, constant, if not dropped after the third _p_, never

present if the third _p_ becomes _b_; (11) final _i_, var. to _e_ and

_y_. The permutations possible under the several variants indicated

may be ciphered out by those who have leisure for amusement; probably

not one-tenth of the possibilities are actualities in print; and of

those actually existent probably no complete list has ever been made.

We might expect to find 30 forms without much trouble. Some of the

examples I have noted are: _Mischipi_, Freytas, from Spanish Relations

of 1661, pub. 1663, perhaps the first appearance of the word in print;

_Messipi_, Allouez, in French Relations of 1667, said to be the

original form in that language; _Mississipy_, 1671; _Messisipi_,

Joliet, after 1673; _Micissypy_, Perrot; _Masciccipi_, La Salle, qu.

misprint in first syllable? _Meschasipi_ and other forms in Hennepin,

1683, and his editors; _Messchsipi_ on an old map, about 1688; _Michi

Sepe_, Labal, as cited by Brower; _Mechesebe_, etc. The general

evolution of the present word has been: early elimination of _c_ or

_ch_; tendency of all the vowels to _i_, with _e_ in the first place

and _y_ in the last place longest persistent; and then the doubling of

the _s_'s and the _p_, all the possible cases of this process being

not only extant, but neither very old nor very rare. The unconscious

_motif_ here seems to have been to give the longest river the longest

name. There are many other names of the "Mycycypy" river, aboriginal,

Spanish, and French, for the whole or certain parts of its course.

Spanish relations from De Soto yield for lower parts of the river

_Chucagua_ in variant forms; _Tamalisieu_; _Tapatui_; and _Mico_.

Also, for about the mouth, we have _Malabanchia_ or _Malabouchia_,

from French narration, D'Iberville, Mar. 2d, 1699. An Iroquois name,

_Gastacha_, is cited. Spanish relations yield several of the earliest

names, all of which have been translated; _e. g._, _El Rio_, The

River, Knight of Elvas, pub. 1557; _Rio Grande_, Grand r., Great r.,

ref. to Hernando de Soto, near Quizquiz, Sunday, May 8th, 1541, and at

Guachoya, Apr. 17th, 1542; _Rio del Espiritu Santo_, as De Biedma,

River of the Holy Ghost, with variant spellings of the phrase, _cf._

Chavez map, in Ortelius, Antwerp, 1580, and Cortés map for Spanish

Charles V., 1520; _Rio de las Palmas_, River of Palms, Admiral map,

1507, pub. in ed. Ptolemy, 1513 (I cite these two without prejudice to

the question whether they did actually apply or were only supposed to

apply to the Mississippi); _Rio de los Palisados_ (as I find it cited,

though it seems to me _R. de las Palizadas_ would be better Spanish

for Palisade r., the connotation of this term being what a steamboat

man would mean if he said Snag or Sawyer r.); and _Rio Escondido_,

Hidden r., because it was hard to find the right channel through the

delta. Certain genuflexions of French knees to powers that were and

happily be no longer, are reflected in the names _Rivière de la

Conception_, _sc._ of the B. V. M., which Marquette conceived in one

of the unisexual transports of his morbid imagination, June 15th or

17th, 1673, trans. Immaculate Conception r.; _R. de Buade_, _sc._

Frontenac r., as Joliet, who had an eye to a visible patron; _R. de

Colbert_, as Hennepin, who kept one eye on St. Anthony and the other

on King Louis; _R. de Louis_, _R. de St. Louis_, _R. de Louisiane_ of

various F. relations (_St. Louis_ occurring in letters patent of Louis

XIV. to Crozat, Sept. 14th, 1712); from descriptive phrases which are

found in Radisson's relations, Forked r. and River That Divides Itself

in Two have been evolved as names with the aid of capitals; the upper

section of the stream, flowing from Lake Itasca, has been called _R. à

la Biche_, Elk r., from the former F. name Lac à la Biche, translating

Ojibwa Omoshkos Sogiagon; the next section, _Bemidji-sibi_, with many

variants of this, in Ojibwa, French, Italian, and English; the next

section, _R. aux Cèdres Rouges_, Red Cedar r., Cassina r., Cass r.;

next section, _Winnibigoshish r._, in many variants; and below the

confluence of the Leech Lake fork, _Kitchi-sibi_, Great r. There are

also several forms of the Sioux name, to the same effect as

Kitchi-sibi. I am ignorant of any English name originally given as a

genuine appellation, and not a translation or mere epithet, like

"Father of Waters," and the like. It is text-book tradition that this

phrase translates the Algonquian term; which tradition is too untrue

and too popular to ever die--let it rest in peace, along with

Washington's hatchet and Tell's apple. It is Featherstonhaugh, I think

(I have mislaid the mem. I once made), who remarks with great gravity

and great truth, that "Father of Waters" is a misnomer, because the

river resulting from the confluence of other rivers is the Son of

Waters and not the father of them at all. This is a sober sort of

statement, for a witticism; it is not a figurative locution or a

flight of fancy; it is a solemn fact. It only stops short of the most

comprehensive statement that can be made regarding the origin of

rivers, which is, that all rivers arise in cloudland.

[VII-3] See note 12, p. 7, and add: I suspect that _Noir_ is not the

F. adj. which means "black," but a perversion of the noun _Noix_,

_Noyau_, or _Noyer_, meaning "nut" or "walnut." Beck's Gazetteer,

1823, gives the name as Noyer cr.

[VII-4] An opinion of Mr. Ewing occupies note 18, p. 15. A hitherto

unpublished letter of General William Clark, Indian Agent for

Louisiana, to the Secretary at War, is in part as follows:

"Saint Louis 22nd. June 1807.

"Sir

"... William Ewing's Account for provisions, hired men and Squars

[squaws] appears to be unatherized by any person in this Country. M^r.

G. Chouteau informs me that he never empowered him under any authority

which he possessed to incur such expences to the U : States as [are]

charged in his account.--And further says that he has always given

such provisions and other articles to M^r. Ewing as he thought the

Public Service required, for which he either paid himself or included

in the account of Rations settled with the Contractor.--The public

clammer [clamor] at this place is very much against M^r. Ewing; many

unfavourable relation has been made of his conduct, such as

purchaseing the Indians Guns for whisky and selling them again to the

Indians for a high price.--Selling his corn to the Traders for

trinkets for his Squar, hireing men on the behalf of the United States

and sending them to work for his private benefit, makeing an incorrect

report to me, &^c. &^c. I am induced to believe from the report of

M^r. Bolvar [Nicholas Boilvin] and others who are willing to sweare

that M^r. W^m. Ewing has behaved incorrectly and his example is

degrading to the institution, and calculate to give the Indians an

unfavourable impression of the public Agents in this Country. The

Conduct of public Agents in this distant quarter, I fear will never be

under sufficent check until there is a person to whome all are obliged

to account resideing in this Country, with full power and descretion

to inspect their actions &^c. &^c.

"A copy of Mr. Ewings report is inclosed in which he states the

situation of his establishment and his prospects &^c....

"Your most Obedent

"Humble Servent,

[Signed] "W^M. CLARK. I. A. L."

[VII-5] Being letter to General Wilkinson, from that place at that date,

which formed Doc. No. 2, p. 2, of the App. to Pt. 1 of the orig. ed.

See Art. 2, p. 223. The lead mines are of course identifiable with the

location of Dubuque; but the precise situation of Julien Dubuque's

house, where Pike stopped both ways, was Catfish cr., about 2 m.

below. Mr. Dubuque died Mar. 24th, 1810, aged 45½ years, and was

buried on the eminence close by, which became known as Dubuque's

bluff, and still bears this name. The peculiar character of his claim

to the property occasioned much litigation, which was carried up to

the Supreme Court of the U. S., and there decided in favor of the

settlers, in or about 1853.

[VII-6] This description makes in the orig. ed. a 3-page footnote, which

I reset in the main text, as no confusion will come from this obvious

digression, the reader returning to Prairie du Chien in due course. It

was furnished to Pike by (Robert) Dickson, whose name appears at the

end. In spite of the mangling of the geographical names, and one or

two sentences that seem to have got awry, it is a very telling piece

of work--perhaps the most concise and correct statement extant in 1810

of what is one of the most memorable routes in the annals of American

exploration. It was by this famous Fox-Wisconsin traverse from the

Great Lakes to the Miss. r. that the latter was itself discovered to

Europeans. For it is practically if not identically the route of

Joliet and Marquette, 1673. Under the Canadian governorship of Comte

Louis de Buade de Frontenac, who succeeded De Courcelle Apr. 9th,

1672, the Quebec trader Joliet, the priest Marquette, and five other

Frenchmen, who were at Michilimackinac in Dec., 1672, passed thence by

Green bay of Lake Michigan, Fox r., Lake Winnebago and Wis. r., to

Miss. r. at Prairie du Chien, reached June 15th or 17th, 1673, and

named Rivière Colbert after the French king's minister. Our esteemed

antetemporary Jonathan Carver paddled that way too, and so did others

too numerous to mention, among them the macronymous G. W.

Featherstonhaugh, F. R. S., etc., whose canoe voyage up the Minnay

Sotor, etc., made in 1835, furnished data for very readable and

realistic gossip, 2 vols. 8vo, Lond. 1847, I. p. 151 _seq._ The

clearest view of the Fox-Wisconsin traverse I have seen is on the map

accompanying Bvt. Maj. C. R. Suter's Rep., being Doc. E of Bvt.

Maj.-Gen. G. K. Warren's Prelim. Rep. Surv. Miss. River above Rock

Island rapids, this being Ex. Doc. No. 58, Ho. Reps., 39th Congress,

2d Sess., 8vo, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1867, pp.

1-116. Accurate engineering operations always reduce the mileages

guessed at by tired travelers or idle tourists, but Dickson's

estimates come remarkably near Suter's measurements, some of which

are: Lower Fox r., 37½ m.; traverse on Lake Winnebago, 15½ m.; Upper

Fox r., 104 m.; canal at portage, 2⅓ m.; Wisconsin r., 112 m.;

total, Green Bay to Prairie du Chien, 271⅓ m.

I may here summarize as curtly as I can the main points of the

probable fact that the Upper Mississippi was reached by practically

this route, by Menard and Guerin, before its long-alleged and

generally accepted discovery by Joliet and Marquette, as above noted.

In 1659 Fond du Lac was approached by two traders, Groseilliers and

Radisson; the former was Medard Chouart, the latter Pierre d'Esprit.

Groseilliers, Grozayyay, Desgrozeliers, etc., was b. near Meaux in

France; traded on Lake Huron in 1646; in 1647, married Veuve Étienne

of Quebec, daughter of Abraham Martin; in Aug., 1653, married

Marguerite Hayet Radisson, sister of Radisson. Radisson was b. St.

Malo, France; came to Canada 1651, married Elizabeth Herault 1656; was

at Three Rivers in Canada in 1658, and arranged to go with

Groseilliers to Lake Superior. The two built the first trading-post on

Lake Superior, at Chaquamegon bay (old Chagouamikon, etc.).

Groseilliers was back at Montreal Aug. 21st, 1660; he returned to Lake

Superior and was at Keweenaw bay Oct. 15th, 1660. Some of the traders

of his party wintered here 1660-61; with them was the Jesuit Menard,

the first missionary on the lake. Menard and one Jean Guerin left the

lake June 13th, 1661, for the region of the Ottawa lakes in Wisconsin.

Perrot says that Menard and Guerin followed the Outaouas to the Lake

of the Illinoets (Lake Michigan), and to the River Louisiane (_i. e._,

the Mississippi), to a point above the River Noire (Black r.), where

they were deserted by their Huron Indians. One day in August, 1661,

they were ascending a rapid in their canoe, which Menard left to

lighten it; he lost his way, and perished; Guerin survived. Menard's

breviary and cassock, it is said, were later found among the Sioux.

Justin Winsor's Narr. and Crit. Hist. Amer. IV. p. 206, gives a sketch

map on which a place is marked as that where Menard was lost. This

seems to be toward the sources of Chippewa r. If Perrot's relation be

true, and not misunderstood, Menard and Guerin reached the Mississippi

via the Wisconsin from Green bay, ascended it to the Black or the

Chippewa, and left it that way in the summer of 1661, 12 years before

Joliet and Marquette came to the Mississippi.

[VII-7] Dickson's use of the term "La Baye" requires qualification to

prevent misreading him. 1. The old Baye des Puans or Puants, Stinkers'

bay, so called from the malodorous fish-eating Winnebagos who lived

thereabouts, became from its verdure la Baie Verte, our Green bay,

_i. e._, the whole water of that great N. W. arm of Lake Michigan, into

the head of which Lower Fox r. empties. The last 7 m. of this river

makes a sort of estuary from the foot of the last rapids, or head of

natural river navigation, to the waters of Green bay; and this whole

estuarian course was La Baye or La Baie of various early writers. 2.

The earliest French footing on the estuary was the Jesuit mission at

the foot of the rapids called Rapides des Pères (Priests' rapids),

whence the modern name De Pere or Depere for the town now at or near

the spot, on the E. bank of the river. The earliest French fort there

was called Fort La Baye or La Baie; and this is the implication of the

term as the name of a spot or place on the estuary also called "La

Baye" or "La Baie." 3. When settlement was made under English

occupation it crept down the estuary on the E. side to near the bay,

and "La Baye," _i. e._, La Baie Verte, furnished the local habitation

as well as the name of our Green Bay (town), a mile or two above the

mouth of the estuary. 4. Under our régime, La Baie of the American Fur

Company period was at a place called Shantytown, say halfway between

the old French La Baye (present town of Depere) and the less old

English La Baie (present county town of Green Bay, Brown Co., Wis.).

5. There were other settlements along the estuary, on the same side

too. Thus, writing of 1835, Featherstonhaugh speaks of the new

American settlement of Navarino, "a short distance" from Shantytown;

he describes the latter as "a small bourgade," and locates Navarino

opp. Fort Howard, _i. e._, where Green Bay now is. 6. On the left

bank, nearly opp. present Green Bay, but rather nearer Green bay, was

the site of our Fort Howard, which flourished say 60 years ago, and

bequeathed the name to the town of Howard or Fort Howard, now opposite

Green Bay. On the left bank higher up, opp. Depere, is a town called

Nicollet, no doubt a belated bud of promise, as no such place appears

on maps of 25 years ago. 7. None of the foregoing localities or

establishments on Fox r. must be confounded with the recent outgrowth

called Bay Settlement, which is out on the S. E. shore of Green bay,

toward Point Sable.

[VII-8] Kakalin and Konimee of the above text, also Cockien of p. 295,

are three forms of one word which has other curious shapes.

Featherstonhaugh I. p. 162, speaks of rapids "called in the Menominie

tongue Kawkawnin, literally 'can't get up,'" and says that the

voyageurs make it Cocolo. Suter's text has Kankarma; his map, Kankana.

Present usage favors Kaukauna; so G. L. O. maps, railroad folders,

etc. With the qualifying terms Petit and Grand, or Little and Great, etc.,

the word denotes different places and things on the river; _i. e._,

certain lower and upper rapids themselves, together with certain

settlements at or near each of these obstructions to navigation. Petit

Kakalin, Petite chute, Little Konimee, Little shoot, Little rapids,

designated the lower rapids; and the town 6 m. above Depere received

the name of Little Rapids or Little Kaukauna. Some miles above this

place is now Wrightstown, on the right or E. bank of Fox r. Between

Little Kaukauna and Wrightstown are obstructions in the river which

are or were called Rapides Croches, from their crookedness. All the

foregoing are in present Brown Co. Passing to Outagamie Co., we find

what Dickson called the fall of Grand Konimee, and others knew as

Grand Kakalin, Grand chute, etc. This is now simply styled Kaukauna

falls, without any qualifying term; and the town there is Kaukauna

Falls. Above Kaukauna falls and town, say 2 or 3 m., are rapids called

Little chute (duplicating a different application of the name), and

within a mile of them are others known as Cedar rapids. In this

vicinity is also the town of Little Chute, 7 or 7½ m. below Appleton,

seat of Outagamie Co. From Appleton we pass into Winnebago Co., and it

is only 6 or 8 m. to where Dickson says "the river opens into a small

lake," _i. e._, Lake Winnebago discharges into Lower Fox r. This

outlet is by two channels, N. and S., separated by Doty or Doty's

isl.; here are the Puant, or, as now known, Winnebago rapids; here was

the first Puant or Winnebago village; here are now the cities of

Menasha on the N. channel, and Neenah on the S. channel. The rapids

are strongest in the latter.

[VII-9] Formerly Lac des Puans or des Puants, Stinkers' l., etc. This is

the large body of water in Winnebago, Calumet, and Fond Du Lac cos.,

35 m. long, 9 to 14 m. wide, and 12 to 25 feet deep, thus being an

extensive overflow of Fox r., which enters at Oshkosh, Winnebago Co.,

about the middle of the W. side of the lake, and leaves by Neenah and

Menasha, at the N. W. corner. The distance between these points, which

was the usual canoe traverse, is 15½ m. There is a small island in

this distance, known by the name of Garlic, which Featherstonhaugh

calls Hotwater, from a droll incident he describes, I. p. 174. The

Puant village which Dickson mentions as being at the upper end of the

lake was at or near present Fond Du Lac, the county seat, and one of

well known places in Wisconsin. Dickson's midway "Fols Avoine" village

was the Menomonee settlement on the E. side of the lake, in Calumet

Co. (Stockbridge and Brotherton Res.). Lake Winnebago conveniently

divides Fox r. into the Upper Fox, which runs into it, and the Lower

Fox, which runs out of it into Green bay; it also acts as a sort of

reservoir or regulator to prevent freshets in the Lower Fox. The

western shore is now skirted with railroads all the way from Menasha

to Fond du Lac, and various towns are strung along this distance. Just

before Fox r. falls in, it suffers dilatation into what was and is

still called Lac Butte des Morts, the head of which is about 7 m. from

Oshkosh; town of the same cheerful name there now. In this vicinity

Loup or Wolf r. falls into the Upper Fox, after passing through an

expansion known by some such perversions of the Chippewa name as

Pawmaygun, Pauwaicun, Poygan, etc.

[VII-10] This is easier to locate than to tell the name of. It is that

dilatation of Upper Fox r. which lies mainly in Green Lake Co., and

for some little distance separates this from Marquette Co. The lake is

14½ m. long, but very narrow. Rush l. would be the English translation

of the Indian name, a few of the variants of which are Apachquay,

Apuckaway, Apukwa, Puckaway, Packaway, Pokeway, Puckway, Pacaua, etc.

Before this notable lake was reached, the canoes passed the mouth of

Wolf r., as above said; of Waukan r., discharging from a certain Rush

l. in Winnebago Co., in the vicinity of places called Omri, Delhi, and

Eureka; a couple of small streams at and near Berlin, Green Lake Co.;

Puckegan cr., the discharge of Green l., which falls in at Fiddler's

(qu. Fidler's?) Bend, on the S.; near this White r., on the N.;

present site of Princeton, Green Lake Co., 12¼ m. above Fiddler's

Bend; and lastly Mechan or Mecan r., whence it is only 6 m. to Lake

Puckaway. The town of Marquette, Green Lake Co., is on the lake near

its foot; and 7 m. above its head is Montello, seat of Marquette Co. A

stream absurdly called Grand r. falls in on the S. between Lake

Puckaway and Montello. From Montello to Packwaukee is 8 m.; this is on

Bœuff, Beef, or Buffalo l., a dilatation of the river like Lake

Puckaway, but not so wide. There was an old French fort or factory

here, whose name is given as Ganville (qu. Bienville?). The "forks" of

Fox r. of which Dickson speaks is the confluence of Necha r.; but

there seems to be some copyist's mistake about the situation of his

Lac Vaseux "ten leagues above the forks"; for there is no 28½ m. of

the river left. Lac Vaseux of the text, otherwise known as Muddy,

Rice, and Manomin, immediately succeeds Buffalo l., being below (north

of) Moundville and Roslin or Port Hope. It seems to be reckoned a part

of Lake Buffalo, for the distance hence to the Wisconsin r. is given

as only about 14 m. The canal which Dickson recommends was long since

cut, with a length of 2⅓ m. to Portage, seat of Columbia Co. From

this place along the Wisconsin r. to the Mississippi, given by Dickson

and repeated by Long as 60 leagues = 165 m., is 112 m. I have not the

clew to the exact location of Dickson's Détour du Pin or Pine Bend;

but I imagine it was about the situation of Lone Rock, Richland Co.,

above the mouth of Pine r., and below the place that Mr. Whitney named

Helena, when he had his curious shot-tower there some 60 years ago.

[VII-11] The Montreal or Kawasidjiwong r. is a small stream which

separates Wisconsin from Michigan for some little distance, and falls

into Lake Superior at Oronto bay, E. of Point Clinton. The connection

with Sauteur or Chippewa r., of which Pike speaks, was made by

portages from the main E. fork of the Chippewa--that is, from

Manidowish, Flambeau, or Torch r. But we should note here that there

was more than one recognized route by way of the Chippewa from the

Mississippi to Lake Superior, and in Carver's case, for example,

confusion has arisen in consequence. Thus, some say that Carver left

the Mississippi by way of Chippewa r. This is true; but he did not

reach Lake Superior by way of Flambeau r. and Montreal r. Observing

this, some say he reached Lake Superior by way of the St. Croix and

the river he calls Goddard's. This is true; but he did not leave the

Mississippi by St. Croix r. In June, 1767, Carver came from Prairie du

Chien up the Miss. r. to the Chippewa; he went up this for the Ottawaw

lakes, as he calls the present Lac Court Oreilles and some lesser ones

close by; visited the Chippewa town whence the river took its name, he

says, "near the heads of this river;... In July I left this town, and

having crossed a number of small lakes and carrying places that

intervened, came to a head branch of the river St. Croix. This branch

I descended to a fork, and then ascended another to its source. On

both these rivers I discovered several mines of virgin copper, which

was as pure as that found in any other country. Here I came to a small

brook," which by confluence of others soon "increased to a most rapid

river, which we descended till it entered into Lake Superior.... This

river I named ... Goddard's River," Trav., ed. 1796, pp. 66, 67. A

small river west of Goddard's Carver named Strawberry r., "from the

great number of strawberries of a good size and flavor that grew on

its banks."

[VII-12] Pike was sadly misinformed on this point. No place on the river

is better known than St. Croix falls, above Osceola Mills, Polk Co.,

Wis., and Franconia, Chisago Co., Minn., where the descent is quoted

at 5 feet in 300 yards. Higher up, the river has many rapids--toward

its head so many that Nicollet's map legends "Succession of Rapids";

Schoolcraft's marks about a dozen; Lieut. Allen, when abandoned by Mr.

Schoolcraft, encountered "almost interminable rapids"; La Salle cited

Du Luth for "forty leagues of rapids," in his letter from Fort

Frontenac, Aug. 22d, 1682; and Hennepin called the St. Croix "a river

full of rapids." They are most numerous and most nearly continuous

above Yellow and Namakagon rivers, two of the principal branches of

the Upper St. Croix, both of which drain from the region about the

Ottawa lakes and others in Sawyer and Washburn cos., Wis. Pike's Burnt

r. is supposed to be the same as Carver's Goddard r.; it is also

called Burnt Wood r., from the F. Bois Brûlé, and the latter name is

still in use. Burnt r. is called by Nicollet Wissakude and by others

Misacoda--a name no doubt the same as Nimissakouat, Nemitsakouat,

Nissipikouet, etc., _de l'ancien régime_; on Franquelin's map, 1688,

it stands Neouoasicoton. This last is a specially notable case, as

Franquelin marks "Fort St. Croix" and "Portage" near the head of his

river at a certain "Lac de la Providence" in which he heads his "R. de

la Magdelaine"; for these are the Upper St. Croix l. and the St. Croix

r. (This post was probably established by Du Luth before 1684 or 1685;

he had been in Paris in 1683; at Montreal, Quebec, etc., 1682 and

1681; and in June, 1680, made the Bois Brûlé-St. Croix trip from Lake

Superior to the Mississippi.) Franquelin's early map, 1683-84, is said

to be the first to delineate the Bois Brûlé-St. Croix route: this

shows R. de la Magdelaine connecting by Lac de la Providence with R.

Neouaisicoton, but no Fort St. Croix is there marked. This river is

said well enough to head in this lake; but more precisely, its sources

are in the feeders of this lake. One of these, which is situated on a

pine ridge a couple of miles off, offers the always interesting,

though not very rare case of a sheet of water running two ways; for

this small Source l., as it is called, discharges one way into the St.

Croix stream, hence into the Gulf of Mexico, and the other way into

Burnt r., which takes water to Lake Superior and finally to the Gulf

of St. Lawrence. The Burnt is navigable, though much obstructed with

shoals, rapids, and falls; it runs in the main northward, near the E.

border of Douglas Co. (named for Stephen A. Douglas), and falls into

the Kichi Gummi, Sea of the North, West Sea, Grand Lac (Champlain's

Voy., 1632, map), Lac de Condé, Lac de Tracy, Lac Supérieur, Lacus

Superior (De Creux, 1664, map), Lake Algona, etc. There were Chippewa

villages along nearly the whole line of both the rivers at various

points, including one on an island in the Upper St. Croix l. Islands

and peninsulas in lakes were always favorite sites, for in such cases

these Indians enjoyed some additional immunity from the Sioux in what

we may style their "moated granges." On the St. Croix r., low down,

was the Chippewa-Sioux boundary line, marked for some years by cedar

trees which stood there a few miles below St. Croix falls: see note

17, p. 101.

[VII-13] Keating, I. 1824, p. 287, cites Long's MS. 1817, fol. 12, that

Major Long's "boat crossed it, from a dead start, in 16 strokes."

Referring to note 69, p. 70, for some historical remarks on St.

Pierre's r., I wish to add here that this remarkable stream was at one

period the main course of the Mississippi. The evidence of the rocks

supports the opinion that the Falls of St. Anthony were once opposite

the position of Fort Snelling. The Mississippi above the mouth of St.

Pierre's differs in various particulars from the character it acquires

below that point, and was once tributary to a then greater stream.

This case does not seem to have attracted the attention to which it

became entitled after its forcible presentation by General Warren. It

is not so well marked as the obvious case of the Missouri _vs._ the

Mississippi, in which there is no question which is the main and which

the subsidiary stream; but it is similar. In other words, what the

Mississippi is to the Missouri above St. Louis, that the Mississippi

has been to the Minnesota above Fort Snelling.

[VII-14] The "rough draft" herein mentioned was published in the orig.

ed. as a plate of page size, and is reproduced in facsimile for the

present ed.

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 1 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7. · 第 18 / 19 章

I find from the observations and suggestions of Mr. Thompson, when at