Proceed up the Mississippi River--Its velocity and character--Swan
River--Trout River, and Mushkoda or Prairie River--Rapids
ascended--Reach, and make a portage around Pakagama Falls--Enter a
vast lacustrine region--Its character and productions, vegetable
and animal--Tortuous channel--Vermilion and Deer Rivers--Leech
Lake branch--Lake Winnipek--Ascent of the river to Upper Red
Cedar, or Cass Lake--Physical character of the Mississippi River.
Our encampment was near the mouth of Swan River, a considerable stream,
originating in Swan Lake, near the head of the St. Louis River of Lake
Superior.
We had been pushing our way, daily, up to our arrival at Sandy Lake; but
the word, from leaving that point, was, emphatically, push--and we can
hardly be said to have taken proper time to eat or sleep. There was a
shower of rain, during the night; it ceased at four o'clock, and we
again embarked at five, in a cloudy and misty morning, and it continued
cloudy all day. The current of the Mississippi continues to be strong;
its velocity, during the ascent of this day, was computed by Capt.
Douglass at two and a half miles per hour. We passed a rapid about six
miles below Trout River, where there is a computed descent of three feet
in a hundred and fifty yards. A few miles before reaching Trout River,
we passed through a forest of dead pines, occupying ridges of sand,
through which the river has cut its way. Four miles above the entrance
of Trout River, we passed the mouth of a considerable stream, called by
the Chippewas Mushkoda, or Prairie River, and encamped about five
hundred yards above its mouth on a high sandy elevation. It was now
eight o'clock P.M. We had ascended the river fifty-one miles, having
been fifteen hours in our canoes, and we here first took our breakfast.
This severity of fasting was, I think, quite unintentional, the
mess-basket being in the other canoe, which kept ahead of us the entire
day. We had this day observed specimens of the Unio and some other
species of fresh-water shells along the shore. And of birds, besides the
duck, plover, and loon, which frequent the water, we noticed the thrush,
robin, blackbird, and crow. The comparative coolness of the day rendered
the annoyance from mosquitos less severe than we had found them the
preceding day. The night on this sandy and bleak elevation proved cool,
with a heavy dew, which resulted in a dense fog in the morning. We found
ice on the bottoms of the canoes, which are turned up at night, of the
thickness of a knife-blade.
Our third day's ascent witnessed no diminution of the strength and
alacrity with which our canoemen urged our way up the stream. We were
off betimes, in a lowering and dense atmosphere, which obscured objects.
After advancing some six miles, there are a series of small rapids,
which are, taken together, called Ka-ka-bi-ka,[70] where I estimated the
river to sink its level sixteen feet, in a short distance; at none of
these is the navigation, however, impeded. The rock stratification
appears too compact for sand-rock, and is obscured by contiguous
boulders, which are indicative of the strong drift-formation, which has
spread from the north and east over this region. Four miles after
ascending the last of the Kakabika Rapids, we landed at the foot of the
Pakagama Falls. Here the lading was immediately put ashore, the canoes
landed, and the whole carried over an Indian portage path of two hundred
and seventy-five yards. This delay afforded an opportunity to view the
falls. The Mississippi, at this point, forces its way through a
formation of quartzy rock, during which it sinks its level, as
estimated, twenty feet, in a distance of about three hundred yards.
There is no perceptible cascade or abrupt fall, but the river rushes
with the utmost velocity down a highly inclined rocky bed towards the
northeast. It forms a complete interruption to navigation, and must,
hereafter, be the terminus of the navigation of that class of small
steamboats which may be introduced above the Falls of St. Anthony. The
general elevation of the geological stratum at the top of this fall must
be but little under fourteen hundred feet above the Gulf of Mexico.[71]
This summit bears a growth of the yellow pine. I observed, amongst the
shrubs, the vaccinium dumosum. Immediately above the falls is a small
rocky island, bearing a growth of spruce and cedars, being the first
island noticed above Sandy Lake. This island parts the channel into two,
at the precise point of its precipitation. On coming to the head of
these falls, we appear to have reached a vast geological plateau,
consisting of horizontal deposits of clay and drift on the nucleus of
granitical and metamorphic rocks, which underlie the sources of the
Mississippi River. The vast and irregular bodies of water called Leech
Lake, Winnipek, and Cass Lakes, together with a thousand lesser lakes of
a mile or two in circumference, lie on this great diluvial summit. These
lakes spread east and west over a surface of not less than two hundred
miles; most of them are connected with channels of communication forming
a tortuous and intricate system of waters, only well known to the
Indians; and there seems the less wonder that the absolute and most
remote source of the Mississippi has so long remained a matter of doubt.
[70] From _ka_, a particle affirmative of an adverse quality,
_aubik_, rock, and _ons_, a diminutive inflection.
[71] Mr. Nicollet places the summit of the falls at 1,340 feet above
the Gulf.
By the time we had well seen the falls, and made some sketches and
notes, the indefatigable canoemen announced our baggage all carried over
the portage, and the canoes put into the water. Embarking, at this
point, we found the river had lost its velocity; it was often difficult
to determine that it had any current at all. We wound about, by a most
tortuous channel, through savannas where coarse species of grass, flags,
reeds, and wild rice struggled for the mastery. The whole country
appeared to be one flat surface, where the sameness of the objects, the
heat of the weather, and the excessively serpentine channel of the
river, conspired to render the way tedious. The banks of the river were
but just elevated above these illimitable fields of grass and aquatic
plants. In these banks the gulls had their nests, and as they were
disturbed they uttered deafening screams. Water-fowl were intruded upon
at every turn, the blackbird and rail chattered over their clusters of
reeds and cat-tails; the falcon screamed on high, as he quietly sailed
above our heads, and the whole feathered creation appeared to be
decidedly intruded on by our unwonted advance into the great watery
plateau, to say nothing of the small and unimportant class of reptiles
who inhabit the region.
Forty miles above the falls, the River Vermilion flows in through these
savannas on the left hand; and three miles higher the Deer River is
tributary on the right hand. We ascended six miles above the latter, and
encamped in a dry prairie, on the same side, at a late hour. The men
reported themselves to have travelled sixteen leagues, notwithstanding
their detention on the Pakagama Portage. How far we had advanced, in a
direct line, is very questionable. At one spot, we estimated ourselves
to have passed, by the river's involutions, nine miles, but to have
advanced directly but one mile. I noticed, on the meadow at this spot, a
small and very delicious species of raspberry, the plant not rising
higher than three or four inches. This species, of which I preserved
both the roots and fruit, I referred to Dr. J. Torrey, of New York, who
pronounced it the Rebus Nutkanus of Moçino--a species found by this
observer in the Oregon regions. It is now known to occur eastwardly, to
upper Michigan. As night approached on these elevated prairies, we
observed for the first time the fire-fly.
The next morning (20th) we were again in motion at half-past five
o'clock. It had rained during the night, and the morning was cloudy,
with a dense fog. At the distance of ten miles, we passed the Leech Lake
River. This is a very considerable river, bringing in, apparently,
one-third as much water as the main branch. It is, however, but fifty
miles in length, and is merely the outlet of the large lake bearing that
name. It was thought the current of the Mississippi denoted greater
velocity above this point, while the water exhibited greater clearness.
We had still the same savanna regions, with a serpentine channel to
encounter. Through this the men urged their way for a distance of
thirty-five miles, when Winnipek Lake displayed itself before us. The
waters of this lake have a whitish, slightly turbid aspect, after the
prevalence of storms, which appears to reveal its shallowness, with a
probably whitish clay bottom. The Chippewa name of Winnebeegogish[72]
is, indeed, derivative from this circumstance. This lake is stated to be
ten miles in its greatest length. We crossed it transversely in order to
strike the inlet of the Mississippi, and encamped on the other side. In
this transit we met a couple of Indian women in a canoe, who, being
interrogated by the interpreter, stated that they came to observe
whether the wild rice, which is quite an item of the Indian subsistence
in this quarter, was matured enough to be tied into clusters for beating
out. We estimated our advance this day, by the time denoted by the
chronometer, at fifty-one miles.
[72] From _weenud_, dirty, _beegog_, waters, and _ish_, a derogative
inflection of nouns.
We were again in our canoes the next morning at half-past four o'clock.
In coasting along the north shores of Winnipek Lake, an object of limy
whiteness attracted our attention, which turned out to be a small island
composed of granitical and other boulders, which had served as the
resting-place of birds, for which the region above the Pakagama Falls is
so remarkable. On landing, a dead pelican was stretched on the surface.
We had not before observed this species on the river, and named the
island Shayta, from its Chippewa name. The buzzard, cormorant, brant,
eagle, and raven had hitherto constituted the largest species. Along the
shores of the river, the king-fisher and heron had been frequent
objects. With respect to the cormorant, it was observed that the Indians
classify it with the species of duck, their name for it, ka-ga-ge-sheeb,
signifying, literally, crow-duck.
On again reaching the inlet of the Mississippi, its size and appearance
corresponded so exactly to its character below the Winnipek, that it had
evidently experienced but little or no change by passing through this
lake. The same width and volume were observed which it had below this
point; the same moderate velocity; the same borders of grassy savanna,
and the same tendency to redouble its length, by its contortions,
appeared. In some places, however, it approaches those extensive ridges
of sandy formation, bearing pines, which traverse, or rather bound,
these wide savannas. Through these channels the canoemen urged their
course with their usual alacrity--now stopping a few moments to breathe,
and then, striking their paddles again in the water with renewed vigor,
and often starting off with one of their animated canoe-songs. From
about eight o'clock in the morning till two in the afternoon we
proceeded up the winding thread of this channel, when the appearance of
a large body of water in the distance before us attracted attention. It
was the first glimpse we had of the upper Red Cedar Lake. The
Mississippi River here deploys itself in one of those large sheets of
pellucid water which are so characteristic of its sources. On reaching
the estuary at its entrance, a short halt was made. A large body of the
most transparent water spread out before us. Its outlines, towards the
south, were only bounded by the line of the horizon. In the distance
appeared the traces of wooded islands. If Sandy Lake had, on emerging
from the wilderness, impressed us with its rural beauty, this far
transcended it in the variety and extent of outlines, and that oceanic
amplitude of freshness, which so often inspires admiration in beholding
the interior American lakes. It was determined to cross a part of the
lake towards the north-east, in order to strike the site of an ancient
Indian village at the mouth of Turtle River; and under the influences of
a serene day, and one of their liveliest chants, the men pushed for that
point, which was reached at three o'clock in the afternoon of the 21st
July. The spot at which we landed was the verge of a green lawn, rising
in a short distance to a handsome eminence, crowned with oaks and
maples. One or two small log tenements stood on this slope occupied by
two Canadians in the service of the American Fur Company. Several
wigwams of bark and poles lifted their fragile conical forms on either
side.
In one of these tenements, consisting of a small cabin of poles,
sheathed with bark, we found an object of human misery which excited our
sympathies. It was in the person of one of the Canadians, to whom
reference has been made, of the name of Montruille. He had, in the often
severe peregrinations of the fur trade in this quarter, been caught in a
snow-storm during the last winter, and frozen both his feet in so severe
a manner that they eventually sloughed off, and he could no longer stand
upright or walk. He lay on the ground in a most pitiable state of
dejection, with the stumps of his legs bound up with deer skins, with a
gray, long-neglected beard, and an aspect of extreme despair. English he
could not speak; and the French he uttered was but an abuse of the noble
gift of language to call down denunciations on those who had deserted
him, or left him thus to his fate. A rush mat lay under him. He had no
covering. He was emaciated to the last degree, every bone in his body
seemed visible through the skin. His cheeks were fallen in, and his eyes
sunk in their sockets, but darting a look of despair. His Indian wife
had deserted him. Food, of an inadequate quality, was occasionally
thrown in to him. Such were the accounts we received. Governor Cass
directed groceries, ammunition, and presents of clothing to be made to
him, to the latter of which, every member of the party added. He also
engaged a person to convey him to Sandy Lake.
We examined the environs of the place with interest; the village
occupies the north banks of Turtle River Valley. Turtle River, which
cuts its way through this slope and plain, constitutes the direct line
of intercourse for the Indian trade, through Turtle and Red Lakes, to
the Red River Valley of Hudson's Bay. On inquiry, we learned that this
river had constituted the ancient Indian line of communication by canoes
and portages, from time immemorial, with that valley, the distance to
the extreme plateau, or summit, being about sixty miles. On this summit,
within a couple of miles of each other, lie Turtle and Red Lakes, the
one having its discharge into the Gulf of Mexico and the other into
Hudson's Bay. When Canada was settled by the French, this aboriginal
route was adopted. The fur companies of Great Britain, on coming into
possession of the country, after the fall of Quebec, 1759, followed the
same route. The factors of these companies told Lieutenant Pike, in
1806, at Sandy Lake and Leech Lake, that the Turtle portage was the only
practicable route of communication to the Red River, and that it was the
true source of the Mississippi; and they furnished him manuscript maps
of the country conformable to these views. The region has actually been
in possession of the Americans only since 1806, adopting the era of
Pike's visit.
By inquiry from the Chippewa Indians at this village, sanctioned by the
Canadian authorities, we are informed that the Mississippi falls into
the south end of Cass Lake, at the distance of eight or ten miles; that
it reaches that point from the west, by a series of sharp rapids
stretching over an extent of about forty miles from a large lake;[73]
and that this celebrated stream originates in Lac la Biche, about six
days' journey from our present position, and has many small lakes,
rapids, and falls. It is further asserted by the Indians, that the water
in these remote streams, and upon these rapids, is at all times
shallow, but it is particularly so this season; and that it is not
practicable to reach these remote sources of the river with boats, or
large canoes of the size we have.
[73] Called Andrúsia. Expedition to Starca Lake in 1837.
On submitting these facts to the gentlemen composing his party, Governor
Cass asked each one to give his views, beginning with the youngest, and
to express his opinion on the feasibility of further explorations. They
concurred in opinion that, in the present low state of the water on
these summits, considering the impossibility of ascending them with our
present craft, and in the actual state of our provisions, such an
attempt was impracticable. Thereon, he announced his decision to rejoin
our party at Sandy Lake, and to pursue the exploration of the river down
its channel to the Falls of St. Anthony, to the inlet of the Wisconsin
and Fox Rivers, and to return into the great lake basins, and complete
their circumnavigation.
Having reached the ultimate geographical point visited by the
expedition, I thought it due to the energy and enlightened zeal of the
gentleman who had led us, to mark the event by naming this body of water
in my journal Cassina, or Cass Lake. There was the more reason for this
in the nomenclature of the geography of the upper Mississippi, by
observing that it embraces another Red Cedar Lake. The latitude of upper
Red Cedar, or Cass Lake, is placed by Pike at 47° 42´40´´.[74] Its
distance above Sandy Lake, by the involutions of the river, is two
hundred and seventy miles, and from Fond du Lac, at the head of Lake
Superior, by the travelled route, four hundred and thirty miles. It is
situated seventeen degrees north of the Gulf of Mexico, from which it is
computed to be distant two thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight
geographical miles. Estimating the distance to the actual origin of the
river, as determined at a subsequent period, at one hundred and
eighty-two miles above Cass Lake, the length of the Mississippi River is
shown to be three thousand one hundred and sixty miles,[75] making a
direct line over the earth's surface of more than half the distance from
the arctic circle to the equator. It may also be observed of the
Mississippi, that its sources lie in a region of snows and
long-continued winter, while it enters the ocean under the latitude of
perpetual verdure; and at last, as if disdaining to terminate its career
at the ordinary point of embouchure of other large rivers, has protruded
its banks into the Gulf of Mexico, more than a hundred miles beyond any
other part of the main. To have visited both the source and the mouth of
the stream has fallen to the lot of but few, and I believe there is no
person living beside myself of whom the remark can be made. On the tenth
of July, 1819, I passed out of the mouth of the Mississippi in a brig
bound for New York, after descending it in a steamboat from St. Louis,
but little thinking I should soon visit its waters, yet, on the
twenty-first of July of the following year, I reached its sources in
this lake.
[74] Nicollet, in the report of his exploration of 1836, places it in
47° 25´ 23´´.
[75] _Vide_ Expedition to Stasca Lake in 1832.
In deciding upon the physical character of the Mississippi River, it may
be advantageously considered under four natural divisions, as indicated
by permanent differences in its geological and physical character--its
vegetable productions, and its velocity and general hydrographical
character. Originating in a region of lakes upon the table-lands which
throw their waters north into Hudson's Bay, south into the Gulf of
Mexico, and east into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it pursues its course
south to the Falls of Pakagama, a distance of two hundred and thirty
miles, through natural meadows or savannas covered with wild rice,
rushes, reeds and coarse grasses, and aquatic plants. During the
distance, it is extremely devious in its course and width, often
expanding into lakes which connect themselves through a vast system of
reticulated channels. Leech Lake, Cass Lake, and Lake Andrúsia would
themselves be regarded as small interior seas, were they on any other
part of the continent but that which develops Superior, Michigan, Huron,
Erie, and Ontario. Its velocity through the upper plateau is but little,
and it affords every facility for the breeding of water fowl and the
small furred quadrupeds, the favorite reliance of a nomadic population.
At the Falls of Pakagama, the first rock stratum and the first wooded
island is seen. Here the river has an aggregate fall of twenty feet, and
from this point to St. Anthony's Falls, a distance of six hundred miles,
it exhibits its second characteristic division. The granitical and
metamorphic rocks, which support the vast plateaux and beds of draft of
its sources, are only apparent above this point, in boulders. The
permanent strata are but barely concealed at several rapids below the
Pakagama, but appear plainly below the influx of the De Corbeau, at Elk
River, Little Falls, and near Sac River. And this system of rock is
succeeded, before reaching the Falls of St. Anthony, by the horizonal
white sand rock and its superior limestone series of the carboniferous
formation.
Vegetation is developed as the river descends towards the south. A
forest of maples, elm, oak, ash, and birch, is interspersed with spruce,
birch, poplar, and pine above the Pakagama, and continues, in favorable
positions, throughout this division. The black walnut is first seen
below Sandy Lake, and the sycamore below the River De Corbeau. The river
in this division has numerous well-wooded islands; its velocity is a
striking feature; it abounds with rapids, none of which, however, oppose
serious obstacles to its navigation. Agreeably to memoranda kept,[76] it
has fifty-six distinct rapids, including the Little and Big Falls, in
all of which the river has an aggregate estimated descent of two hundred
and twenty-four feet, within a distance of fourteen thousand six hundred
and forty yards, or about eight miles. The mean fall of the current,
exclusive of these rapids, may be computed at nearly six inches per
mile.
[76] _Vide_ Appendix.
The course of the river, below the Falls of Pakagama, is still
serpentine, but strikingly less so than above, and its bends are not so
short and abrupt. The general course of this river, till it reaches the
rock formation of Pakagama, is from the west. Thence, to Sandy Lake
inlet, it flows generally southeast; from this point to the inlet of the
De Corbeau or Crow Wing, it is deflected to the southwest; thence almost
due south, to the mouth of the Watab River; and thence again southeast
to the Falls of St. Anthony. A geographical line dropped from the inlet
of Sandy Lake, where the channel is first deflected to the southwest, to
St. Anthony's Falls, or the mouth of the St. Peter's,[77] forms a vast
bow-shaped area of prairie and forest lands of high agricultural
capabilities, whose future products must be carried to a market through
the Fond du Lac of Lake Superior. These prairies and grove lands, which
cannot square less than two by four hundred miles, constitute the
ancient area of the Issati,[78] and are now the resort of great herds of
the buffalo, elk, and deer; and it is a region known as the predatory
border, or battle-ground of the Chippewas and Dacotas.
[77] Now called Minnesota River.
[78] _Vide_ Hennepin.