Narrative of an expedition to the source of St. Peter's river, Lake Winnepeek, Lake of the Woods, &c., performed in the year 1823, ... under the command of Stephen H. Long [1, 1 ed.]

Citation preview

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:

NARRATIVE OF

AN EXPEDITION TO THE

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER'S RIVER,

LAKE WINNEPEEK, LAKE OF THE WOODS, Sfc. Sfc.

PERFORMED

IN

THE YEAR 1823,

BY ORDER OF

THE HON.

J.

C.

CALHOUN, SECRETARY OF WAR, tJNDER THE

STEPHEN

H.

COMMAND OF

LONG, Major

U.

S.

T. E.

—

LiBiARY

COMPILED FROM THE NOTES OF MAJOR LONG, MESSRS. KEATING, AND COLHOUN,

SxH

C»iAlNI4^Ai.

GARDEN BT

WILLIAM

H.

KEATING,

A. M. &c.

PROFESSOR OF MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY AS APPLIED TO THE ARTS, IN

THE t7NIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

;

GEOLOGIST AND

HISTORIOGRAPHER TO THE EXPEDITION.

IN

TWO

VOLUMES.

VOL. L

H. C.

PHILADELPHIA I. LEA— CHESNUT STREET.

CAREY &

1824.

EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, to wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-ninth day

of

Novem-

independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1824, H.C. Carey & I. Lea of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following', to wit: ber, in the forty-ninth year of the

" Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River, Lake " Winnepeek, Lake of the Woods, &c. 8tc. performed in the year 1823, by order of the Hon. J. C. Calhoun, Secretary of War, under the com*' mand of Stephen H. Long, Major U. S. T. E. Compiled from the " notes of Major Long, Messrs. Say, Keating, and Colhoun, by Wil" liam II. Keating, A. M. &c. Professor of Mineralogy and Chemistry " as applied to the Arts, in the University of Pennsylvania Geologist "and Historiographer to the Expedition. In two volumes Vol. 1." •'

;

—

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." And also to the act, entitled, •* An act supplementary to an act, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the Arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." *'

An

—

D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the Easterii Distnct of Pemisylvania-

SKERHETT

—

LOCUST STKEET, PHIIADELPHIA.

TO

HIS

EXCELLENCY

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OP

AMERICA, THIS WORK, CONTAINING THE RESULT OF OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING AN EXPEDITION

PERFORMED UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION, IS

VERY RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BT

THE AUTHORS.

CORRECTIONS TO VOL. Page

I.

19, line 18, for derangement, read disturbance. 25, 18, for compensates for a, read compensates the. 15, for laid, read lay. 46, 55, 4, for the Expedition, read ive.

58, 58, 63, 66, 67,

74, 77, 85, 92, 96, 97, 99, 99,

3d and 6th from the bottom, for conjugate, read transverse. do. 7th do. for transverse, read conjugate. 9th from the top, for if it be not, read if it should not have been. 12, for object, read objects. 15, for itself, read themselves. 8, erase ybr 17, for beach, read beech. 2 from bottom, for with, read to. last line, for seems, read seem.

15, for counsels, read councils. 18, for be, read is. 27, for decrepid, read decrepit. last line, for as one of, read among. 100 and 106, line 11, for endowed, read endued. 115, 9, for are, read 25. 115, 22, for sowed, read serf erf. 117, 14, for endowed, read enrfMtfc?. 124, 15, for be, read is. 140, 19, for dared, read durst. 144, 25, for lead, read led. 323, 25, for Iroquois, read Chippeiuas.

CORRECTIONS TO VOL. Page

XL

read ministered. 3 from bottom, for of, read om, 19, for immense, read indefinite. 6, for Superior, read Winnepeek. 28, for valleys, read vallies.

8, line 17, for minister, 8,

27, 29, 36, 114, 167, 176, 180, 205, 210, 213, 215,

219, 226,

16, for beach, i-ead beech. 13, for written, read comjboserf. 8, for meal, read tneat. 9, for Desmarais, read Desmarest. 8, for buffalo,

27, 13, 17, 29, 13,

'

read Buffalo.

for west, read north-ivest. for Small Fox river, read Small river. for above, read about for banks, read bars. after narrative, read and the accompanying JUap.

—

Pox

Owing to the absence of Major Long, during the time of printing J^/ote. his report. Vol. II. Chap. V. the following discrepancies, between the spelling of words in that paper, and the accompanying map, have occurred, and are to be corrected as follows, viz. for Milwacke, Manitowacke, Pektanon, Little Pektanon, and Kakabikka, read Meltvakee, Manitotuakee, Peektano, Peektanoa, and Kakabeka,

PREFACE. IN that

offering this

work

to the public, the compiler regrets

has been delayed longer than was originally intend-

it

ed; the

difficulties

which he has encountered

in the per-

formance of a task for which he was quite unprepared, ford

him

his only apology.

writing for the public,

many

it is

errors which, with

probable that he has fallen into

more time, he might have avoid-

ed ; but works of the nature of this admit of but lay. Narratives of

The

principal object

to unite the

de-

be long deferred.

which the compiler had

documents confided

to

in view,

him, so as to pre-

sent a faithful description of the country over ..

little

voyages of discoveries lose much of their

interest, if the publication

was

af-

Inexperienced in the art of

which the

party travelled, and of the few adventures which inter-

rupted the monotony of a journey through a wilderness. It

may

be well to state that the historical part of the

narrative, together with the topographical, and

the descriptive matter, has been notes.

much

of

drawn from Major Long's

Mr. Colhoun's manuscripts, besides contributing

to

the same departments, and yielding the astronomical ob-

*

servations, have been

"•

greater part of the references to older writers.

S

parisons between the observations

very valuable

in

furnishing the

The com-

made by our party and

the assertions of former travellers, are almost entirely due to that gentleman.

From Mr.

Say's notes,

all

that relates to

the zoology and botany of the country traversed has been obtained, as well as

much

of the matter relating to the Indians.

This last department has been completed from the compiler's

own notes, which have likewise furnished the geological

ob-

PREFACE.

VIU

Besides which, the journals kept by each of

servations.

have frequently completed the remark?

the gentlemen,

made by some other member of the party. It has been deemed unnecessary to state in all cases by whom the obThis has, however, servations were made or recorded. been done, whenever the

facts

resting to require that the

names of the observers should

appeared sufficiently inte-

be annexed to them.

As Major Long's report to the war department presents summary of the general features of the country

a concise

by the party,

visited

troduce

has been thought adviseable to in-

it

as a conclusion to the narrative.

it

Having been

make an experiment to improve

ordered to the Ohio to

its

navigation according to the provisions of a late act of Con-

Major Long was absent from Philadelphia during the preparation of that part of the manuscript which follows gress,

the three for

first

to contain;

volume first this may account which the work will be found presumed that by his presence they would

chapters of

some of the

;

inaccuracies

it is

have been avoided.

The compiler

has found

it

impossible in the description

of the scenery of the Mississippi, &c. to avoid the intro-

duction of several words, which, although they are not sanctioned by the dictionaries, seem to be characteristic,

and essential

words

to

such descriptions; of this nature are the

bluff, prairie,

avoided in

all cases,

The term

&c.

different acceptations in

creek, being used in

England and America, has been

though with some inconvenience. The

word run will, it is believed, be found but once in the body of the work. Lest any false impression should be drawn from the introduction of the term estuary, it may be proper to

state, that it

has been inadvertently used in

several cases, to designate the outlets of streams tides

do not reciprocate.

where the

PREFACE.

IX

In compiling from notes written

by many persons under

the disadvantages of fatigues, hardships, and privations, is

not easy,

of

all

however

it

may

it

be desirable, to avoid the use

objectionable terms; for these and other inaccuracies

which the work may contain, the compiler must plead in difficulties to which he has previously alluded.

excuse the

The

greater part of the appendix will be found to have

been prepared by Mr. Say. The ed of the skins of

many

which he experienc-

loss

birds, quadrupeds,

and

fish,

which

he had collected, has prevented him from describing several

new

animals.

It is

believed that,

if

none of the

shells

amount of new species desmuch greater. The plants preserv-

collected had been lost, the

cribed would have been

ed by Mr. Say, were placed D. de Schweinitz,

in the

hands of the Rev. Lewis

who kindly undertook

to describe

them;

the result of his valuable observations will be found in the

appendix.

With

a

view

to give an idea of the climate of

the country described, as well as to compare

it

with other

whose climate has been ascertained by older observations, the interesting tables prepared by Dr. Joseph Lovell, Surgeon General of the United States' Army, have places

been introduced, with his general observations upon the same.

They

are compiled from the records kept at the

various military posts.

The

climate of Philadelphia has

been established by the

results of the observations

by Mr. Reuben Haines,

at his

made

residence in Germantown,

from Philadelphia; the great care which Mr. Haines bestows upon his observations makes them a fit six miles

term of comparison

for all others.

The

introduction of

these tables has superseded the necessity of recording the of temperature observed by our party; they were noted principally by Mr. Seymour. It may be proper, however, to state, that, valuable as Vol. I. 1| variations

—

X

PREFACE.

are the results contained in the meteorological tables, they

can only be considered as approximations; because an uni-

form method of making observations has not yet been

Those who are conversant with thermometrical

adopted.

observations,

know what

the instrument

is

influence the situation in

constructed, exercise upon the results which

and

which

exposed, and the materials of which

how guarded we

it

it is

indicates

ought to be in adopting comparisons

made with

different instruments,

situations.

Of the

and placed in different

influence of the materials, the party had

an opportunity of convincing themselves, by placing two of Mr. Keating's thermometers in the same situation with that of the surgeon at Fort St.

The

Anthony.

latter in-

strument consisted of a glass tube attached to a brass plate,

on which the graduation was marked ting's

was known

in Paris

and had

to be a

its

an ivory

scale.

placed close to

lowing

table.

it

had been made

of Philadelphia, and was provided

The

usual exposure of the surgeon's

to the south-west.

his.

;

thermometer was a small pocket one,

made by Mr. Fisher thermometer was

good instrument

one of Mr. Kea-

division on a slip of paper enclosed in a

glass tube: the other

witli

;

The

The two

others

were

results are indicated in the fol-

PREFACE.

XI

Anthony the thermometer was exposed

St.

west;

other posts,

at

we have

seen

it

to the south-

facing the east;

sometimes the instruments were protected from, times they were exposed

to,

at

the rays of the sun

:

other there

can be no doubt that some variations must arise from these causes; and

we

think

it

therefore desirable, in order to

give the greatest value to the observations

made

at all

the

garrisons in the United States, that the surgeons should be

provided, at the public expense, with instruments of uni-

form and approved construction; and that the observations should be

made under circumstances

as nearly similar as

the great diversity in the situations of their posts will admit.

Notwithstanding the variations produced by the

causes to as being

which we have

alluded,

we

very interesting, inasmuch

consider these tables

as

they afford the

first

comparative results upon the temperature of the United States in general,

embracing an immense extent of coun-

and including great diversities of climate.

try,

We deem

it

but

fair to state that

the observations

which

Messrs. Say and Keating made, concerning the manners, &c. of the Indian tribes which they met, were greatly facilitated

by the valuable notes furnished

to

them by the

American Philosophical Society, and which were prepared by Peter

S.

chiefly

Duponceau, Esquire, one of the Vice

Presidents of the Society, Professor Robert Walsh, jun. one of the Secretaries, and

by Dr. Samuel Brown,* Professor of

the Practice of Physic in the Transylvania University.

*

The undersigned begs

leave to state, that Dr. Brown's

name was

inadvertently omitted in the Preface to the " Account of an Expedition

from Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountains." The gentlemen of that

party were provided with the same notes which were used on the se-

cond expedition, and which were

in both cases found very valuable.

T. SAY.

PREFACE.

Xll

In conclusion, the compiler has much pleasure

knowledging the great obligations under which he

in

ac-

lies

to

George Ord, Esquire, one of the Vice Presidents of the

Academy

of Natural Sciences, and one of the Secretaries

of the American Philosophical Society, for his assistance in the preparation of this work.

Mr, Ord's perusal of the

greater part of the manuscript previous to press, has preserved

it

its

being put to

from many inaccuracies which

Avould otherwise have contained.

W.

H. K.

it

CONTENTS OF CHAPTER

VOL.

I.

I.

Page.

Cum-

Depai'ture from Philadelphia. Geolog-y of the AUeghanies.

berland Road.

Wheeling

.

.

CHAPTER Salt

Zanesville.

Antiquities.

and Iron Works.

Ohio Canals.

Fort

Wayne

Wayne and

its

-

Carey mission-house.

Lake Michigan.

CHAPTER rirer.

Michigan.

Menomones. Prairie

Fur

du Chien.

villages.

Pota-

trade.

79

IV.

Chicago

-

-

139

V.

Sauks and Foxes

Fort

St.

-

-

172

VI.

du Chien. Indian remains. Division of tlie Dacota

34

Geology of the country west of Lake

CHAPTER sippi.

-

III.

vicinity.

CHAPTER

9

Indian

Piqua.

-

.......

watomis

Prairie

.

H,

Columbus.

CHAPTER

Description of Fort

Rock

-

.

Anthony.

Falls.

pai-ty.

River

Missis-

St.

Peter 235

CHAPTER Vn. Geology of the Mississippi. Peter.

The Expedition

Character of the Country.

CHAPTER

Arrival at

ascends the St.

Lake Travers

302

Vin.

Account of the Dacotas or Sioux Indians. Their divisions into tribes. Their numbers, language, manners and customs. Notice of Wanotan, principal chief of the Yanktoanan tribe.

Travers

Descrip-

.......

tion of the Columbia

Fur Company's estabhshment on Lake 375

LIST OF PLATES.

Map Plate

of the Country traversed by the Expedition.

1.

Wanotan and his

2.

Plan of Indian fortifications

3.

Heads of Metea, Wennebea, &c.

4. 5. 6.

son, to face the title at

Piqua -

page of Vol.

I.

-

-

Page 56

-

.

-

90

284 View of the Maiden's Rock on Lake Pepin . 438 Dacota and Chippewa songs View of Lake Travers, to face the title page of Vol. II. near Red river View of Indian lodges, &c. at Camp Monroe View of the Slave Falls on Winnepeek river View of the Upper Falls of Winnepeek river View of the Lake of the Woods from Cosse's island View of the Falls of Kakabikka on the Kamanatekwoya View of the north shore of Lake Superior

7. Killing of a buffalo

22

8.

48

9.

10.

11. 12. 13.

99 100 109 138 185

14. Shells, &c.

254

15. Shells

264

NARRATIVE OF AN EXPEDITION TO THE

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER'S RIVER,

CHAPTER

I.

Departure from Philadelphia. Geology of the Alleghanies. Cumberland Road. Wheeling.

THE

success

which attended the expedition

Rocky Mountains, and it

to the

the important information which

imparted concerning the nature of the valley drained by

the Missouri and

its

tributaries, of

which nothing was

Jknown but what had been observed by Lewis and Clarke, induced the government of the United States to continue its

endeavours to explore the

limits.

The

investigation

first

object

was the

unknown

which appeared

district of

wilds within to

it

its

deserving of

country bounded by the

Missouri, the Mississippi, and the Northern Boundary of

the United States.

This triangular section includes about three hundred miles of longitude and seven hundred of latitude. Governor

Cass had, on his late expedition, explored the southern shore of Lake Superior to the mouth of

St.

Louis river,

and the water communication between Fond du Lac and the Mississippi, which river he ascended to the

Upper Red Cedar or Cassina Lake, and then descended to the mouth of the Wisconsan. By this journey much light wars Vol,

I.

2*

EXPEDITION TO THE

10

thrown upon the history of the Upper Mississippi, which

was previously known only through the imperfect, and in travellers,

many

fascinating, but

instances, fabulous accounts of old

and through the hasty observations of the

General, (then Lieut.) Pike, an officer whose zeal

him overlook

difficulties

late

made

which would have arrested a

less

hardy explorer, but who unfortunately was not provided with the means of making accurate observations.

who had

All the later travellers

visited the

Upper Mis-

concurred in mentioning a river, discovered

sissippi

at the

end of the seventeenth century, and known by the name of the

This river, which discharges

St. Peter.

itself into

the Mississippi at a short distance below the Falls of

Anthony, had not been ver,

whose account of

contains

many

visited

it,

by any

St.

traveller but Car-

published about the year 1778,

circumstances which might induce us to

question the accuracy of his report.

The

extent of the fur trade carried on by the British and

American trading companies in that part of the country, the report of the easy communication between the head of the St. Peter and that of the

running into Lake Winnepeek into

Red

River, whose waters

finally

empty themselves

Hudson's Bay, and the various contradictory reports

of the quality of the soil and the nature of the country on

Red

River, resulting from the conflicting interests of the

two

rival British companies,

made

it

an object of interest

to our government, to obtain correct information

country which

lies

on the

St.

Peter and the

upon the

Red River

to

the 49th parallel of north latitude, as well as to ascertain the

nature of the country along our, as yet unsurveyed, northern

boundary. Accordingly, ^'

it

was determined

by the Executive,

in the spring of 1823,

that an expedition be immediately

—

SOURCE OF fitted

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

11

out for exploring the river St. Peter's and the coun-

try situated on the northern boundary of the United States

between the Red River of Hudson's Bay and Lake Superior."

The command

of the expedition was intrusted to Major

H. Long, and he received orders from the

S.

War

Depart-

ment, dated April 25, 1823, of which the following extract

is

an

:

" The route of the expedition will be

mencing

at Philadelphia,

as follows

:

—com-

thence proceeding to Wheeling

in Virginia, thence to Chicago via Fort

Wayne, thence

to

Fort Armstrong or Dubuque's Lead Mines, thence up the Mississippi to Fort St. Anthony, thence to the source of the

St.

Peter's river, thence to the point of intersection be-

tween Red River and the forty-ninth degree of north

lati-

tude, thence along the northern boundary of the United States to

Lake Superior, and thence homeward by

the

Lakes.

" The object of the expedition

is

to

make

vey of the country on the route pointed

a general sur-

out, together

with

a topographical description of the same, to ascertain the latitude

and longitude of

examine and describe and mineral

;

its

all

the remarkable points, to

productions, animal, vegetable,

and to enquire into the character, customs,

&c. of the Indian tribes inhabiting the same."*

The advanced

state of the season

admitting of no delay,

the necessary preparations for the expedition

made, and the party

—

consisting of

•

the

left

Department

Rocky Mountains, an that expedition.

at tlie

hastily

Philadelphia on the 30th of April

Stephen H. Long, Major United

Reference was also made to the

War

were

insti'uctions

commencement of

extract of

which

is

States'

which were issued by

the Expedition to the

inserted in the Journal of

— —

EXPEDITION TO THE

12

Topographical Engineers, commanding the Expedition—

Thomas Sav,

William H. Samuel Seymour, Messrs. Say and Kea-

Antiquary

Zoologist and

Keating, Mineralogist and Geologist Landscape Painter and Designer,

ting were likewise appointed joint literary journalists to the expedition, and charged with the collecting of the requisite

information concerning the names, numbers, manners, cus-

toms, &c. of the Indian tribes on the route.*

The

party travelled in light

carriages

from

delphia to Wheeling, where they disposed of * Lieut.

Andrew Talcott

Phila-

them and

of the United States' Topographical Engi-

neers, had been appointed second in

of the expedition, and

command

was to have assisted the commander in the astronomical and topographical department, but his services being required in another direction, James Edwahd Colhoux was appointed astronomer and assistant topographer, and leaving the City of Washington, proceeded to Columbus,

(Ohio,)

Dr. tains,

where he joined the party on the 20th of May.

Ebwiu James, Botanist, and Surgeon

botanist, geologist,

&c.to the Expedition to the Rocky Moun-

United

in the

States'

army, had been appointed

and physician to the expedition.

In pursuance of

which, orders were sent to him at Albany, where he then was, to join

the party at Wheeling or Columbus, and as

he might have already

left that place

it

was apprehended that

on Lis way to Bellefontaine on

the Mississippi, (to which post he had been previously ordered,) letters

were written with a view to intercept him, but which unfortunately did not reach him in season, and at the time when the party passed through Wheeling he was

was too

late for

him

in Pittsburg,

to overtake

them.

where he remained

By

tliis

until it

unfortunate misunder-

standing the expedition was deprived of the serA'ices of this active cer.

An apprehension

that

offi-

some unforeseen event might prevent Dr.

James from joining the expedition, induced the commanding

officer to

obtain a division of the services allotted to him, and the appointment

of Mr. Keating to the geological department, while the botanical was reserved for Dr. James.

circumstance which was

however

It

continued vacant during the expedition, a

much

to

to collect such plants as

with that diffidence with which a

he does not profess

to

be regretted.

Mr Say undertook

might appear to him interesting, but

man

be conversant.

will attend to a task with

which

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER

RIVER.

S

13

purchased horses in exchange. This part of the journey was

performed in eleven days. caster,

The

usual route through

Lan-

Columbia, York, and Gettysburg, was travelled.

Here they

the Pittsburg turnpike road and reached

left

Hagerstown in Maryland by a cross road from Hagerstown they continued along the Maryland turnpike road to Cumberland, where it unites with the national road, upon ;

which they travelled

From

Wheeling.

to

Philadelphia to Wheeling, the Geologist has an

opportunity of observing almost every formation, from the

On

old primitive to the coal strata.

the primitive soon disappears, and

which

sition limestone,

is

is

leaving Philadelphia, replaced by the tran-

of a blue colour, very

much

in-

termixed with quartz in veins running through the mass.

There are

white limestone which are ob-

also patches of

served in sundry places, and which being of a highly crystalline character,

might almost induce us

to

rank

this lime-

stone as primitive.

We hills

find

occasionally breaking through the limestone,

composed of amphibolic rocks

frequent as

we

;

this accident is

approach the Brandywine.

These

more

hills are

very readily discernible from the undulations of the limestone country,

which

by the

difference in their outward form,

in the limestone hills

low and rounded swells steep,

mammillary, constituting hills are

and covered with a wilder vegetation. Beyond Lan-

caster the rocks as

;

is

while the amphibolic

assume a

we approached

slaty appearance,

the Susquehanna.

which increased

At Columbia we had

an opportunity of observing the rock as

it

is

laid bare in

the bed of the river. It there appears to be the red sandstone,

and

is

that

mentioned by Mr. Maclure

on the geology of the United of a red sandstone formation,

States.

which

in his observations It constitutes part

crosses through the

EXPEDITION TO THE

14

New

of

states

Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Vii

This formation extends

ginia.

The rock

direction.

appears to be nearly horizontally stra-

but from the slight inclination which

tified,

-

in a general north-easterly

presents to

it

the north, the strata are presumed to extend in a northeast

and south-west direction.

The red

limestone and red sandstone, with

slate, alternately

The

quehanna. leys,

its

accompanying

appear on the west side of the Sus-

limestone

is

generally found in the val-

and the sandstone upon the

acclivities of the hills,

which are generally crowned with small patches of

trap.

This rock occurs, however, only upon the higher

hills,

where

it

seems to have protected the sandstone from de-

composition.

On

approaching Millerstown, the country assumes a

more broken appearance the limestone ;

ceases,

and indica-

tions of crystallization are visible in the rocks.

town, (sometimes called Fairfield,) ern side,

and

at

is

situated

Millers-

on the

east-

no great distance of that ridge which

generally called the South mountain, and which

may

is

be

considered as the easternmost of the parallel ridges, which constitute the great chain of

Alleghany mountains,

in the southern part of Pennsylvania. this place, there are

at least

In the vicinity of

masses of a calcareous breccia, in every

respect similar to that found on the Potomac, and which

has acquired of late a well-merited celebrity, on account of its

having been used for the beautiful columns which adorn

the interior of the Capitol, in the City of Washington.

This breccia, which

is

too well

known

to require descrip-

tion, consists of fragments of limestone of very

differing in texture, colour, &c. all

ous cement.

Some

imbedded

many

kinds,

in a calcare-

of these fragments have a fine sacca-

roidal or subsaccaroidal grain, while others are compact.

SOURCE OF

There are

ST.

also fragments of

The

those of limestone.

15

PETER's RIVER.

white quartz intermixed with

breccia appears to form partial

deposits in the coves or valley basins of that vicinity.

In the neighbourhood of this town there are numerous

The

indications of the existence of large deposits of copper.

many

ores of this metal have been found in

excavations were

Some

commenced

as far

back

as the year 1798.

of the ore obtained at this place was sent to England,

where

it is

said to have been

attempt was made

last

with no great success.

excavations,

may

worked

The want at

of a person qualified to

which

to

commence

any great

the

be considered as the principal obstacle

The

existing at present to the success of these works. hitherto extracted

An

to advantage.

year to resume the operations, but

determine as to the best spots

last

and

places,

is

ore

not sufficiently rich to warrant works to

extent, but

some specimens which were analysed

year in Mr. Keating's laboratory in the University of

Pennsylvania, yielded as

much as thirty per cent. That the made profitable, if a sufficiency

smelting of this ore could be of

it

were obtained, appears from the circumstance,

that a

ton of the ore which was sent to Centre county, to be re-

duced

at

one of the iron works, yielded about three hun-

dred weight of metal.

The

ore discovered in this vicinity varies, but

for the

is

most part a mixture of the oxidule, (red oxide,) with the green carbonate, the hydrate, the copper pyrites, the phuret of copper, and gray copper ore. appears

very much intermixed with

These masses of copper ore are in be observed every where. in

which they

so

much,

lie,

at the

The whole

Doubts exist

—they

as to the

it

matter.

siliceous

a talcose slate

sul-

of

are to

manner

the sides of the excavations had sunk in,

time the party passed through, that

it

was

not in their power to determine that question ; from the in-

EXPEDITION TO THE

16

formation which was received,

would appear probable,

it

that the ore has been worked, in one place at

vein running nearly east and west. observed,

a talcose slate,

is

which

in

a

hill

known by

the

name

The

rock, as has been

some

places appears to

These mines

be penetrated with copper pyrites.

of Jack's mountain

The

top of which a porphyritic rock occurs.

of feldspar ; the cement

is

on a

least,

;

lay in

all

upon the

crystals are

of a red colour, and appears to

be compact feldspar, (pett^osilex palaiopetre of de Saussure

besides the crystals of feldspar, there are

;)

This porphyry appears

quartz and probably of mica. principally

top

—no

upon the

some of

east side of the

indications of stratification

mountain towards the

were observable.

The

porphyry constitutes probably a subordinate formation in the talcose slate which reappears on the crest of the

and

is

hill,

there very abundantly studded with small crystals,

which are presumed

to

be epidote.

In descending on the

west side of Jack's mountain, the blue limestone reappears

very distinctly south-west, east.

The

it

running north-east and

dip varies however, being only in some places

about 30°, as vations

stratified, the strata

dips in most places about 80° to the south-

made

This town

may

be very distinctly observed in the exca-

for cellars, &c. at is

Hagerstown.

pleasantly situated in

Washington county,

Maryland, on the great turnpike road which leads from Baltimore to Cumberland.

We

white marble which occurs

saw here specimens of the

at

miles south-east of Hagerstown.

Boonsborough, about ten It is said to exist

there in

considerable quantities on the west side of the South tain not far

sum by

from

its foot.

It

was

at first

mistaken for gyp-

the people in the neighbourhood, and very abun-

dantly applied to manure their lands, and its

moun-

inefficacy

it

was only

after

had been demonstrated by experience, that

SOURCE OF

was

true nature

its

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

ascertained. This marble

great use

buildings

in

view

;

tirely of carbonate of lime, ture.

analysis of

to ascertain its purity

It certainly

;

of

however too fine-grained

is

it

An

of the finest

is

may become

white, with a subsaccaroidal grain, and

for statuary purposes.

17

it

was made with a

was found

it

with

little

to consist en-

or no foreign admix-

belongs to the primitive formation, and

cori'oborates the opinion

we had formed

at

Millerstown,

that the primitive rocks reappear to the west of the red

sandstone formation

;

a

logical observations of

circumstance not stated in the geo-

Mr. Maclure.

It is probable,

ever, that the appearance of the primitive there tial,

and confined

to certain localities,

where

it

how-

is

but par-

rises

through

the incumbent strata of transition rocks. There

is

an exten-

sive cave or grotto in the blue limestone, about seven

miles to the east of Hagerstown, which has not yet been fully explored.

From Hagerstown

to

Cumberland the mountains are

numerous, and the works which have been executed road have in

many

structure apparent.

its

for the

places laid the rock bare, so as to

We there

nature of the rocks, which

make

see a great variety in the

however

are observed uniformly

to belong to the transition or secondary

;

the former being

observed near to Hagerstown, and passing gradually into the

latter,

which occur very

At

Cumberland.

first,

distinctly

though varying, dip

derable,

in the vicinity of

the blue limestone, with a consito the

south-east,

is

seen

gradually passing into a slaty rock, which finally predominates, and

is

a transition clay-slate, probably the

wacken-shiefer of German mineralogists. is

found in parallel directions, alternating, as

with

this limestone,

which, as

Vol.

I.

is

believed,

on a distance of several miles.

we approach

Grau-

This however

After

the North mountain, a sandstone of

3*

EXPEDITION TO THE

18

apparently very ancient formation, and which

we

feel in-

clined to refer to the red sandstone formation, occurs.

It

frequently acquires a reddish colour, and being in great

measure composed of quartz, assumes appearance of an eisenkiesel. tinct,

to the

This

north-west.

upon the

very

Its stratification is

dis-

stratification is not visible

oa

eastern slope being car-

which are very

brittle, a

formed from the fragments of the rock,

which entirely conceals it is

The

crests of the strata,

sort of soil is soon

slope

some places the

extending from north-east to south-west and dipping

both sides of the mountain. ried

in

it

from view, but on the western

very well marked.

On

the

summit of the

hill,

numberless fragments of trap rock are strewed in every

To

direction.

the west of this ridge

we

again strike the

which continues along the valley of the Potomac, being interrupted by the appearance of the blue limestone clay-slate,

in the traverse valleys of the

Creeks.

This

slate differs

aliove as constituting the

Big and

is

sufficient to distinguish

This clay-slate shistose

inches.

differ-

formed of alternate layers of a very

is

many

;

latter is a

and the

them.

mass and a more compact one.

in thickness,

The

North mountain.

quartzose, the former an argillaceous slate

ence of dip

Conolaway

Little

very much from that described

of

The

layers vary

them however not exceeding

a

few

In the more compact layers there are indications

of a globular structure consisting of concentric shales.

The

slate

is

soon succeeded by a sandstone, which

constitutes several of the mountains

appellations

of the

known by

Sideling, Town-hill, &c.

the local It

is

not

possible to determine with precision the spot at

which the

sandstone of coal formations commences, indeed

we think The pro-

it

probable that no such limit exists in nature.

cess

may have

continued without any marked interruption.

SOURCE OP from the time

which the

at

Peter's river.

ST.

duced, until the coal and

were pro-

transition formations

accompanying

its

We

menced to be formed.

19

strata

had com-

observe, in most cases, that

the slate and reddish sandstone occupy the base of the

higher mountains, and constitute the whole of the lower ones

;

while the crest of the high

formed of a sand-

hills is

stone which in every respect resembles that of the coal formations.

There seems likewise

to be a difference in the

organic remains contained in these rocks, for in the lower

ones there are but vegetable impressions, (chiefly stems,)

while in the superior

strata, shells

belonging to the genus

Terebratula or Productus, are very frequently met with.

We

had an opportunity of ascertaining that the

which occupies the whole valley of the Potomac, district, varies in its

east,

and

at other

dip

;

slate

in this

sometimes inclining to the southIn one spot

times to the north-west.

we

observed the change in the dip produced by a very gentle undulation, without any derangement or interruption in

the stratification.

Overlaying this

slate,

there

is

a lime-

stone of a blueish colour, presenting signs of organic re-

mains, and constituting Martin's Hill, which highest in the range.

This limestone appears

horizontally stratified, after position,

which

it

stone, quite free

hill is

from

one of the

at first to

be

assumes an inclined

and on ascending becomes nearly

the top of the

is

vertical,

while

crowned with large masses of limestratification,

and presenting only a

very irregular division. Upon the summit of the mountain the limestone

mains,

is

cavernous, and contains

among which

chiefly discernible. It

many

organic re-

the Terebratula and Productus are is filled

with veins of crystalline car-

bonate of lime, which in some places assumes regular forms.

From Cumberland to Wheeling the geology of the is much simplified. The coal formation predomi-

country

EXPEDITION TO THE

20

any

nates without

interruption.

merely of

It consists

al-

ternating strata of slate-clay, sandstone, limestone, and coal.

Of

these the sandstone

fine-grained,

is

the most abundant

connected by a siliceous cement.

much

it is

;

generally

composed principally of fragments of quartz,

mica, and at times a

In some cases there

little

is

feldspar, so as to consti-

tute in local formations a regenerated granite not unlike

that observable in the coal basin of St. Etienne in France,

but these are rather mineralogical curiosities, and can scarcely be considered as forming a feature in the geology

The

of this part of the route.

and

zontal,

very

is

distinct

but wn^re this rock

is

stratification is nearly hori-

wherever the slate-clay present

it

in a dis-

manner.

The and

found,

deficient, the sandstone loses its

stratified character, or at least ceases to

tinct

is

sandstone frequently alternates with the slate-clay, is

it

uncommon

not

to observe a real passage of the

one into the other in some ;

cases, as in the

of Cumberland, the slate-clay

The lour,

limestone

very

is

is

very

compact, of a grayish or brownish coemitting a strong argillaceous

argillaceous,

odour when breathed upon

;

it

occurs in parallel stratifica-

tion with

the above-mentioned

abundantly

all

many

neighbourhood

rare.

rocks, and

over the country, where

it

exists

may

places alternating with the other strata

;

very

be seen in

but

we know

of none where this can be so well observed as on the west

bank of the

Monongahela,

in

the

neighbourhood

of

Brownsville, in those places where the road has been dug into the hill.

The

coal has not yet

been found to the eastward of

Cumberland, but west of this town

where;

it

is

it

occurs almost every

found in beds which vary in thickness from

an inch to several, sometimes ten,

feet.

It

appears that

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

whole country,

these beds extend over the

may its

21 for the

same

be traced for miles without any sensible alteration in

appearance.

and of different

There are various beds

at different levels

from

this circumstance,

qualities,

and

it

is

probably, that the coal of one neighbourhood

is

considered

work upon beds that in some cases

preferable to that of another, because they at different levels

yet

;

may

it

be also

they work upon one and the same bed, the quality of

which may be improved or impaired from accidental places so as to answer the wants of the consumers.

generally obtained at the

mouth

per hundred bushels, and

is

It is

of the pit for five dollars

sometimes sold

as

low

town of Cumberland

In the

cents per bushel. sells for

cir-

Small excavations are made in numberless

cumstances.

it

as four

usually

about ten dollars per hundred bushels.

The abundance

of timber in that district, and the thin-

ness of the population, have not yet rendered coal the exclusive fuel used, and vicinity of in

it

Wheeling

we

until

we

approached the

found coal exclusively used

lime and brick kilns.

The most common

disposition of the strata presents the

sandstone as the lowest is

was not

that

the coal, which

member

of the formation, above

overlayed by the

is itself

limestone covers the whole, and becomes for a superior

The only

it

and the

itself a substratum

bed of sandstone, &c. substances of any importance which accom-

pany these rocks, are iron pyrites.

slate,

pyrites,

and probably the white

These minerals are so abundant throughout the

rocks, that they in

many

places produce a very rapid de-

composition and destruction, and unfit them for of domestic

economy thus many ;

many

of the beds of coal

uses

which

would otherwise prove valuable, are so completely pervaded with pyrites that

it is

impossible to use them as fuel in

EXPEDITION TO THE

22 private houses.

This will probably ever prevent their be-

The

ing applied to metallurgical purposes.

only penetrate the coal and

its

pyrites not

accompanying

but

slate,

they extend even into the sandstone, to which they

many

in

cases impart a tendency to decomposition, so great

as to render

it

To

unfit for use as a building stone.

universal diffusion of this mineral

we must

the

attribute the

circumstance that the country about Wheeling abounds in

mineral springs, strongly charged with sulphates of iron and alumine. Indeed

it is

a matter of considerable surprise, that

with such an abundance of

vitriolic

matter at hand, and with

an inexhaustible store of coal in immediate contact with

no attempt has

it,

from

by converting

it,

been made to derive advantage

as yet

sulphate of alumine.

it

No

and

into green vitriol, alum,

doubt can be entertained of

the facility with which this might be effected, and of the great advantage which would attend

we

it.

There

is

no place

think, where chemical manufactures of every kind

could thrive to such advantage as at Wheeling.

With

coal

mines even in the very heart of the town, with a constant and never-failing navigation, by means of which the products of

its

industry

may

ed by a rich agricultural

be sent to a certain market, backdistrict to

support the excess of

affluence,

Wheeling seems destined to rise to great becoming in a manner the emporium through

which

the

its

population.

all

commerce between the

east

and west must

pass.

We were much disappointed at not finding in the rocks as

many

organic impressions as

discover no

shells in the rocks,

we had

expected ;

though

we have

believe that the limestone must in

we

could

reason to

some places abound

in

them.

In the sandstone there are

many

vegetable impressions.

SOURCE OP

ST.

The

apparently of palms.

23

Peter's river.

vegetable matter had completely

disappeared, leaving only an impression, which, although

very

distinct,

was not

well characterised to

sufficiently

allow of a determination of

its

This sandstone

nature.

is

of a grayish colour, middling-sized grain, and appears to

be very micacious in some

large,

parts,

The

of quartz nearly pure.

while in others

it

consists

impressions are not very

seldom more than ten or twelve inches long, and lay

At

parallel to the stratification of the rock.

the hill over

which the national road passes, in the immediate vicinity of Wheeling, the sandstone

is

about

fifty

or sixty feet

in height, divided into layers of variable thickness this is a stratum of coal eight feet thick.

:

over

In this coal, as

well as in the accompanying slate, there are

many remains

of vegetables converted into pure charcoal, and entirely

These though numerous, are too im-

from bitumen.

free

perfect to allow of determining the species to

which they

when much intermixed with pyrites, is worked by galleThe works are very carelessly ries running into the hill. carried on and the waste of coal is great. The propping belong.

This bed,

as well as the other parallel ones,

not too

is

very rough and unsafe, frequent accidents occur from

this circumstance.

The

ventilation

is

not understood, and

many works have been abandoned from air,

no attempt being made

to correct

it.

the foulness of the

No inconvenience

has as yet been experienced from inflammable gases; but the carbonic acid and the gaseous oxide of carbon are very

abundant.

This bed of coal

is

separated from a superior one

bed of slate-clay of about three

from

its

as the

unsoundness

is

feet in thickness,

always worked

upper and lower beds of coal

;

at the

by

a

which

same time

although the upper

coal be but six or eight inches thick and of a very inferior

24

EXPEDITION TO THE

quality ; but in this

manner

a safer roof is obtained for the

excavation.

The

limestone

and being

in

is

some

considerably affected by the pyrites,

places, as

we were informed, magnesian,

gives rise to sulphate of magnesia, which might also

it

probably be worked to advantage.

come

limestone are only such as

The

pyritous beds of

into contact with the coal,

the superior strata are said to be quite free from

it.

The only circumstance worth mentioning concerning the coal mines

have frequently been on

fire,

and that there are many indications of conflagrations

at a

more remote the

fires

is,

period, probably caused

lighted at the surface

From

their hunting.

many

that they

by the Indians

we

to facilitate

these conflagrations the slate

places observed to be quite altered in

so as to resemble porcelain jasper in

No

by the spreading of

its

is

in

appearance,

characters.

its

iron ore has been found in this neighbourhood, and

looked in vain, for indications of the argillaceous car-

bonate of iron, so usually to be met with in coal

were informed

that at

quantities of iron ore

We

had been discovered, but which from

the characters ascribed to

were not the

fields.

some distance from the town, large

it

we were

induced to believe

argillaceous carbonate, but the oxide

and

hydrate of iron.

Having thus presented

in

one connected view, the vari-

ous geological observations which were part of the route,

we

made on

this

return to notice the other interesting

circumstances which attracted the attention of our party.

The

route which

we

travelled

is far

more

interesting to

the general observer than that to Pittsburg, the country

along the Potomac offers many very fine views,

none

is

more remarkable than that from

among which The

Sideling-hill.

ranges of mountains as they then present themselves, strike

SOURCE OF

Peter's river.

§T.

The

the traveller in the most favourable manner.

of the vegetation

mencement deep

of

is

25 freshness

com-

peculiarly grateful to the eye in the

May, and

contrasts beautifully with

along the valley; and again,

it

the

At times the road winds

blue of the distant mountains.

crosses the ridges, offering

the greatest variety of scenery and affording to the artist

many views worthy

of his pencil

while the bottoms

for

;

abound in rich and smiling prospects, the mountainous

by

parts arrest the attention, tures,

their bold

and gigantic

fea-

and by the antique forests which cover them.

The

we commenced

season in which

our journey, was

not very favourable to the proper display of vegetation.

The

frost

tricts,

had not yet subsided in the mountainous

dis-

and the very heavy rains which had fallen in great

abundance

this spring,

had retarded

all

the products of the

earth to an unusual degree, but the fine blossoms of the dog-

wood eye,

( Cornus Jlorida,) which every where met the

tree,

amply compensated

Art has done

little to

want of other flowers. charms of the natural

for a

add

to the

scenery, except in the construction of a road.

The

question

of the propriety of opening, at the national expense, a com-

munication between the Ohio and Potomac, had been so

much

the subject of discussion, as to

observing the

mode

too favourable idea,

in

which

it

which we

form, of what carries with

it

a

make

us desirous of

had been executed, and the

are, perhaps,

always led to

national character, together

with an account of the immense expenditure incurred in the

making

of this road, had prepared us for a magnificent

work.

We

state in

which we found

tion to the in the

were therefore somewhat disappointed

Maryland

it,

road,

as

it is

very inferior

which connects with

whole of the national road but

little to

eulogiums which have been passed upon

Vol.

I.

4

it.

it.

in

at the

execu-

There

is

justify the high

The immense

EXPEDITION TO THE

'26

expense, amounting to

nearly two millions of dollars,

(^1,995,000,) which has attended

its

construction, can be ac-

counted for but by a reference to the

difficulty of

making

a

road across high and steep ridges, which perhaps had not been sufficiently explored, to ascertain the lowest levels

most accessible points and, ;

manner

in

as

we

which the original contracts were given

were credibly informed,

and the

think, to the injudicious

We

out.

most cases the original un-

that in

dertakers did nothing themselves, but portion out their contracts to a

second set of contractors, and in some cases

happened that the third or fourth

set alone

it

performed the

work, the other contractors sweeping away immense sums without any labour.*

Had

the route been properly divided

into small lots, and these only given to such as qualified to

were

really

execute the work, no doubt can exist that a

considerable saving would have been obtained.

The

letting

it

out into large sections had the disadvantage of making

it

an object of speculation, and of alarming

would otherwise have

many who

offered themselves as contractors.

Another cause of the great expense which attended Avas the location of its

it,

western end in the valley of Wheel-

ing creek, instead of carrying

it

over the high land.

Some

difference of opinion exists in the country as to the pro-

priety of this selection. this location

We

were informed by many,

had been made, rather with

a

view

that

to benefit

private interests, than with a careful regard for the public

good. Certain

it is,

that the

number

of bridges

which were

required in the route through the valley, added very considerably to the expense of the road.

There are no

less

than seventeen bridges over the main creek, within thirteen miles of this valley road. *

One of these

is

said to

It is

but justice to observe,

have accumulated

of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.

in this

manner

a fortune

SOURCE OF

ST.

most

that the bridges are, for the

part, substantial, well

and even elegant in their construction.*

built,

27

PETEr's RIVER.

A

circum-

which enhanced much the expense of the valley was the necessity of propping it in many places by

stance road,

a stone wall or parapet, amounting in the aggregate to at least one-fourth

has,

or one-third of the distance.

however, along

this route, the

The

advantage of being car-

ried almost on a dead level, and in the other parts, it

crosses the mountains,

it

must be acknowledged

ascents are better regulated than on

ever travelled.

But

a great defect

the whole route, and which is

road

where

that the

any other road we have

which prevails throughout

we had not expected to meet with,

that of using stones of too large a diameter on the road. Af-

ter all the

improvements which have been, of late years, made

in this important

just celebrity

branch of engineering, and after the very

which the M' Adams' roads have obtained

•At the extremity

of one of these bridges, a

in

monument has been

erected by a Mr. Shepherd, one of the principal contractors of this

From an

road.

inscription

on the monument, we learn that

it

was

erected by " Moses and Lydia Shepherd, in honour of Mr. Speaker Clay, as a testimony of their gratitude to him,

and private character."

ration for his public

and of their high vene-

Mr. Clay

is

known to much

have advocated this undertaking, on the floor of congress, with

There are, we believe, as yet, but few instances of monuments erected in our country by private individuals, to commemorate the public services of our statesmen, and we must regret that the taste which designed, and the hands which executed this monutalent and zeal.

ment, were not equal to the

liberality

seldom seen a more clumsy attempt

which provided for

at allegory, or a

introduction of emblematical figures.

The

it.

We have

more unfortunate

inscriptions are also equally

deficient in taste, in grammatical construction, and in orthography.

In order to improve

its

appearance, the stone in

itself a beautiful build-

ing material, has been covered with a wash or paint, which, having scaled off from

giVQ

it

some

parts

and remained upon others, contributes to

a motley and uncouth appearance.

EXPEDITrON TO TIIK

2S

England, we had hoped that the suggestions of

this able

engineer on this subject, would have been more closely ad-

hered

Whatever may have been the

to.

defects or the

mistakes which attended the location or execution, no

doubt can exist as to the

as to the

importance of the work

soundness of the policy which led to

opening of

the nation has gained a great deal

it,

itself,

By

it.

;

it

or

the

has as-

certained the practicability and the expediency of entering largely

upon a system of internal improvements, the neby closer

cessary consequence of which must be, to unite

bonds, the distant parts of our vast country

;

and of

all

im-

provements, none can be more important, than such as tend to connect the waters of the

Gulf of Mexico with those of

the Atlantic. Immediately allied to this subject, sibility

of

making

a water

is

the pos-

communication between the

Ohio and Potomac. At a time when, by a broad and

liberal

policy, the executive of the United States has been autho-

rized to apply to the consideration of this important object,

the united talents of the civil and military engineers of

our country, and when a

full

and able report upon the

practicability of this connexion

may be expected from those it, we shall be excused from

most competent

embodying

to decide

upon

here, the imperfect information

which

a tran-

sient visit through the country has allowed us to collect.

We found lies

some

interest in that part of the route

which

near Smithfield, as being the scene of some of General

Washington's

earliest military operations.

Fort Necessity, constructed

The

ruins of

at that distressing season,

when

the French troops with their savage allies extended along the banks of the Ohio, and oppressed our frontier settle-

ments, are

still

dows, about

to

fifty

be seen in what are called the Big Meamiles west of Cumberland. This fort was

erected in the year 1754, and after having been defended ,

SOURCE OF

29

Peter's river.

ST.

with great valour, was surrendered in the campaign which preceded Braddock's defeat, (Marshall's Life of Washington, Vol.

show

and the remains of

p. 9,)

ii,

that the ditch

it still

to be traced,

was inside of the embankment, which

comports better with Indian warfare.* The

fort stands about

a quarter of a mile to the south-west of the road, and

made,

it

would appear

as if

entered

first

we

had been triangular and

it

scarcely one hundred feet in length.

Washington

his force

it,

is

it

but from the obsei^vations

difficult to trace its outline,

when

It is said that

amounted

to six

hun-

dred men, but that having advanced on his march towards

We

•

are led to notice this fact

more

from the impor-

particularly,

tance which Bishop Madison has attached to the circumstance of the ditch being inside of the ramparts in most, or perhaps in

all

the Indian

remains, which are considered as fortifications. His opinion that these

works were not of a military nature, appears to us very far from being proved. He quotes Livy and Polybius to show us, that in Roman works, " the parapet or breastwork was formed of the earth dug out from the fosse *'

and thrown up on

We

exterior"

camp"

the side of the

— and

he further

asks,

military art does not require that the ditch should

whether the

do not consider

this to

be the question

have derived our notions of fortifications from the Romans, and

be

We

at issue.

we have

continued to this day, probably with propriety, to place the ditch outside of the rampart

;

but this

no reason why works constructed by may not have had it otherwise. If

is

the Indians for military purposes,

we form still

our opinion of their notions of the military

visible

among

the Indians, who,

dants, have at least succeeded to try,

(and

it is

this case,)

more

we

a

little

make

attack,

lineal

descen-

is,

to the

coun-

Romans

in

when apprehensive

a small excavation, by digging in the direction

and then to descend into

find themselves sheltered

their enemies.

them than

which they uniformly throw out

which they apprehend an

from the traces

in the inhabitance of that

will find that their usual practice

earth,

where they

them

consistent to look to

of an attack from an enemy, to

up

art,

they be not their

if

this

from

hollow

from the missile weapons of

(Vide a letter on the supposed

fortifications of

the

western country, from Bishop Madison of Virginia to Dr. Barton, Amer. Phil. Trans, Vol, vi,

i,

p. 132.)

EXPEDITION TO THK

30

Fort Duqucsne he was abandoned by a considerable proportion of his men, and this circumstance, together with the information which he received, that the French were

advancing against him with reinforcements, obliged him to

abandon

for the

time his contemplated march, and to re-

turn to Fort Necessity, which he was engaged in repairing

when

the

enemy made

The country

his appearance.

in

the vicinity was probably at that time destitute of timber,

the growth upon

which flows near

it

it,

A

not being very large.

has retained the

name

brook

fine

of the unfortu-

nate general who, in the ensuing campaign paid for his

rashness by the loss of his

life.

Indeed,

it is

said, that the

remains of General Braddock were interred within two miles of this

fort,

near the old road called Braddock's road,

and at the spot where he died during the retreat which closed this disastrous

campaign.

In this vicinity there

is

a

blowing spring, which

tuated in an excavation on the side of a

is si-

The stream

hill.

of air which issues from a crack or crevice in the rock,

very considerable, and a candle.

very

sufficiently

By placing our ears near to the

distinctly, the

is

powerful to extinguish crevice

we

heard,

sound of water running under ground,

probably upon a rocky and unequal bed

;

runs out at a

it

short distance lower down. This stream of air

produced by the same cause which

is

made

is

doubtless

to operate in

the construction of the water blasts, used in metallurgy.

We had which

no means of collecting and examining the gas

escapes, but

than atmospheric

we had no

reason to believe

other

air.

This section of our route does not

much

it

subject of observation.

offer to

The wild

the zoologist

animals which

formerly roved over this part of our country have been driven further west, or completely cut off by the advance

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

of civilization, and the domestic animals which their place,

31

now occupy

We cannot,

have nothing to characterize them.

however, omit noticing the extraordinary of the Pennsylvania particulars to but

by which the

waggon

horse,

size

and strength

which yields

in these

few breeds. There are several appellations

different breeds of this useful animal are

distinguished in Pennsylvania, such as the Conestoga, the

Chester

line,

The

port.

&c. but these are principally of a local im-

usual height of farm and

waggon horses

is

about sixteen hands or five feet four inches, measured

according to the usual custom. that

We were credibly informed

horses seventeen, seventeen and a half, and even

eighteen hands high, are by no means rare.

known

to

exceed that

the largest ever

known

A few have been

and we have been told that one,

size,

in the country,

had attained the

gigantic size of nineteen hands or six feet four inches. a proof of the great strength it is

said that an

which they sometimes

A.s

attain,

experiment was once tried in the city of

Lancaster, which resulted in a single horse's dragging

around the court-house on the bare pavements, without the intervention ofwheels or rollers, two tons of bar iron,

had been bundled together for

The town

of

this

experiment.

Wheeling appears to be

condition, and the increase in

its

which

in a

very flourishing

population has been very

great, since the completion of the national road. Business has

taken a

new

direction

did in Pittsburg,

it

instead of centering, as

;

now

all

a

the year round.

present to upwards of situation of the five

formerly

much more permanent naviThe population amounts at two thousand inhabitants. The

which has the advantage of gation

it

goes principally to Wheeling,

town

is

pleasant, the river here

hundred yards wide, and there

is

is

about

opposite to the town

a large and beautiful island nearly three-quarters of a mile

EXPEDITION TO THE

'62

wide.

Tlie

former

is

town

built

is

divided into the old and the new, the

upon a narrow bank, which extends between

the river and the ridge of hills on the eastern shore; the

new town

built a little

is

below the

old,

on the river, and

has a wider field to expand upon, owing to the junction of the lateral valley of

We

the river.

Wheeling creek with

that of

regretted to find brick resorted to as a

building material, not only in the construction of private houses, but even of churches and other public edifices,

while a beautiful sandstone admirably adapted to the purposes of architecture, and which might be obtained at a

very low price, remains unwrought.

The weather was

so unfavourable during the three days

which we remained here, ascertaining

as to preclude the possibility of

by astronomical observations the

latitude

and

longitude of this town.

In our walks along the banks of the river, which are

covered with a vast deposit of alluvium, and which present in this vicinity at least, no section of rocks,

we were

struck

with the immense numberof pebbles partaking of the nature of primitive rocks, which are strewed along the surface of

They

the ground. their

are not,

it is

true, of a large size,

smooth and rounded surfaces from their native

travelled far

attest that

sites.

and

they have

In examining our

imperfect geological maps to endeavour to assign to them

an origin,

we

feel at a loss to

been brought.

We

find

decide whence they

may have

no primitive formations nearer

than those on the north side of our great lakes, which,

from the aspect of the country, may be supposed given

rise

by

have

their destruction to these extensive alluvia

of primitive debris.

Among

nite, gneiss, sienite, &c.

spar, quartz,

to

these pebbles, chiefly of gra-

we observed

and handsome

a rock

formed of

feld-

crystals of translucent garnets^

SOUECE OF

which appear

to be

ST.

PETEu's RIVER.

33

very abundantly disseminated through-

out the rock.*

There the glass is

in

is

made

brought

Wheeling there

down from

which we

a glasshouse,

very good

is

;

the sand

unwashed

We

ashes.

the alkali added

;

is

were somewhat surprised

used in the manufacture of their

at hearing, that the clay

crucibles

;

the banks of the Alleghany, and

appears to consist of silex nearly pure principally

visited

which they use

was brought from Germany

indeed

;

we

consi-

der this very improbable, as a clay very well adapted to this purpose

owing

The

found in

is

The atmosphere

parts of the country.

vapour disengaged from the

to the sulphurous hills in

many

the glasshouse was extremely foul,

in

the neighbourhood of the

town

coal.

are covered

with masses of clay, sand, &c. which, as soon as they be-

come penetrated with moisture, slide along the upper sureven where their inclination is but small.

face of the rocks,

This feature

is

southern are

much more

ed

observable only on the northern slopes, the abrupt.

We

were

to attribute it to the effect of the

Colonel M'Ree, care, attributes

•On were

it

who had examined

at first induc-

winter

its

frosts,

but

appearance with

principally to the action of moisture,

the banks of the river there were but few shells, and these

referrible principally to the

Unio praelongus, (Barnes,) and

to

the Unio crassus, and Unio purpureas of Say.

Among

valves, Mr. Say observed the following shells,

which had been previ-

ously described by him

Helix alternata. Helix solitaria,

;

the Helix albolabris, Helix thyroidea.

viz.

palliata,

Helix profunda, Helix tridentata, Helix

Helix inornata. (Vide Nicholson's Cyclopoedia, Amer. Ed. and

Journal of the Acad. Nat.

Vol.

the land uni-

I.

Sci.

of Philadelphia, Vols. 1 and 2.)

5*

EXPEDITION TO THE

34

CHAPTER Salt

Zanesville,

and Iron Works.

Indian Antiquities.

HAVING our

mode

II.

Columbus.

Piqua-

Fort JVayne.

Ohio Canals.

spent three days in Wheeling, and changed

of conveyance, in order to accommodate our-

selves to the state of the roads, rendered almost impassable for carriages

by the unusual quantity of

fallen this spring,

by two

pelled

we

which had

rain

crossed the Ohio in a team-boat, pro-

horses.

The

river

is

there divided into

branches by the aforementioned island, which three quarters of a mile wide

;

over the

river a team-boat plies constantly,

common is

Wheeling, and

by

travelling

The Ohio road

rendered extremely unpleasant to

is

at that season of the year, that

up the bed of the creek

has been observed by

all travellers,

in a valley, the average breadth of

are generally

vary considerably

It

was how-

many

preferred

that the

Ohio runs

which does not exceed

by ranges of

hills,

termed the River Mountains ; these

in height, generally

t^ree hundred and five hundred

ascended, the country tively are small.

tra-

to following the road.

a mile and a half, the sides being lined

which

branch of the

rivulet called Indian

the frequent crossings of that brook.

ever so bad

It

of a

two

about

and corresponds with a

ferry boat on the other branch.

carried along the valley

vel,

first

is

These

is

feet.

ranging between After these are

rough, but the

are,

hills

compara-

however, very steep, probably

SOURCE OP

owing

ST.

Peter's river.

throughout the country; for

tal

which

to the nature of the stratification,

observation confirms, that those

it is

a fact,

horizon-

is

which general

which

hills,

35

are

composed

of rocks horizontally stratified, are generally steepest in their ascents,

The

and present a tabular form

coal formation of

Wheeling

is

summit.

at their

very extensive; the

exact limits of this coal basin have not yet been traced with accuracy, but as far as

we

are able to judge from the infor-

mation obtained upon a country as yet but thinly

and it

which natural science has been

in

would appear

that

little

settled,

attended

to,

probably reaches as far to the

it

north-east as Lawrenceville, in Tioga County, Pennsylvania,

may

and perhaps

be considered as connected with

that lately discovered in Tioga County,

The

the head of Seneca Lake. is,

we were

as

lity,

may

as

The

bituminous.

eastern

be taken to be formed by the main ridge of

the Alleghany mountains.

ern limits

near

informed, abundant, of an excellent qua-

and well characterised

limit

(New York,)

coal found at that place

we

Upon

western and south-

its

are not prepared to decide, but

it

is

proba-

ble that its breadth bears but a small proportion to its

length.

At

Zanesville

we had

an opportunity to observe the

geological features of the country to advantage.

of the is

Muskingum

is

deeply incased, and the

exposed for a considerable distance.

It

The bed

stratification

there presents

the same features as in the vicinity of Wheeling, but the

order of stratification and the character of the rocks are

somewhat

A

very

mencing

different.

fine

at

break displays the following section

the lowest rocks, there

ably coarse grain,

filled

is

:

com-

a sandstone of a toler-

with remains of vegetable sub-

stances converted into charcoal, in

some

cases partaking of

EXPEDITION TO THE

i36

a bituminous character, so that a gradual and invisible, but certain, transition

so

from the charcoal

These remains

place.

much impaired

them any

as to

to coal manifestly takes

however,

are,

make

we saw them,

as far as

impossible to assign to

it

particular place in fossil botany, though of their

vegetable origin no doubt can exist. their position,

we

In remarking upon

ascertained, that they generally lay in

the direction of the stratification, very seldom intersecting it.

Besides fragments of charcoal and coal,

pressions of plants, racterised.

we found im-

tolerably well cha-

In one instance a jjhyllolithos, (Martin,) was

good

collected in a very

The

some of which were

state of preservation.

sandstone in a few cases assumes a somewhat mi-

more

caceous appearance, consequently a

and then resembles that hereafter immediately superincumbent clay-slate

;

is

slaty structure,

be noticed.

to

presumed

to

The rock

be a bed of

though the junction being concealed and the

lative positions of the

re-

rock being judged of only by the

it was not in our power to demanner whether or not there were any

general level of the country, cide in a positive

other strata interposed between the two.

This slate-clay

is

very

brittle,

exposure to the atmosphere

open

to

it

and easily divisible

;

on

readily crumbles, and lays

view concentric globules of argillaceous carbonate

of iron, in every respect similar to those observed in other coal formations.

The what

iron ore

is

found in rounded or oval masses, some-

flattened in the direction of the stratification

pears to be quite abundant, and, object of an exploration,

justify the erection of iron

doubt not,

works on

Resting upon the slate-clay, ral feet in thickness,

we

would be found

we

composed of

if

;

it

ap-

made the

sufficiently so to

a large scale.

observed a bed sevea

dark gray limestone

SOURCE OP very compact

ST.

Peter's river.

in texture, but presenting at the

37

same time

a slaty structure, and divisible in layers parallel to the stratification.

This limestone

is

replete with organic remains,

chiefly belonging to the Encrinite, Terebratula, Productus,

&c.

among which we

also

genus Trochus or Turbo. in the rock

;

found a shell belonging to the

These

they are found, as

shells are

far as

we

very abundant

could judge, irre-

gularly disseminated, and adhering so closely that

im-

it is

possible to separate them, or to divide the mass into speci-

mens which

shall exhibit their characters

uninjured; but

being for the most part formed of calcspar, they resist de-

composition better than the compact limestone in which

they are imbedded, and from this circumstance the best

specimens are found protruding from the exposed surfaces of the rock.

This bed offered great interest to the two naturalists of the expedition, the one as zoologist, the other as geologist.

Mr. Say thought he beheld

in

it

the confirmation of an

opinion which he had long entertained, that, of the Encrinus

is

that

Without pretending

which

resists

all fossils,

decomposition best.

to dispute the correctness of the ob-

servation, as a general one,

Mr. Keating thought

present instance did not confirm

it,

that the

and that there were

many spots where the bivalves, (Terebratula and Productus,) indicated a greater degree of hardness and solidity, sisting the effects of the

This

two

we

state as

by

re-

weather better than the Encrini.

being perhaps the only time

when

naturalists differed in their observation of the

when coming under the notice of both. Upon this limestone lay a bed of coal, of about two

the

same

fact,

in thickness,

feet

and apparently of a very good quality; some

works of no great amount were undertaken here not long since,

which are unattended

to at present.

We

were

told,

EXPEDITION TO THE

38

however, that

worked

other parts of the country this coal

in

to advantage.

It is

is

the usual fuel in the town, be-

ing worth from four to six cents per bushel.

covered by a bed of slaty rock, which

It is

assumes a decided appearance of

in

some

and

slate-clay,

cases

in other

points runs into a micaceous sandstone, not unlike the mi-

caceous parts of that described as the lowest stratum visible in this vicinity

like the former

;

it is

filled

with vegetable

impressions of a very undecided character.

Over

rock another bed of limestone occurs, the

this slaty

characters of which, resembling in every respect those of

the stratum under the coal, require no further description.

The

superior bed, as well as the inferior one,

is

rich in im-

pressions of Encrinites, Terebratula, Productus, &c. shells retain their pearly lustre,

which

and even in some cases

their animal matter.

The

limestone

is

and affords a rich

covered with a fine vegetable mould,

soil,

not inferior to any of the limestone

bottoms of Pennsylvania.

We

ing what rocks lay below the

had no means of ascertain-

bed of sandstone ob-

first

served in this break, but from what

we

could discover in

the bed of the canal then digging in the neighbourhood of the town,

we

believe

it

to rest

upon

a sandstone in

respect similar to that described in the isting in the

first

every

chapter as ex-

neighbourhood of Wheeling, and

we have

every reason to believe that the same alternation of strata

which

exists there,

and that

if

shafts

would be found

were sunk,

in like

manner here,

inferior strata of coal

might

be reached. Zanesville

is

a pleasant and flourishing town, situated

at the junction of

the

Licking creek and Muskingum,

about ninety miles above the confluence of the a,nd

Ohio.

Asa

manufacturing town

it

Muskingum

possesses great ad-

SOURCE OP

A dam

vantages.

Peter's river,

ST.

built across the

tance above their junction, gives

power which

is

two streams, a

it

command

It

it

as a seat for a it

of water

was the observation of these

natural advantages, that induced the late

upon

a short dis-

calculated to set in motion very extensive

mills and manufactories.

has raised

39

town

Mr. Zane*

to fix

the rapid growth of the place

;

rank among the most thriving towns in

to a

A

the state of Ohio.

number

of manufactories have al-

ready been established there, which appear to be conducted with

spirit

and enterprize

;

among

these a manufactory of

cut nails belonging to Mr. Reeves deserves notice. for the manufactory

is

The iron

prepared by him from the pigs by

the process of puddling and rolling. Glasshouses, in which

both green and white glass are made, exist there ; that the clay from

found

is

it is

said

which they make their crucibles, and which

at a short distance

from the town,

is

excellent.

Within four miles of Zanesville, on " Licking creek," there is

a furnace at which an hydrated oxide of iron

The

difference in the price

so great as to enable

them

between

produce into hollow ware, which •

A few days

cast iron

to convert the

is

worked.

and pigs

whole of

is

their

readily disposed of at

is

before our arrival at Wheeling", Mr. Zane, the founder

of Zanesville, died in that place.

having been one of the

This man was extensively

first settlers in

that state.

He was

known

as

one of those

pioneers of civilization, of which the history of our western states presents us so less courage,

many

instances,

men

equally distinguished by a daunt-

an unwearied perseverance, and by the success with

which they resisted the aggressions of the aborigines, who frequently attempted, but in vain, to oppose those, justly, considered as trespassers

ed from

their fathers.

attest his courage, there are

man

of feeling.

whom soil

they, perhaps very

which they had

inherit-

Mr. Zane's character was highly respectable,

and among the many anecdotes as a

upon the

still

current in Ohio,

none but such

many of which him

as are reputable to

EXPEDITION TO THE

40

command only

seventy dollars, while the pigs

Bar

lars a ton.

thirty dol-

and that not of the best quality,

iron,

The

sold for one hundred and twenty-five dollars.

iron, refined in this vicinity, is generally of an

The experiment

character. rolling, as

is

done

at

is

little

inferior

by

of manufacturing the iron

Reeves' establishment, has not been

attended with sufficient success to lead to a more general

We

introduction of this process. intelligent iron masters

conversed with several

on the subject, with a view to

obtain accurate information on the advantages of this

me-

thod over that of hammering; the result of which was, that the product obtained from rollers

good

as that obtained

was not so uniformly

by hammering, which,

in the opinion

of our informants, was due rather to the defect of the work-

men

The management

than of the process.

probably not well understood by them.

of rollers

We have taken

is

oc-

casion to record this information, because it appears to us that

every thing that can throw light upon the manufacture of

We

iron, is interesting.

consider the question of the pro-

priety of using rollers, as a highly important one, and as one

not yet settled

;

we know

that a strong prejudice exists in

this country against the rolled iron

;

and that the

results of

experiments made in Pennsylvania, are rather unfavourable

J

but

we

likewise know, that the process

tensively carried on in England,

decided preference in

which attends

it,

prove successful. in the arts those,

many

must make

who

it

very ex-

is

has met with a

economy

instances; and the it

very desirable that

Experience shows that

meet with objections

knowledge,

where

;

all

it

should

innovations

and that the

failure of

attempt to repeat them without proper care or is

not unfrequently attributed to the imper-

fections of the process, instead of being charged to the in-

experience of the operators.

SOURCE oP remarkable

It is a

Peter's river.

ST.

with the admitted supe-

fact, that

American

riority of the British over

41

castings,

no attempts

have been made to work the same ore and by means of the

same fuel which have proved so successful when used abroad. It is a truth

on

who

with which every person

feels

an interest

this subject, is conversant, that the clay iron stone is the

principal ore used in

England

;

that

smelted by means

it is

ofcoak; that the products are extremely advantageous ; that results equally favourable, if not

ed in Silesia from the same ores

more so, have been ;

obtain-

that experiments

which

have been made on the same subject in France, have been attended with the happiest results. der, that so

unwrought

much

in the midst of the

be used to smelt to the hydrates

We may therefore won-

of this valuable ore

it

;

very

is

allowed to remain

fuel

which ought

to

and that a preference should be given

and oxides of

iron,

worked with

charcoal,

very frequently with great disadvantage.

The

furnace which

built in 1809,

and was,

the state of Ohio

;

of the clay which

its is

we visited near Zanesville, was we were told, the first erected in

as

inside

is

lined with fire-bricks

and the proprietors informed us that to

make

fective,

was

their intention

they had heretofore used had proved de-

and had obliged them to suspend their operations

under a year's

blast,

at a

nace was in a very sound cessful, will try.

it

same materials for their hearths,

large bricks of the

as all the stones

made

used for crucibles in the glasshouse,

The

time when the rest of the furstate.

This experiment,

if suc-

be attended with great advantages to the coun-

clay has been analysed in

Mr. Keating's

labora-

tory in the University of Pennsylvania, and found to contain about little

seventy-two per cent, of

silex,

with alumine,

or no lime, and no metallic oxide.

The Vol.

iron ore used here I.

6

is

an hydrjited oxide, which

EXPEDITION TO THE

42

yields in castings about thirty-three per cent.

very readily of

itself,

It

requiring but a slight addition of about

three per cent, of limestone.

which have been made

Among the great improvements connexion, by

at this place, is the

of a canal with locks, between the upper and lower

means

level of the

The company who

Muskingum.

dam, were bound by their charter tion in repair,

moved

erected the

keep a lock naviga-

to

and their improvements, which have

re-

obstacles to the navigation, will doubtless prove

all

very valuable,

as

they have afforded them a very extensive

water-power. Salt was some time since obtained

and

ville,

smelts

all

along the

Muskingum

;

at

Zanes-

but of late the works

here have been abandoned, the springs being too weak. It appears that those below are very productive;

calculated

it is

that one hundred gallons of water from these will generally

yield about a bushel of salt weighing fifty pounds ; hence the

water must contain upwards of six per cent, of establishments, as they are generally

made

The

salt.

in this country,

contain twenty kettles of the capacity of ninety gallons each, costing together about seven hundred dollars;

these kettles or pans, fourteen are used for evaporating six for crystallizing the salt

diment

is

formed, which

is

it

of

but

it,

culture.

to ascertain it

nature.

varies according to the

been made

varies

much,

in agriit is

ge-

in diameter,

have been

The expense of course depth, but the work is generally un-

feet in depth.

dertaken at from one dollar and foot.

been made

In some cases the auger

feet.

which are about three inches

sunk to seven hundred

per

as yet

No use has ever

The depth to which they bore two hundred

se-

supposed by some to consist of

would doubtless prove very valuable

nerally about holes,

its

and

During the evaporation, a

loam and lime; no experiments have

upon

of

fifty

In one instance, where

tliQ

cents to

two

dollars

boring extended to

SOURCE OF

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

43

upwards of one hundred feet, it was performed five cents

per

works

salt

foot.

The whole

for seventy-

capital required to put

in this neighbourhood,

is

up

estimated at four

thousand five hundred dollars; and

when

dently conducted, the business

considered very good;

though the price of

was

It

salt is at

is

the

work

is

pru-

present low.

in boring for coal, a

few years

since, that a de-

ception was practised, which

the country,

made considerable noise in and produced much mischief in Zanesville and

its vicinity.

It

appears well ascertained, at present, that

the silver, said to have been found in one of the auger holes bored on the banks of the river, had been thrown in

The pretended discovery

by some evil-minded persons. induced

many

the detection of the plot, this

upon the mine, before

to speculate largely

whence they incurred

great losses;

event occurred in the year 1819.

The banks of the river are strewed with vast numbers of pebbles, much rolled, and evidently carried from a great distance. They consist principally of quartz, in some cases hyaline, in others

partaking of the nature of jasper, agate, semi-

opal, &c. fragments of granitic to be

met with here and

and amphibolic rocks are also

Specimens of petrified Re-

there.

tipore and Favosites striata, Say, and of a

new genus of the

Polypiers lameUiferes of Lamarck, Chonemblema, Say,*

were

also

These

observed on the shore.

siliceous

and

rolled,

removed

far

from their original

and bear the appearance of having been

Favosites striata are also

We observed accumulation of

petrifactions are

locality.

common

Specimens of the

in this vicinity.

near the bank of the river a considerable

common

sisted of irregularly

flint,

(quartz silex,) which con-

shaped blocks of

•

Appendix,

I.

A.

silex,

apparently no-

EXPEDITION TO THE

44 dules, in

which had been imbedded

which the same substance

bourhood of Paris;

its

colour

in a rock, in the

lies in is

manner

the chalk of the neigh-

Upon

black.

inquiry

we

were informed, that these blocks are gathered from the fields, where they are found loose and scattered; they do not carry with them the appearance of much attrition. They are used in the glasshouses in the preparation of fine white glass.

Among

the features which strike the traveller, as he

contemplates the scenery of the Muskingum, none contri-

more

butes

to give a character of originality to the land-

scape, than a rude bridge erected across the river, in

which

the architect has contrived to connect three forks or arms,

one of which reaches tion

of the

to the cape

formed by the junc-

Muskingum and Licking

while

creek^

the

other two establish a connexion between the opposite banks

of the

the junction of the two streams.

Muskingum, below

This presents an uncouth mass, contrasting well with the magnificence of the scenery.

The

bridge appears destitute

of solidity, and will probably be soon replaced by a elegant and permanent

of the

first settlers

one. It

is

more

thus that the rude works

in the west are disappearing gradually,

and making way for the more improved structures of lized

Having remained

half a

day

in Zanesville,

our journey towards Columbus, which 19th.

civi-

life.

The

we continued

reached on the

route between these two places ofiered us but

little interest.

being level,

we

To

flat,

the mineralogist

it

presents none at

and covered with an alluvium.

informed that coal had been observed

in

but in no instance of a quality to warrant

and that no where had

it

west of the Muskingum.

its

been worked beyond

Our

road,

We

many

all,

were

places,

extraction

;

five miles

which led us through

SOURCE OF

ST.

the valley of Licking creek,

where abrupt

45

The

was very even.

rocks

from view, except in one or two

w^ere always concealed places,

PETEr's RIVER.

cliffs

rose at too great a distance from

the road, to permit us to decide upon their nature

but their

;

general aspect appeared to connect them with those ob-

served in the vicinity of Zanesville.

Our

attention was, however, soon directed in another

channel.

The country

have been

at a

remains of works which

time, the number,

lapse of ages

;

in

the same

attest, at

the genius, and the perseverance

those departed nations.

appeared.

appears to

Every where do we observe

Aboriginal population. this valley,

Muskingum

aljout the

former period the seat of a very extensive

of

Their works have survived the

but the spirit which prompted them has dis-

We

wander over the

face

of the

country;

wherever we go, we mark the monuments which they have erected

we would

;

interrogate

them

as to the authors of

these mighty works, but no voice replies

the echo. it

The mind

seeks in vain for

in unravelling the mystery.

by

the

desire of protecting

to ours save that of

some clew

to assist

Was their industry stimulated themselves against the in-

roads of invaders, or were they themselves the trespassers ?

did they migrate to this spot, and

whence came they ?

if so,

who were they ? where went they ? and wherefore came they here ? Their works have been torn open

been searched

into, but all in vain.

levelled with the sod of the valley

which was perhaps

collected

;

;

they have

The mound

is

now

the accumulated earth

from a distance into one im-

mense mass to erect a monument deemed indestructible, over

now scattered oves treasure may be brought

the remains of some western Pharoah, is

the ground so that to light.

its

Every bone

concealed is

accurately examined, every piece

of metal or fragment of broken pottery

is

curiously studied,

46

EXPEDITION TO THE no light has

still

been thrown upon the name, and

as yet

date, of the once populous nation

which formerly

flourish-

ed on the banks of the numerous tributary streams of the Ohio.

Such were the the numerous

reflexions suggested to us

by our

visit to

mounds and Indian works which abound

in

which we observed

in

this part of the country, the first of

the small village of Irville, situated eleven miles west of Zanesville. It has been opened, and as usual,

mound was

This

bones.

four and

a half in height;

Our guide

elliptic basis.

opening of bones, and laid

with

it,

head

it

appears to have had an

told us, that

he was present

others, a tolerably entire skeleton to the

back over the head.

north-west

;

at the

spot.

which

the arms wei-e thrown

Besides the bones, there were nume-

rous spear and arrow points, and of the

up one on the

has yielded

and that there were a number of human

among

its

it

about fifteen feet in diameter and

There was

we

latter,

also a plate of

picked

copper of the

length of the hand, and from five to six inches in width,

was

rolled

tre

its

•,

up

at the sides,

and had two holes near the cen-

weight, we were told, might have been about a quar-

ter of a pound, but

been very little.

it

thin,

What

if,

was probably heavier

;

for

with those dimensions,

could have been the use of

it

it

it,

must have

weighed so

except as an

ornament, was not determined

;

that part of the country are so

much accustomed

indeed, the inhabitants of to dig

up

bones, and remains of the Aborigines, that they are very careless about observing or recording the objects found,

and the circumstances under which they were discovered.

We were told that pieces of copper, and even of brass, had been frequently counted

for,

collected.

The copper may

easily be ac-

without a reference to a higher degree of

civilization, or to

an intercourse with nations more ad-

SOURCE OF vanced in the

arts.

The

ST.

PETER's RIVER.

47

existence of native copper strewed

upon the surface of the ground

many

in

account for the circumstance of

places, will easily

being used by the na-

its

ornament, in the same manner that the Copper

tives as an

Indians of the north have been known, from the earliest

days of their discovery by the whites, to adorn their persons with

it,

but

we

cannot account for the discovery of

ornaments of brass, unless

we

admit an intercourse with na-

had advanced in

tions that

The

civilization.

existence

therefore of fragments of this alloy in mounds, appears to

us doubtful

;

for if true, the Indians

must have been much more they were

;

who

constructed

refined than

we

them

can suppose

or they must have had intercourse with civil-

The

ized nations.

erection of these mounds,

which ap-

pear to be in a great measure contemporary, was certainly

much

anterior to the discovery of this continent in

the fifteenth century

;

and therefore

that these pieces of brass

peat

it,

it is

not from Europeans

were obtained

;

we

if again,

re-

they have been found interred in these worics.

Besides this mound, there are diate vicinity of Irville,

mensions

;

we

many others

in the

some of which have very

imme-

great di-

observed one, near the road, which had been

but recently excavated at

summit

its

;

it

was perhaps about

These mounds were

thirty-five or forty feet high.

most part overgrown with bushes

;

we

for the

could discover no

order or plan in their relative positions, and from the scattered and

irregular

manner

not appear that they were xvith

any work of defence

were erected

as

;

which they

in

intended

it is

to

lie,

it

does

be connected

more probable,

that they

mausoleums over the remains of the dead,

and that the difference

in their size

was intended

to

convey

an idea of difference in the relative importance of those,

whose bones they covered. valley

We

and the neighbouring

were informed

hills

that this

abound in excava-

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

48

tions resembling wells

we met with none

;

of these

;

they

are said to be very numerous, and are generally attributed

French adventurers, who being constantly

to the first

tent

in-

upon the search of the precious metals, commenced

digging wherever they observed a favourable indication not having seen any of these, press an opinion

upon

we

could not pretend to ex-

their origin, but

which they are represented

from the number from their

to be, as well as

mensions, they appear to us far exceeding the those to

whom

they are attributed

:

abilities

in di-

of

and to have required

much more numerous and permanent population than these adventurers are known to have brought over with

a

them; we would therefore prefer the opinion which cribes

and

them

who may have sunk

these

wells, either for pur-

mode of manner known

poses of self-defence, according to the usual warfare, or as habitations, in the practised

by some Indian

tion of the Carriers^* J

time in

tribes, (vide

or finally, for

Harmon's

many

The

which he

to

cases to exceed

be

descrip-

some other cause which is said

as at

may be which we have

twenty

considered as an objection to the opinion

advanced.

Indian

Their great depth,

yet undiscovered. this

as-

same nations that erected the mounds,

to the

feet,

supposition of Mr. Atwater,that these wells,

states to

be

at least a

thousand in number, were

mere purpose of extracting rock crystal and hornstone, appears to us too refined what ever may have been opened

for the

;

the advances of these nations in civilization,

reason to believe that they had carried

them

we have no so far as to be

induced to undertake immense mining operations, for the

mere purpose of obtaining these Americana,

Newark

vol.

is

i.

articles.

(Archaeologia

p. 130.)

a pleasant

little

town, situated

at the fork

of

•Journal of a Voyage and Travels in the Interior of North America,

by n.

W. Harmon,

Andover, 1820.

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER

49

RIVER-

S

Licking and Raccoon creeks, about twenty -five miles from

Within

Zanesville.

a short distance of

remains of Indian works, which

fine

from seeing, having been misinformed position

but

;

we had

lent description of

are

it

some

we were

very-

deprived

as to their real

less cause to regret this, as

an excel-

them has been published by Mr. Caleb

Atwater, whose zeal and activity in exploring those old Indian works, have acquired for

among them,

him

the antiquaries of America.

it

would appear

that these

rank

a distinguished

From

his account of

works must have covered

several miles of country, and that they

were perhaps con-

nected with other works, situated at a distance,

by

walls extending over a space of thirty miles.

parallel

Of the

labour bestowed upon them, an idea can be formed from

the circumstance, that

among

these

works there " is a circuhaving a wall

lar fort, containing about twenty-six acres,

around

it,

formed by the ground which was thrown out of

a deep ditch

on the inner side of the wall

from twenty-five i.

;

this wall is

to thirty feet in height." (Archaeol.

now Am.

127.)

In the vicinity of tree of

fered

Newark we observed an orchard, every as we were told, suf-

which was propped, having,

much from

a violent south-westerly gale on Easter

Sunday of this year

;

the fact would not have appeared to

us worthy of notice, but for the observation that this gale of wind, which was

felt

very extensively throughout the

country, was observed to have a different direction in different places

from the

two

;

at Philadelphia it is

north-east.

gales

were

in

It

may

known

to

have been

be a question, whether these

any manner connected, and

if so,

why

they happened to proceed from different directions.

At Newark

the party

fell in

with Captain John Cleves

Symes, a man whose eccentric views on the nature of the

Vol.

I.

7

EXPEDITION TO THE

50

globe, have acquired for him, not only in America, but also in

The

England, a temporary reputation.

man

partial insanity

him

to

pervert, to the support of an evidently absurd doctrine,

all

of this

is

of a singular nature.

has caused

It

the facts, which, by close study, he has been enabled to collect

from a vast number of w^ith

authorities.

He

appears conversant

every work of travels from Hearne's to Humboldt's,

and there

is

not a fact to be found in these which he does not

manage with considerable ingenuity, port of his favourite doctrine.

Upon

sensibly, and as a well-informed

to bring to the sup-

other subjects he talks

man.

In listening to his

expositions of his views of the concavity of our globe, felt that

interest

which

is

awakened by

inevitably

we the

aberrations of an unregulated mind, possessed probably of a capacity too great for the

narrow sphere

in

which

it

was

doomed to live and which has consumed itself with the fire, which if properly applied, would doubless have illumined some obscure point in the science which it so strongly atfects. In another point of view. Captain Symes has a claim ;

to our best sympathies for the gallantry

with which he serv-

ed his country during the war.

From Newark

Columbus the road passes through a

to

moist and heavily-wooded country, well calculated for the

growth of the beach in size to

tree,

which was found here superior

any previously observed. This part of the route

lying remote from any navigable streams, titute of population

;

and

it

is

almost des-

was only when we came

immediate vicinity of Columbus, that

we

to the

again found our-

selves in the midst of civilization.

The

spot upon

which the metropolis of Ohio now stands,

presents a remarkable instance of those rapid changes which are so often to be tjingle

met with

in our western states. In

log cabin only could be observed,

1812 a

where now a popu-

SOURCE OP

hundred inhabitants

lation of fifteen

comforts, and carrying on

ment.

The

PETER 'oS RIVER.

ST.

situation of

all

$1

seen enjoying

is

all

the business of an old settle-

Columbus

is,

however,

far

from pre-

senting advantages that can compete with those of other western settlements.

the

Much

difficulty

many

and division ap-

pears to have prevailed in Ohio previously to the location of

the seat of government; and this spot was probably selected

by

a sort of compromise, rather with a

situation than

on the

left

from any great

bank of the

Franklinton, whose too

view

to its central

local advantage.

It stands

Scioto, at about half a mile

site

from

on the right bank was thought

low and unhealthy.

The

party were here joined by Mr. Colhoun,

travelled

who had

from Washington city by the national road to

Wheeling, and thence proceeded

Columbus, where he

to

waited for the arrival of the Expedition.

Some

rangements required to accommodate ourselves

further ar-

to the coun-

try through which we had to travel, occasioned in this

town a

delay of one day, during which we experienced a remarkably

heavy thunderstorm, which was accompanied by a wind apparently like a hurricane,

its

direction shifting at every

moment; this produced much damage in the town, and among other things carried off both the gable ends of a house, the wind forcing a way for itself under the roof. The banks of the Scioto are covered with pebbles, apparently from primitive formations ble

in

which

place, is filled

the vicinity ;

;

no rocks were

visi-

but the limestone used in the town, and

with organic remains,

is

said to be

found in

appears to be similar to that observed at

it

Zanesville.

The wealth cussion, that

of Ohio has been so often the subject of dis-

we

felt

reports circulated

an interest in ascertaining

were

correct.

We

found

how

far the

that, in fact,

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

53 the produce

yielded by agriculture so far exceeds

mands

that

for

it,

the hands of

de-

all

has become a sort of dead stock in

The

owners.

its

low, that the only tilling it into

it

mode

price of grain has fallen so

of disposing of

it

whiskey, of which the price

consists in disis

twelve and a

half cents per gallon, and when retailed in small quanti-

twenty-five cents per gallon.

ties it sells at the rate of

Such prices must of course be a check upon and

at the

fering a temptation to intoxication, it

industry,

all

same time productive of much mischief by

impossible to

which too many

of-

find

resist.

The weather had already set in very warm, the thermometer standing usually at

noon

at

upwards of eighty degrees.

commenced

Observations for latitude and longitude were here, but

were interrupted by the storm.

Wednesday, its

way

May

21st, the expedition left

Columbus on

on the Miami, about seventy

to Piqua, situated

miles west of Columbus, and likewise in the state of Ohio.

The

intermediate country

is

but thinly settled

black, and not very deep, seldom it is

;

the soil

is

more than eight inches

underlaid with sand and pebbles, which are evidently

the detritus of granitic rocks, similar to the large boulders

observed every where throughout the country. to

be met with in place.

No

Although the country

rocks

very

is

high, being probably from the best measurements which

have been made, the surface of

at least three

Lake

hundred and

fifty feet

above

Erie, and consequently upwards of

nine hundred feet above the surface of the ocean,

it is

very

wet, being swampy, with occasional open woods and soft

marshy

prairies,

very unlike those that are described by

travellers as existing to the

wards met with on the

we afterThe whole of this

westward, and which

St. Peter's,

&c.

part of our route led us irresistibly to the conclusion, that

;

SOURCE OP

we were

travelling

PETER

ST.

RIVER.

S

53

upon the bottom of some

lake,

whose

waters had, at a comparatively modern period, broken

way

their bounds and found their

to the ocean.

It is true,

that in the present state of our geographical and geological

knowledge of the valley drained by the Mississippi,

it is

impossible to assign any probable limits to this vast internal ocean

we know

;

too

little

different chains of mountains, this section of

of the true direction of the

which extend throughout

our country, or of their respective heights,

dam which

to allow us to trace the limits of that powerful

formerly kept the whole of our western country under

water

;

nor can

we

attempt to show in what places and

from what causes the dam was forced, but the mere spection of the high plains, state of Ohio,

must

in-

which form the centre of the

satisfy us that

they doubtless

owe

the

characters

which they now present,

of water.

The country wood many

of the trees are upwards of five

These

forests consist chiefly of oak, ash,

growth of

;

feet in diameter.

to the recent sojourn

covered with a very heavy

is

elm, hickory, sugar-maple, black-walnut, beach, tulip, wild-

The cotton-wood

cherry, &c.

honeysuckle were

first

The

quality, and soil,

it is

and the garden-coral

observed here in great abundance

the tulip or Liriodendron, largest size.

tree,

soil,

is

which

the tree

though good,

attains the

not of the

is

first

generally observed that the dark black

which predominates,

late-coloured one

which

is

inferior in quality to a choco-

is

occasionally

met

The

with.

average produce of the best crops of Indian corn amounts to about fifty bushels per acre

about thirty bushels. district is far

The

from being

;

a good crop of wheat yields

increase of population in this

as rapid as

it

promised to be the

want of a market, the unhealthiness of

;

all

the marshy

EXPEDITION TO THE

54

lands,* and the constant impulse to an emigration further

many

have prevented

to the west,

settlements being made,

remote from the streams. Wild and unimproved land be had, in most places,

some public

still

at

The

some

slight un-

which we

The name which

tributary of the latter. it

on account of the wildness of

the agitation of its

This

bed.

its

is

is

of any consequence

met between the Scioto and the Miami, was Mad given to

may

and there

one dollar and a quarter per

at

surface of the country presents

The only stream

dulations.

dollars per acre,

land, belonging to the United States,

which may be purchased acre.

two

its

it

river, a

was

bears

scenery, and of

waters, resulting from the roughness of

one of the most romantic streams which

the western country presents.

Instead of the wide, and

frequently bare bed, in which the other streams run with a slow and lazy pace.

of

Mad

river descends in

many

with the rapidity of a torrent.

Notwithstanding the un-

cultivated and uninhabited state of the country,

but

parts

course through a narrow and contracted channel,

its

little

game

this consisted of a

;

we saw

few deer and wild

tur-

keys, which however kept so far from our course as to pre-

vent our

firing at any.

The town

of

met here with

New

Urbanna

Jersey, for the purpose of raising the

and manufacturing from

it

pose sending to the eastern * Besides the

a very

fatal

known ness,

Castor cities,

removed from

Palma

ague and intermittent fevers,

Christi,

which they pro-

oil,

New

by the way of we were

disease had prev.iiled during the last

Or-

informed that

summer

;

it

is

well

under the name of the sick stomach, or milk sicksupposed to be produced by drinking milk, which has be-

to the west

and

is

come unwholesome from some cause it last

We

small, but neatly laid out.

is

a family of emigrants lately

year.

or other

;

many persons died of

SOURCE OF leans

55

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

they have already planted twelve acres of

;

and

it,

from the experiments which have been made, anticipate

/^t

much success in this culture, The expedition stopped for

a

day

Piqua, a small in-

at

Miami

corporated town, situated on the west bank of the river,

and on a spot which appears

to

The

of a numerous Indian population. for keel boats, a

river

is

built in a semicircular

is

river, so that its streets,

which are

bend of the

rectilinear,

and

parallel

by the

to the chord of the arc, are terminated at both ends

The

water.

spot

one of the most advantageous in the

is

country for a large population for defence against aggressors

the situation

;

;

we

and

is

very

of their principal seats.

The remains

very interesting, and being,

They

consist for the

the elevation of

or six feet at

;

this

one

of their works are

we believe, as yet undescribed,

surveyed them with such means as were

posal.

fine

find that with their

accustomed discrimination, the Indians had made

we

site

navigable

few miles above the town, during half the

The town

year.

have been the

most part of

which varies

at present

at

our dis-

circular parapets,

from three

to five

but which bear evident marks of having been

one time much higher

;

many

of

them

are found in the

neighbourhood of the town, and several of them in the

town

itself.

The plough

parts of these works, its

passes every year over

and will probably continue

some

to unite

levelling influence with that of time, to obliterate the

last

remains of a people, who, judging from the monuments

which

it

has left behind, must have been far

more advanced

who were found whom a few may still

in civilization than the Indians

century or two ago

;

and of

occasionally roving about the spot,

where

there a

be seen

their fathers

met

in council.

We

observed one

elliptic

and

five circular

works, two of

56

THE

EXPEDITION' TO

which are on the

east

bank of the

The ground

the west.

river, the others are

appears, in

on

have been

cases, to

all

taken from the inside, which forms a ditch in the interior;

depth cannot of course be ascertained

its

measure

in great

The

able.

up, but

filled

it

must have been consider-

area, within the ditch, probably retained the

The

level of the surrounding country.

been from three appears is

at present, as it is

much

The

which we

first

may have

from slow decay

to four feet wide, but

wider.

parapet

it

visited, (A.)*

situated at about a quarter of a mile to the south-west of

the town, and half a mile westward of the river

have been the most important of

to

all,

;

it

appears

and forms, as

it

were, the centre round which the others were disposed. Its

form

fifty feet

which

circular

is :

;

its

it,

its

about one hundred and

Immediately connected, and in close

to the south-south-east, there is a small cir-

cular work, Ca.J

higher;

is

has a gateway from eight to ten feet wide,

it

faces the river.

contact with

diameter

the parapet of which

diameter

is

is

considerably

about forty-three feet;

gateway or opening whatsoever.

it

has no

has generally been

It

considered as intended for a look-out post ; but this opinion appears incorrect, from the circumstance that

high enough for this purpose

;

that its size

is

it is

not raised

much

greater

than what would be required for a mere post of observation

and

;

finally, that its construction essentially differs

from that which

is

recorded by Mr. Atwater and other

observers, as belonging to such posts of observation. is

nothing to support this opinion but

is in

its

situation,

the most elevated part of the plain.

think

it

more

probable, that

it

hold which should be resorted to in the

•

We

was considered

See the annexed

plan.

last

There which

however

as a strong

extremity.

SOURCE OP

This opinion accounts for serve about tre of the

all

Its situation

it.

works

;

PETER^S KIVER.

ST.

57

which we ob-

the characters

near the main fort at the cen-

smaller dimensions, which, while they

its

would admit a considerable

force,

would permit

it

be

to

defended more easily than the extensive works with which it is

connected

:

firm this belief.

way,

is

the height and thickness of

The

its

parapet con-

cii'cumstance of there being no gate-

an additional proof for us, that

it

was intended

be used like the citadel of a modern fortress, as the in

which the remnants of

a defeated

make

centrated in order to

to

last

spot

army might be

con-

a decisive stand against their

aggressors.

Proceeding in a direction south sixty-five degrees east

from the

first

and sixty

work,

feet

like the former,

which passes white

man

we

about seven hundred

which,

partly situated in a ploughed field, but

is

also

at a distance of

find another fortification, (B.)

over a bye-road.

In this old work, the

has built his barns, stables, &c. and appears

anxious to hurry on the destruction of what would,

by him, have

injured

parapet of this fort

former

its

;

is

not quite so elevated as that of the

dred and twenty -five feet in diameter ;

way

connected,

un-

The

dimensions are larger, being a|)out two hun-

fronting that in the

covered

if

resisted the assaults of time.

it

first fort,

it

has a gateway

and similar

to

If

it.

any

ever existed by which these two works were has disappeared, no trace of

it

bein^

at pre-

sent visible.

Taking again the ing from

it

first fort,

(A.) as a centre, and proceed-

in a course north eighty-five degrees east,

find another circular enclosure, (C.) distant seven

and

fifty feet

from the

first,

and about

five

hundred and

forty feet in a northerly course from the second

pets are higher than those of the other two;

Vol.

I.

8

we

hundred

its

;

its

para-

diameter

EXPEDITION TO THE

5S is

about one hundred and

provided with a

fifty feet; it is

gateway fronting that of the

Between the

fort.

first

se-

cond and third forts, (B. and C.) and near the bank of the remains of a water-way, (W.) formerly

river, there are

connected as

we

suppose with the third

consist of a dltcli

dug down

to the

fort; these

remains

edge of the river

;

the

earth from the same having been thrown up principally on the south side or that which fronts down the river, the

breadth between the two parapets water, than at a distance from

used either for the purpose

it

;

is

much

so that

be drawn up; or perhaps, as

is

sions

respects, that found near Marietta, but

ai-e

smaller.

The remains

very inconsiderable, and are

fast

of this

making of

ditch filled up if it

;

it,

was

it

in-

work

dimen-

its

are at present

wasting away, as the road

which runs along the bank of the in the

which canoes might

most probable,

This water-way resembles

tended to serve both purposes.

some

may have been down

of offering a safe passage

to the river, or as a sort of harbour, in

in

wider, near the

it

river intersects

it,

and

the parapet has been levelled and the

this is

could be seen in

much its

to

be regretted, as this work,

would perhaps

perfect state,

cover the motive which led to the erection of these cations, the attacks against

dis-

fortifi-

which they were intended

to

provide, and the means with which the resistance was to

be effected. bank,

still

But the

largest of the

works on the western

remains to be noticed.

This

construction, (D.) of great eccentricity;

its

is

an

elliptical

transverse and

conjugate diameters measuring eighty-three and two hun-

dred and ninety -five feet;

it is

situated six

hundred

feet in a

direction north forty degrees east from the first fort,

jugate axis extends nearly east and west;

gateways rise quite

;

this

work

is

almost^effaced,

one foot above the ground.

its

we

its

een-

observed no

parapet does not

SOURCE OP

We

ST.

crossed the river in a canoe, and landed at the foot

of a very steep

top of this

remains of a fort (E.) in a very good

of preservation are to be seen

commanding

There

works. is

on the east

part of the

and

side,

as yet received

evidently

on the brow of the

partially

washed away,

about one-third part of the

it

is

is

about six or eight feet wide. This

one of the most interesting,

having

it

no injury from the hands of man.

we

and

feet in diameter; it is

covered with trees of a very large the parapet

visited,

present but one gateway visible, which

is at

works

which we

position,

which has unfortunately been

and has carried down with

the

state

in a direction north

it lies

;

first fort

one hundred and twenty -three

placed on a very hill

On

about one hundred feet high.

hill,

hill,

sixty degrees east from the is

59

Peter's river.

Upon

size.

It is

the top of

found the trunk of a tree, which had

grown long

structed, and probably

after the

much

rampart had been con-

after

it

had ceased

The

theatre of bloodshed and of assault.

be the

to

interior part of the

we

trunk was very

much decayed

hundred and

concentric layers in what appeared to be

fifty

;

but

counted two

less

than the outer half; whence

we

tree

was

hundred years old

time

it

certainly

upwards of

five

These works

was cut down.

concluded that this at the

bear the impress

all

of a very remote antiquity; in some cases, trees of a large size are seen trees.

We

refer to

them any

from

all

growing upon the trunks of

have, as

we

still

ver)'^

larger

conceive, no data to enable us to

we

are well warranted

their characters in assigning to

them an antiquity

definite date

;

but

of upwards of one thousand years.

At

about

fifty

rods to the north-north-west of the last

mentioned work, there a

much

is

larger size. It has

and the other west.

We

another,

which

is

circular,

and of

two gateways, one fronting did not see this

last,

but

we

east,

are

:

60

EXPEDITION TO THE

indebted to some of the inhabitants of Piqua for a description of

it.

About

these forts there are, as might be expected,

many

Indian arrow-heads, and other remains to be found. Those

which we saw present however nothing

peculiar.

We

observed both the war and the peace arrow-head, or that

which

is

used in hunting, and which

the war arrow-head,

with which the war arrow cause

it

to

distinguished from acute shoulder,

always provided, in order to

is

remain in the wound, from which

much danger and

extricated without

whereas, that used in hunting

drawn without

it

is

it

cannot be

pain to the patient

such that

can be with-

it

For the same reason, while the the arrow very firmly, the war head

diificulty.

latter is attached to

adheres to

is

by the absence of the

but imperfectly, so that after

it

has entered

into the body, if the

arrow be withdrawn, the head remains

buried in the

Among

fortifications

flesh.

was

other things found near these

a piece of broken pottery,

which was con-

sidered as of Indian manufacture; but on examining closely,

we immediately

recognised

a small earthen crucible, and from it

to be of

French manufacture,

French than the German and bearing

sideration,

its

as

crucible. in

it

mind

to be a

appearance

it

we believe

resembles more the

Taking the

that

this into confirst

French

settlers in this country

were constantly looking out

ores of gold, silver, &c.

we

for

entertain no doubt that this,

instead of being of Indian manufacture, crucible, probably

it

fragment of

is

a fragment of a

imported from France, and used in some

docimastic experiment.

We had an opportunity the ensuing day, on our road to Fort St.

Mary,

to see the

remains of an old Indian work, which

consists of stones apparently

wall which

is

from the destruction of a stone

supposed to have been erected by the same

;

SOURCE OF

elevated about thirty feet above Uie level of the

bluff

The

valley of the river.

some

61

about three miles west of Piqua, on a

It is situated

nation.

PETER^S RIVER.

ST.

which

wall,

considered by

is

having been erected for purposes of defence, stood

as

near the brink of the

hill,

facing to the south-east.

been completely thrown down, but distinctly traced

its

limits

may

has

It

be very

by the stones which lay on the ground, form-

ing an ellipsis whose axes are respectively fifteen hundred

and nine hundred

feet.*

This work

is

stated

upon the autho-

rity of Col. Johnston, to enclose an area of seventeen acres.

The

longest axis extends in an east and west line the distance ;

of the nearest point of the ellipsis to the river was estimated to be about seven part,

hundred yards.

At

its

supported by a circular earthen

it is

south-eastern

fort, similar to

those previously described, and measuring about thirty -six

The

yards in diameter. built, are all rolled,

careous

:

stones, of

which the wall was

mostly granitic, few of them are

cal-

we

find

they are in every respect similar to those

scattered over the country, and especially on the banks of

the river. six feet

At

present they form a loose pavement, about

wide round the

deviates in

some

accommodate

cases

itself to

The

ellipsis.

from a

figure of the ellipsis

strict regularity,

the surface of the country as

it

then

In sundry parts, and more especially towards the

was.

west

side, are

which

many gateways or

are generally

from

interruptions in the walls

Back of we find a number

six to eight feet wide.

these, and within the area of the ellipsis,

*

probably to

This as well as the measures given for the preceding works, must

be taken

as approximate.

When the distance was small, it was determin-

ed by means of a measuring tape when long, by pacing the ground the ;

;

measure of the pace having been

The pass.

first

determined by experiment.

courses or directions are coiTcct, having been taken with a com-

EXPEDITION TO THE

62

of stones heaped up in the form of mounds,

posed

which arc sup-

be the remains of small works, thrown up for the

to

mound will

defence of the gateway, and so situated that one

two gateways.

protect

seems to be favourable

Although

to the idea, that this stone wall

erected as a fortification,

we by no means

so as to form the highest possible wall, rise

above four and a half to

was

consider this as

All the stones which are found there,

proved.

opinion

general

the

if

arranged

would probably not

five feet;

but in order to

solidity, it

would be neces-

afford the wall

any degree of

sary to give

such a breadth as would probably reduce

its

it

dimensions to

less than three feet.

On

the part of those

who do

not consider this as the remains of a military

work,

may be

it

argued that

we have no

proof of these

stones having ever formed a wall; that they

may have

been gathered for the purpose of forming the

pavement which they now

present.

been constructed for motives which conceive existed

;

of,

That

we

cannot at present

no proof that such motives

is

further,

it

may be

may

not have

said that, admitting these stones

to be the remains of a wall, for military purposes, as a

elliptical

may have

this

not probable that

it is

work

it

was made

of this kind would certainly

not have been erected for the protection of a small force,

and

as a large

number of persons collected

in

it

would have

been quite unprotected against arrows and other missile weapons.

That the

situation,

though a commanding one,

appears quite untenable for want of water, which can only

be procured by descending the

hill

towards the river, in

which case the party venturing out would be exposed be cut off by the enemy. within the

elliptic

water which that

it

it

A spring was,

it is

true,

to

observed

enclosure; but the small quantity of

affords at present, renders

it

improbable

should have been at any time sufficient for

tlie

con-

SOURCE OF

ST.

sumption of as large a force

Peter's river. as

would have been required

The number

in the defence of so extensive a work.

gateways of

its

it

may

63

being intended as a

work

of defence

;

for they are

very numerous and sometimes within four or

The unevenness

each other.

may

much lower than

be urged as another strong objection to

being considered as a military work. If for purposes of war,

erected

it ?

it, its

be not intended

it

the labour which

form and

would then concur

must have been

its

what was the intention of those who

Its extent,

to accomplish

racters

five feet of

of the ground, part of the

wall being along the sides of the hill and the rest,

of

be said, likewise excludes the possibility

it

required in order

situation, in fine, all its cha-

in leading to the belief that

a religious

it

monument; probably forming

an arena where their sacred

festivals, their

games, their

ceremonies could be conveniently carried on.

The num-

ber of the gates, the heaps of stones which lay near them,

tend to prove that no other origin can be safely

all

ascribed to

it.

It

was suggested

may

perhaps be

made by

the Indians

that this

the remains of a pound, similar to those

to this day, for the purpose of entrapping buffaloes

and

other wild game.

But this opinion is likewise excluded by

the

which

little

resistance

a wall of such small dimensions,

formed by the union of uncemented stones but loosely piled together,

would have presented

of the wild animals which enclose.

Its

situation

it

to the

powerful

efforts

would have been intended

to

on an uneven ground, likewise

excludes this hypothesis from any claim to plausibility.

The

stones used vary

much in size, from that of a walman may carry; doubts may

nut to the largest which a exist

rapet

whether ;

if

there

this wall

was

was one of

raised

this kind,

upon an earthen pait

has certainly dis-

appeared almost entirely, yet in a few places the elevation

EXPEDITION TO THE

64

formed by the stones, appeared greater than might have been expected from the quantity of materials which were It is, therefore,

observed.

not impossible that, in some

may have

places at least, the wall

The motive

earthen parapet.

been supported by an

which these stones were

for

collected will probably ever remain

must be contented with surmises,

a

secret;

we

and

of which are unsatis-

founded upon hypothetical manners,

factory, because all are

which we ascribe

all

to the authors of these works.

When we

observe a circular rampart with a fosse, a gateway and a

we discover a similarity and we immediately consider

traverse inside of the gateway, to our

modern

that this

fortifications,

may have

been erected for the same purpose;

without enquiring into the foundation which assigning to

we have

them the same system of

whether civilized or savage, we passions, a warlike

are, it is true, struck

most astonishing

and religious

spirit will

actions,

exercise over

we may

have led

we

all

The

ex-

religious

undertaking of vast constructions.

to the

Without recurring

attribute his

whether good or bad.

perience of every nation proves, that almost faiths

with

which two of the most opposite

and to one or both of these

;

for

which

adopted. In examining into the character of man,

the powerful influence

him

we have

fortification

to the

find in the splendid

Egyptian and Indian

antiquities,

remains of Greece and Rome, in

the colossal and magnificent Gothic cathedrals of the middle ages,

and even in the more recent

that religion has at

Avhich

induced

all

men

edifices of

periods been the principal motive to exert

their labour in constructions.

their

which

the banks of our western streams, if

the remains of their finest

genius and expend

Judging, by the same

of the nations long since extinct,

ed

modern times,

we

at

test,

one time covered

will not be surpris-

works bear the character

)

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

of having been undertaken, partly at

least,

65

with religious

views.

On

the road from Piqua to this stone wall,

we

passed a

very large mound, which had been partially cut down

make room

order to

This mound has, as we be-

for the road.

In this vicinity and near

never been opened.

lieve,

the bank of the river,

is

man whom we

should judge

most of the

to be of estimable feelings as, unlike

new

John

the residence of Colonel

Johnston the Indian agent, a

this

in

settlers in

country, he has respected the remains of these In-

dian works, and has not suifered the ploughshare to pass

through them. Colonel Johnston observes, that he does not

know that any Indian works have been found due north of Miami county, (Ohio,) though they occur to the south and (Western Gazetteer,

south-west as far as the Floridas. 290.)

there

About is

p,

town of Piqua, situated upon a level

half a mile to the south of the

an old Indian cemetery,

it is

piece of ground, elevated about twenty feet above high water

mark, and

in a

romantic spot intersected by a small run.

surface of this place is formed

The

by limestone rocks, laying bare

and deposited in horizontal strata. Upon these rocks it appears that the corpses

were deposited, and

that they

were

co-

vered over with slabs of stone, some of which were tolerably large ; over these a thin

soil

has been formed, in the

lapse of ages, and this supports a scanty herbage.

reaching the spot,

we

Upon

found that most of these mounds

had been broken open for the purpose of burning to lime the fragments of stone

in-

which composed them, and

of avoiding thereby the trouble of working into the solid rock.

We opened

several, but in all cases

bones very much injured less

;

indeed,

all

we

found the

of them were

more or

broken except one, which was evidently a toe bone.

They had become very much Vol.

I.

9

altered,

and were yellow and

EXPEDITION TO THE

66

We

cellular.

took specimens with us to examine them

chemically, with a view to ascertain what changes they

had undergone; but they were

The

tions.

most ever,

objects

with part of our collec-

decomposition

to resist

Of these we found, howbut few, not more than half a dozen two of them were

effectually,

teeth.

;

were milk

teeth, the rest

were rather of a small

The bones

root.

were

lost

which seemed

all

had belonged

size,

they

to adults;

and worn out almost

to the

lay scattered and without order

;

they

fragments of the cranium, the arms, shoulders, &c.

which almost crumbled under the pressure of the

The only

object that

we

ground

incisor teeth of a

fingers.

noticed with them, were the squirrel,

two

which were probably of

fortuitous deposition.

The

rocks in the neighbourhood of Piqua are uniform-

ly composed of a white limestone, of a compact texture,

but containing

many

by

cavities filled

crystallized carbon-

It is filled w^ith organic impressions,

ate of lime.

which Mr. Say determined the

among

Flustra, (expanded and

branched,) the Terebratula, the Caryophillaea, and probably several others.

A rolled

specimen, which

is

supposed not

to belong to this formation, contained a tolerably

good im-

pression of Favosites striata^ S.

We also with mica

found here a specimen of primitive limestone ;

but

it

was evidently

rolled,

and bore no resem-

blance to the rocks which occur in place in this vicinity.

At Piqua

the rocks are

all

by

very well

stratified, the strata

This limestone

being nearly horizontal.

is

found to yield

burning, a lime of a tolerably good quality.

It is stated

that salt springs have been discovered in various places

near Piqua, but

There place,

is

a

we met

with none.

very considerable rapid

which has induced

a

company

in the

Miami

at this

to cut a canal for the

SOURCE OF

67

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

This imaccommodation of the ascending navigation. provement is now completed, and afiFords them a fine water-power, with a

fall

This, together with

of nine feet.

the fertility of the adjoining country, which as

formed of a very rich prime

soil,

is

represented

of a chocolate colovn*.

will doubtless soon lead to the erection of extensive grist

mills at this place

;

the capital of the

company not being

adequate to the undertaking, the mills which they have established are

by no means

The Miami

they can dispose. all

suitable to the

The name

the river.

one of the principal

fordable here at almost

is

seasons of the year, but there

a very

is

town

of the

tribes of the

power of which

is

good bridge over

derived from that of

Shawanese Indians, who

formerly roved through this part of the country, spreading itself as far as

the Pickawa plains, situated about seventy-five

miles to the south-east. This tribe

few remaining descendants of

is

it

now nearly extinct,

the

have united themselves

with the Miamis, and are settled in the vicinity of Fort

Wayne. After spending a very interesting day in Piqua, in the

examination of

its

antiquities,

we left this place with

a feel-

ing of gratitude for the kind attentions shown to our party inhabitants of the town, and particularly

by the

Register of the Land-office, Major Oliver, late of the

Army,

by the

whose acquaintance with the country made him teresting

companion

a very in-

in our investigation of the antiquities

of the vicinity.

The country through which we

travelled lies near the

head waters of Loramie's creek, one of the tributaries of the Miami.

We entered

this

day upon what may be term-

ed the table land, that divides the waters of the Lakes from those of the Gulf of Mexico, and continued on

immediate vicinity,

until

we

it

or in

its

reached Prairie du Chien on

EXPEDITION TO THE

68

As wc

the Mississippi.

of recurring to the

shall

have frequent opportunity

which

singular feature,

country

this

presents in the interlockage, almost every where apparent,

between the head streams of two mighty rivers, whose waters fall into the ocean at a distance of upwards of two

we

thousand miles, particulars.

Miami, we came,

ride, to the rivers

marshy, there ;

it is

which send

The

Lawrence.

ing

at present into

many

It will suffice to state, that after leaving the

tributaries of the

St.

need not enter

is

two hours'

in less than

their waters to the

intermediate country

Gulf of

wet and

is

no appearance of a ridge, properly speak-

an elevated

flat

plateau, the nature of which

is

marshy.

This remarkable feature

in the topogi-aphy of the state of

Ohio, has not escaped the attention of

its

inhabitants.

find that the possibility of establishing a connexion

the rivers that

empty

into the lakes,

Wc

between

and the tributaries of

the Ohio, has long since been asserted by the statesmen of the west.

what

The only

point which remained unsettled was,

direction should be given to the proposed works, and

which of the many routes suggested, was preferable? On this point it cannot

be doubted that the prerequisite infor-

mation had not been obtained, and consequently that no decisive answer could be given; in the absence of authentic calculations, prepossessions

founded on

local interest

perhaps, allowed to exercise too great a sway. these evils, and with a view state,

To

of doing justice to the

the legislature of Ohio

by

were, avoid

whole

a very liberal policy

appointed a board of commissioners to examine the whole country,

make

accurate surveys of the various routes

which

had been suggested^ ascertain by gaging or otherwise, the quantity of water on each route ; and finally locate lines of canals

upon such routes

as

appeared to them practicable.

—

SOURCE OF

They were

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

69

directed to submit the result of their operations

to the legislature,

who would

then be enabled to decide

upon the merits of the respective

routes.

These duties were too extensive and too arduous

to

admit of their being executed in one season ; and the commissioners have been arrested in

many

by

of their surveys

the unhealthiness of the country, through which they were

obliged to carry on their operations.

on

to acquire information

are inclined to consider that correct, because

with

it

We have taken

this interesting subject,

we

which we have received

as

was obtained from persons conversant

and particularly from M. T. Williams, Esq. of

it,

Cincinnati, one of the acting commissioners, with

had the pleasure of travelling the

pains

and

many

for a

few days

;

We

himself master of the subject.

have likewise drawn

made on the

part of our information from the able report

by the

in

we had with him, has shown

conversations which

21st January, 1824,

whom we

and who,

canal commissioners to the

general assembly of Ohio, for copies of which

we

are in-

debted to Mr. Williams.

From

this report it appears that the routes

be reduced to four,

The Grand

first

viz.

Lake Erie with

river of

Pennsylvania

may

line,

by the

and

From

or under his direction, is

known by

Lake

in

some

Erie, and

mouth of

parts east of

it

it,

cannot be

any other practicable route

the surveys

the

level, is elevated three

the Ohio, at the

This route, being very near to the

state of Ohio, if

be found.

which

may

route would be to connect the waters of the

the Big Beaver creek.

eligible

proposed

:

made by Judge Geddes,

would appear

name of

the

that this summit,

Mahoning summit

hundred and forty-two

two hundred and fourteen

feet

feet

above

above the

EXPEDITION TO THE

70

Ohio

at

the

mouth of Big Beaver creek.* This

therefore require

lockage.

The

upwards of

gum

canal

hundred and

would

fifty feet

of

question whether or not a sufficiency of wa-

ter can be obtained

The second

five

on

this route is still

undecided.

route contemplates connecting the

may

with the lake, which

Muskin-

be done either by the Tus-

carawas and the Cuyahoga creeks, or by the Killbuck and

Black rivers; a third division of

this

purposes

route

ascending the Killbuck, continuing along the level in an easterly direction

to

These three plans

scending that stream to the lake.

be considered

as parts of

may

one general route, the preference

to either being a question,

which

it

will only be important

to decide, after the propriety of adopting the

route shall

summit

the Cuyahoga, and de-

Muskingum The sum-

have been decided in the affirmative.

mit level between the Killbuck and Black river, three hundred and thirty-seven feet above

is

elevated

Lake Erie and

three hundred and sixty-one above the Ohio at Marietta.

would therefore require near seven hundred feet of lockage. The level between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas It

has been found to be four hundred and four feet above

Lake

Erie and four hundred and twenty-eight above Marietta.

The

*

locks would therefore exceed eight hundred and thirty

We

have here adopted the measurements given by the canal com-

missioners in their report, though

have escaped their notice

;

whom we met

by a gentleman

we

are afraid that a mistake

may

the height of this summit level was stated at

Columbus

to be three

hundred and

twenty-four feet, which appears more correct, for by a comparison of the difference of level between Lake Erie and the mouth of the Mus-

kingum, the to Marietta

fall

of the Ohio

from the town of Beaver

would be one hundred and

calculations of the commissioners

would be but

thirtj-six feet,

;

in

Pennsylvania

fifty -two feet, if

we adopt the

whereas, upon the other data

which

is

much more

probable.

it

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

Muskingum

feet ; this section of the

and crossing a higher summit

would probably be preferred,

route, though longer,

tlian that

as

71

up the Killbuck,

being more easily supplied

with water.

The

third route for the canal

is

that

which would con-

nect the Scioto and Sandusky rivers. These streams, passing

nearly in a north and south line through the centre of the state, if it

seem

at first sight to

be the most eligible for the canal

be practicable to execute it in this direction. Doubts had

been entertained concerning the quantity of water which

might be obtained on

summit, but

this

as

Judge Geddes

and Mr. Forrer had ascertained that most of the head waters of the

summit the

Great Miami river might be brought upon the

level,

prove practicable.

dred and

and

Ohio

level of this route, generally designated in

Tyamochte

hopes were entertained that

This level

fifty -four feet

fifty -five

is

it

as

would

elevated about three hun-

above the lake, and four hundred

above the mouth of the Scioto, whence

require about eight hundred and ten feet of lockage.

it

will

Upon

a further survey of the country, and gaging the streams,

however come

the commissioners have

clusion, that the supply of water

on

to the final con-

this route

bably be insufficient to overcome the losses evaporation, &c.

;

and that

it

would proby leakage,

would leave no supply of wa-

ter for the expenditure in the passage of boats through the locks.

In their calculations they have assumed as a basis

the loss of water

York

canals,

by leakage, evaporation, &c, on the

had been anticipated,

hundred cubic route.

New

which has there proved much greater than feet

as

it

amounts

to an average of

one

per minute, for every mile of canal

This amount was reduced by proper allowances for

the difierence in the nature of the country through which it

was contemplated

that the canal

would pass

;

but,

even

EXPEDITION TO THE

72

with these allowances, they have been led to believe, that " the upper levels on the Sandusky and Scioto route, could not be supplied with the necessary quantity of water in

dry seasons, by either of the methods proposed and considered; and the board after deliberating on the subject, from

them by the acting com-

the facts and views laid before missioners,

came

ture of time or

ky

to the conclusion that a further expendi-

money in locating a canal line on the Sandus-

or Scioto route

would be inexpedient, unless some other

method should be devised, or some other source of supply discovered.'^

It

has therefore become, to say the least,

" extremely doubtful whether a canal on the Sandusky and Scioto route can ever be made."

The is

fourth route

which has been suggested, and which

termed the western route, has

ters of the Great

for object to unite the

Miami and Maumee

Loramie creek and the Auglaize

river.

hundred and eighty-nine

in this case will be elevated three feet

above Lake Erie, and

the Ohio near Cincinnati

;

five

hundred and forty above

occasioning therefore a lockage

of about nine hundred and thirty to be the best supplied with

which

of

it is

its soil,

or the

feet.

water

a section of country inferior to fertility

;

it

none

This route appears

would pass through America, in the

in

amount of surplus productions

capable of sending to market ;

it

would bring to the termination of the canal

at Cincinnati, affording

draulic works,

would become by the quantity

it

a source of immediate and extensive profit,

of water which

wa-

by means of The summit level

rivers,

power for extensive and valuable hy-

which are there much needed.

The com-

missioners appear to be of opinion that the bed of the river

ought not to be pursued, but that a thorough-cut ought to be made.

The summit

Fort Loramie.

level

would be

in the vicinity of

This canal would probably be about two

i50URCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER.

hundred and

fifty

miles long.

The supply

73

of water

would

be amply sufficient even for locks of the size of those on the

New York canal. Allowing the expense to be the same New York, this canal would probably cost about three

as in

millions of dollars

;

but the experience which has been ac-

quired in the construction of that work, warrants us in believing that a similar undertaking

formed

more economical

at a

no doubt can exist as

from

rate.

to the benefits

may hereafter be perHowever this may be, which Ohio would reap

this canal.

From

all

that has been stated,

these routes

that

is

which

it

appears that the last of

offers at present the

most decid-

ed advantages, but the plan which the commissioners have in contemplation, and which, if practicable, will not, at their suggestion, be is

one that would prove

be honourable to

we doubt

undertaken by the state of Ohio,

as beneficial to that state as

it

will

This plan would be to construct a canal

it.

\vhich would unite with the lake as near the north-east

corner of the state as

nature

will

permit, and passing

through the great vallies of the Muskingum, the Scioto,

and the Miami,

in a

south-westwardly direction, enter the

Ohio near the south-west corner of the

state.

The com-

missioners appear to be aware of the difficulties they will

have

encounter

to

;

but the data they have already collect-

ed on this subject, are favourable to the execution of the

scheme, and the

if

they should be equally successful during

summer of 1824, in establishing the complete connexion,

they will have the honour of having suggested a course, which, time

;

if it

at present, will

the undisputed benefits

doubt

that,

it

is

impossible

with the great natural advantages which she

possesses,

Ohio will be among the

Vol.

10

I.

be so at a future

which canals have

wherever they have been made,

afforded to

be not adopted

for, after

first to

enlist herself

EXPEDITION TO THE

74

among

the patrons of an extensive system of internal im-

provement. After crossing Loramie's creek two or three times,

we

reached

with the

St.

Mary's

river,

which unites

at

Fort

Joseph to form the Maumee.

St.

his-

which connect themselves with the

torical recollections

section of country through for the little interest

Wayne

The

which

which we it

compensate

travelled,

offers to the naturalist.

To him

nothing can be more annoying than to pass over a marshy,

swampy

country, where no rocks appear in situ, and where

but few boulders are met with

few

in

number, and apparently

spots in

which

their speed

where the animals arc

;

afraid to risk themselves in

would

avail

them but

is true, that the pursuits of the botanist

carried on successfully, in a situation

little.

It

might have been

where an abundant

growth of plants would probably have offered him objects

worthy of

his notice

and

;

this

would have compensated

the rest of the party for the apparently uninteresting character of the country

;

for, in

of ours, the success of each pursuit,

becomes a source of

however, unaccompanied by a

an expedition of the nature individual in his peculiar gratification to

botanist,

we

Being,

all.

found in this

part of Ohio nothing to interest us but the recollection

of the busy scenes of

been enacted

which

all

war which had

in this district.

As

at a

former time

the principal field upon

the military operations of Generals St. Clair,

Wayne, and

Harrison, were conducted, there

cause to dwell with pleasure upon the spot.

is

much

A vast dif-

ference exists, however, between the theatre of an Indian

warfare and that of the military undertakings of civilized nations.

The

descriptions of the spots, upon

latter occur, are so

can be mistaken

;

much more

which the

accurate that they never

while of the former

we seldom know the

75

souiicE OF ST. Peter's river.

exact

the history of the defensive works which

Even

site.

were erected, soon

loses part of its interest

works themselves.

tion of the

by the

destruc-

We read of the deeds done

in the

neighbourhood of Fort Loramie by the French, or

of the

Miami

the ground,

Fort

by

villages

we

find but

but

St. Clair,

if

we

travel over

few traces of these deeds.

At

Mary, which was one of General Harrison's

St.

principal depots in 1813 and

1814,

we

see but the re-

mains of a half-ruined blockhouse, and of a very miserable hut surrounded by pickets, which are

A

search for the

which,

upon which

spots

Clair fought, and

St.

A

conquered. if

will be

we now

sought for by the traveller as unsuccessfully as

Wayne

decay.

fast falling to

few years more and the remains of these works

young growth of trees is rising, by the axe of the forester, will soon of the clearing, made by Wayne for

not levelled

conceal the last traces

the advance of his army, which was pointed out to us as

Wayne's 24th of

heavy

The

road.

May

A

rain.

party arrived in the afternoon of the

Fort

at

St.

Mary,

just in time to avoid a

solitary log-house

marks the spot where

a little village formerly thrived, under the protection of

the French

Mary's

fort,"

erected at this place.

from Fort

Wayne

;

the distance

St.

by land

by water is probably about

one hundred and thirty-eight miles. ble,

on

It stands

river, at a distance of fifty-eight miles

The

river

is

naviga-

during half the year, for large boats, carrying from

one to two hundred barrels

dry seasons, there canoe, and

its

is

course

;

during the rest of the year, in

scarcely water enough in is

it

to float a

very much impeded by driftwood.

A little limestone of a very inferior quality has been found on the river bank, below the

Mary

the soil

places too

is

fort.

From Piqua

wet and swampy

for grain.

to St.

many The weather had

only of second quality, being in

EXPEDITION TO THE

76

become very hot

;

at

noon, Fahrenheit's thermometer stood

Our party began

to

in the

shade at eighty-eight degrees.

suffer

much from the inconvenience of mosquitoes and The entertainment which we

other insects.

received

along the road was observed to become more and more

denote our speedy approach to the

rough, and to of

limits

much

The cotton-wood

civilization.

we

larger as

last

became

tree

advanced. Mr. Say noticed the Papilio

thoas and ajax in great number.

On had

leaving, on the 25th

aflforded us a shelter

May,

to its confluence

coming one

;

with the

in sight of the river

times, according as

we

its

St.

Joseph, occasionally

and keeping

which

this river flows, after

a beautiful dry prairie,

off

from

at

it,

course was a straight or devious

travelled for twelve miles over the

try through

which

Mary, which we followed

us along the banks of the St.

down

the miserable hut

during the storm, our route led

known by

the

swampy

coun-

which we struck

name

prairie, and at eighteen miles from Fort

of Shane's JNIary

St.

crossed the river at a settlement called Shanesville

;

we

both

the prairie and settlement, (which consists of but one fa-

owe

mily,)

their appellation to an interpreter,

who

is

a

half-breed Indian, his father was a Canadian, his mother

an 6't-f a-wa'.* He was employed as an interpreter and spy by General Harrison, during his western campaigns, and considered as having acquitted himself of his duties

is

faithfully

by

on the conclusion of the war he was rewarded

the grant of a section, (six hundred and forty acres,) of

land, •

;

which he has divided

Whenever an

Indian

and pronunciation (')

will

into

word occurs

it

to

lots

;

for the first time, its

he resides orthography

be indicated by using Walker's key. The sign

prefixed to a vowel indicates that

shows

town

it is short, while the sign Q) be long, the unaccented vowels have the usual quantity.

;

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

77

within a short distance of Shanesville on part of his grant.

The

soil

ation

being considered of the best quality, and the

on the river an advantageous one, he has already sold

out some parts of

No man

it.

of the country than Shane is

situ-

great,

;

is

better

his influence

known in this part among the Indians

and he enjoys a high degree of popularity with

whites, founded upon the uniformly good character

the

which he maintained during the war, unbounded confidence reposed

in

and upon

the

him by General Harrison.

He was absent from home at the time we passed there, but we afterwards met with him at Fort Wayne. The late heavy rains had so much swelled the St. Mary that

it

was impossible

— our horses swam

to ford

We

it.

passed

it

in a

canoe

Fourteen miles of bad roads,

across.

leading however through a country remarkable for the excellence of

its soil,

and for

its

fine luxuriant

growth of

white and black oak, beach, hickory, shellbark, &c. brought us to a

new

settlement, where, notwithstanding the badness

of the accommodations, reception.

Near

to

wc were happy to find a hospitable house we passed the state line,

this

which divides Ohio from Indiana.

we met

with no Indians.

diminishingvery rapidly. do not exceed two

In the state of Ohio

Their numbers appear to be

We

were informed that they

thousand, consisting principally of

Ottawas, Miamis, Senecas, Wyandots, &c.

bourhood abounds,

as

we were

and raccoons bears are few, and the panther ;

we

This neigh-

informed, in wolves, deer, is

seldom seen

met with no wild animal whatever, on this part of our

route.

The

distance from this to Fort

Wayne

four miles, without a settlement; the country that

we

scarcely saw an acre of land

ment could be made.

We travelled

is is

twentyso

upon which a

wet

settle-

for a couple of miles

with our horses wading through water, sometimes to the

EXPEDITION TO THE

78

Having found

gii'lh.

from

we

its

colour,

is

a small patch of

known

tame

name

here by the

grass,

(which

of blue-grass,)

attempted to stop and pasture our horses, but this

we

found impossible on account of the immense swarms of mosquitoes, (Culex,) and horseflies, ( Tahaimis,) which

tormented both horses and riders in a manner that excluded

At

all

possibility of rest.

Wayne, wc

a distance of about nine miles from Fort

large ash which had been blown down, the

observed a

had been divided

tree

in two, in part of its length; a small trough

had been excavated

in

it,

in

which an Indian child had been

deposited, the upper segment of the tree had been replac-

ed to cover the corpse, and the whole secured by little

by some white man,

to rob

it

of the

trifles

tenderness of an Indian parent supplies

about to travel to the land of spirits

have been an

infant, for the

Potawatomis,

mode

;

its

though not an universal

These

of disposing of their dead.

arrived at Fort

Columbus

is

Wayne at an

May.

The

to

solid cofiins or

trees.

early hour in the after-

distance from

Wheeling

we Wayne

one hundred and forty miles, which

travelled in six days, that from

amounts

when

informed that among the

this is a frequent,

noon of the 26th of

offspring

the deceased must

rude sarcophages are often suspended in

We

with which the

trough was not more than

We were

twelve inches long.

to

a neat

frame. This rude grave had been torn open, doubtless

one hundred and

Columbus

to

fifty-eight miles,

Fort

which were

same time, making an average of twenty-

performed

in the

five miles

per day.

SOURCE OP

CHAPTER

III.

Wayne and

Description of Fort

79

Peter's river.

ST.

its vicinity.

Fur trade.

Potaivatomis.

AT

Fort

Wayne we made

a stay of three days, during

which our time was usefully and agreeably employed in acquiring some information concerning the manners and institutions of the Indian tribes

To

which inhabit

its

vicinity.

a person visiting the Indian country for the first time,

many characteristic and

this place offered

The town

or village

is

small

;

and contains a

ter of the fort,

worthless population. dian origin, all

The

more or

has

inhabitants are chiefly of Cana-

less

Not being previously aware ter of the inhabitants, the

singular features.

grown under the shelmixed and apparently very it

imbued with Indian

blood.

of the diversity in the charac-

sudden change from an Ameri-

can to a French population, has a surprising, and to say the least,

an unpleasant effect ; for the

first

twenty -four hours,

the traveller fancies himself in a real Babel. sion of languages,

which generally

owing

The

collect near a fort,

is

not removed

intercourse with their half-savage interpreters.

town of this kind

ness of a

differs so

carried on in our cities, that

ourselves

still

disgust which

confu-

to the diversity of Indian tribes

it is

by an

The

busi-

materially from that

almost impossible to fancy

within the same territorial limits; but the

we

entertain at the degraded condition in

which the white man, the descendant of the European, appears,

is

perhaps the strongest sensation which

we

expe-

EXPEDITION TO THE

so rience, his

it

absorbs

all others.

complexion and features,

same

which swell

feelings

man, throwing

To we

see a being in

bosom of every

in the

refined

assume the garb of

his civilized habits to

ofi"

whom, from

should expect to find the

a savage, has something which partakes of the ridiculous,

The awkward and constrainwho had exchanged

as well as of the disgusting.

ed appearance of those Frenchmen

their usual dress for the breech-cloth risible as that of the

Indian

coat of white men.

The

while beholding a

and blanket, was

who assumes feelings

which we experienced

Canadian stooping

little

down

to

pack

up and weigh the hides which an Indian had brought sale,

while the

latter stood in

ture,

were of

mixed and

a

an erect and

dress,

for

commanding pos-

certainly not of a favourable na-

At each unusual motion

ture.

as

the tight-bodied

of the white man's, his

which he had not properly secured, was disturbed,

and while engaged

in restoring

it

to its proper place,

was the butt of the jokes and gibes of and Indian boys, vast difference

who seemed

which

dian Fur-dealer.

exists

The

a

number

he

of squaws

already to be aware of the

between them and the Cana-

village

is

exclusively supported

by

the fur trade, and will probably continue to thrive as long as the Indians

has,

remain

in

any number

however, declined from year

in this vicinity.

to year,

owing

to the

The

traders

gradual diminution of the Indian population.

seldom leave the town, but they have dians in their service,

gages,

known by

who accompany

hunts, supply

a

number of Cana-

the appellation of £^)i-

the Indians during their

them with goods

It

in small quantities,

summer and keep

an eye upon them, so that they should not defraud their employers by selling to others the produce of their hunts. furs brought here consist principally of deer

skins; bear, otter, and beaver, have

The

and raccoon

become very

rare.

The

—

SOURCE OF skins,

when brought by

rolled

;

ST. I'JSTEr's

RIVER.

81

the Indians, nre loosely tied or

they are separated, folded, and made into packs

three feet long and eighteen inches wide, which are ex-

posed to a heavy pressure under a wedge press. packs generally contain from forty to about two hundred raccoon skins.

fifty

These

deer skins, and

Bear skins being

rare,

are not put up in packs, but are used to cover the other

The

furs.

prices of skins vary every season, according to

their quality and abundance.

worth

at

Fort

For Deer,

In 1823, the skins were

Wayne -

(bucks,) (does,)

Raccoon

Bear

-

-

-

-

1

00

^ 3 00

to 5

00

_

_

.

^125

-

-

-

50

-

-

The amount of furs annually made up at this post is, as we were informed by a competent and disinterested judge, about two hundred packs, the average value of which

be

fifty dollars

sand

dollars.

each,

But

may

making an aggregate of ten thou-

this value

is

rather a nominal than a

real one, as the furs are paid for to thf^ Tndinns at the prices

just quoted, in goods

which are passed

off to

them

at a

value at least double the amount of prime cost and expense of transportation.

So that to the dealer the

real

expense

attending the purchase of the furs does not amount to onehalf of their nominal value.

the

They

are usually sent

down

Maumee to Lake Erie, and thence to Detroit, where they

are for the most part purchased

when we

pany.

At

number

of Indians there

the time

by the American Fur Comvisited Fort

was considerable.

Wayne,

This

is

the

one of

the stations at which the Potawatomis, Miamis, &c. re-

The

ceive their annuities.

late

was on the point of leaving the

Indian agent, Mr. Hays,

post, previously to

he was desirous of paying them an annuity^ but

Vol.

I.

11

this

which being

THK

EXPKDITIOiV TO

82

the time of the year

when they

'

attend to their farming

avocations, the chiefs had used their influence to keep their

people from going to the

fort.

This delay prevented the

immediate distribution of the annuity, and offered

to

the most idle and worthless of the tribes an inducement

and an excuse for frequenting the town. Fort Wayne, site

as

it

by General Wayne is

now stands, was

erected in 1814, on the

of the old fort, the situation of which had been selected after his victory

a square palisade, protected at

over the Indians.

two of

its

The fort

houses, calculated to be defended with artillery. is

It

angles by block

considered as a good specimen of stockade fortification,

which answers very well

An

as a defence in Indian warfare.

which these works

improvement which

it

do not

that of giving to the roofs of the bar-

present,

all

is

possesses, and

racks and other buildings enclosed

by the

palisade an

inclination in one direction only, and this towards the area

of the

work

;

the advantage of which

is

to afford to the

besieged a protection against their assailants,

when

forced

to ascend the roofs, in order to put out fires occasioned

arrows conveying combustibles to the tops of houses,

by

as is

The fort lies on the east Mary river, immediately opposite to its junction St. Joseph. On the other side of the Maumee we

frequently practised by the Indians. side of St.

with the

were shown the spot rendered conspicuous by the defeat of General Harmer's army

in 1791.

This might,

more

correctly be called Harden's defeat, as

of

furnished both

it

by Marshall and Ramsay,

that the detachment that

was cut

we

think,

by the account it

appears

up was commanded by

Colonel Harden.* Indeed, the whole of the country about the upper part of the

Grand Miami and Maumee, (generally

• Marshall's life of

Washington, Vol.

3. p.

302.

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

war the Miami and Miami of

called in the history of that

the lake,)

is

war

interesting, as being the theatre of the

which raged from 1791

by the

83

to 1794,

great victory achieved

when

a stop

was put to

it

by General Wayne over the

confederated Indian nations, on the 20th of August of that

This

year.

may

be considered as one of the most

memo-

rable events in our history, since the close of the revolu-

tionary war, as

it

was obtained

which had been erected

at the

in front of a British fort

Maumee

rapids evidently

for the protection of the Indians.

General Wayne's victory was soon followed by the treaty of Greenville, concluded by him in the succeeding year; a treaty " by which the expensive and destructive war

which had long desolated

manner

The

that frontier,

was ended

in a

perfectly agreeable to the United States."

situation of

Fort

Wayne was considered

at the

time

of that treaty, as a favourable one to keep the Indians in

check, and prevent the recurrence of the hostile measures wiiich terminated in that treaty.

It

was one of the most

which was drawn along the

advanced posts of the cordon

western limits of Ohio for the protection of the It

must be admitted that

for a

work

position

its

of this kind, although

per in a war with an

enemy

it

frontiers.

a very judicious

one would be very improis

possessed of artillery, as

commanded by

several eminences in the vicinity.

the late war,

was besieged

it

for

it is

During

some time by the Indians,

and a few men were killed on both

sides.

The

garrison

having made resistance, the Indians cut a log into the

form of a

field-piece, painted

it

black, and placed

one of the heights within gunshot of the

summoned

it

on

they then

the garrison to surrender. Although aware that

all resistance

command

fort;

against artillery

refused to

would be vain, the

comply with the summons.

officer in

When the

S4

EJfPEDITION TO THE-

Indians finding their i^use de guerre to be unsuccessful, raised the siege.

No is

garrison

is

at present

kept up

and

this place,

at

it

probable that even in the case of a future war, this post

like

many

others, formerly considered of great importance,

will be so surrounded with a white population, as to render

any military force

now

offer

The works

in its vicinity unnecessary.

a comfortable and suitable residence to the gen-

tlemen attached to the Indian department. The removal of the garrison, and the decrease of the fur trade, will proba-

bly affect for a while the growth of the settlement. will eventually tled

from

its

resume the importance

advantageous situation

which

to

The

it

enti-

as a central point at

;

which three respectable streams connect, the seat of an extensive trade.

But

it is

it

must become

Mary

St.

being navi-

gable during part of the year for one hundred and thirty niiles,

the St. Joseph

for fifty

Maumee

and the

miles,

offering during the spring, to boats carrying three barrels, a free navigation along the

Lake

whole of

hundred

course to

its

Erie, (one hundred and sixty miles,) a considerable

quantity of produce will necessarily pass at prosperity of the town will be increased

Wayne.

The

by the arrange-

ments made by the government of the United

States for

the sale of the public land in the vicinity.

At the time we

we were

the land about

passed through,

informed that

the village, and even that upon which propert}^,

all

it

stands,

was public

but that orders had been issued to

sell

the

whole, with the exception of about thirty acres near the fort,

which were reserved

for the use of the Indian agency.

This accounted for the mean appearance of the houses, which are of log, rudely put up, the roofs being

kept down by logs. in building

made of clap

l^oards

No person felt inclined to lay out money

on property which could not be

sold.

The

point

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

of land upon which the

town stands appears

and of an inferior quality, but

quarter section, ed,

(

would yield

1

and

sell well,

60

acres,)

It

a

was thought

it

very ex-

was expected that that the

upon which the town

at public sale ten

were somewhat surprised

be sandy,

to

we were told that

cellent soil prevailed in the vicinity.

the property would

85

is situat-

Wc

thousand dollars.

to find that the inhabitants of the

town expressed no dissatisfaction at the prospect of the sale of a property upon which they had been residing, free

many

of rent, for so

was raised

years, and that not the least question

by

as to the justice or propriety of a measure,

which they were about

to be dispossessed of the small im-

provements which had been made by their fathers and themselves.

But the population of Wayne partakes

in this

respect of the indifference and carelessness that characterize the

two races from the admixture of which they

have sprung.

A circumstance

to the future prosperity of

mencement of the

will add considerably

is its

being

short portage of eight miles

Maumee from

rates the

which

Wayne,

the Wabash.

An

at the

com-

which sepa-

extensive trade

has already been carried on through this route, and as offers the

it

most direct communication between the head of

Lake Erie and the northern less daily increase in

parts of Indiana,

it

will doubt-

importance.

In the vicinity of Fort Wayne, on the west bank of the river,

we were shown

where "

Little Turtle"

most celebrated Indian

His character

among

is

a small tree

growing on the spot

was

This was one of the

bui'ied.

chiefs ever

well remembered

known by the

to

white men.

old residents

the Indians, and from the accounts which have been

given of him,

we

find but

few names on record

in the hishis.

His

character will contrast advantageously with those of

King

tory of Indian chiefs that can be compared with

EXPEDITION TO THE

86

The

Tecumseh.

Philip, Pontiac, and

influence

which he

appears to have possessed over the Indians was unbounded.

Under facts

these circumstances,

connected with his

describes as

From

1798.

life

He

with care.

collected

it is

to be regretted that all the

and character, have not been the

is

same

whom Volney

having met with in Philadelphia

in

the year

the abstract furnished us by this able traveller

of the conversations which he had with Little Turtle and

with his interpreter, captain Wells,

we

are led to form a

very high opinion of the sound philosophy, and excellent

judgment possessed by

we to

this chief.

can entertain no doubt, since

him

is

Of his it is

military talents

well ascertained that

chiefly to be ascribed the success

which the In-

dians met with during the years 1791 and 1792. Like King Philip,

Tecumseh, &c. he

said to

is

have entertained

at

one time the hope of forming an extensive coalition among the Indians, with a view to retrieve the soil of which they

had been so unjustly deprived

;

but meeting with

which he probably foresaw would be

more

difficulties

invincible, he, with

foresight than either of those chiefs, soon discovered

that the

day

for such

measures had long since passed away,

and that the only advisable course, which remained for his nation to adopt, would be to

make peace with

the invaders,

and endeavour to improve by their superior information. In this manner he succeeded in rescuing them from that destruction, to

which King Philip and Tecumseh were

hurrying on their brethren,

became victims

to the

mental in producing. itself

at the

time that they themselves

wars which they had been instruDoubtless his great spirit flattered

with the hope, that by an advancement in the arts of

civilized

life,

his brethren

which they seemed

to be

would regain

that importance

on the point of losing for ever.

His mind had predicted the awful consequences of the op-

SOURCE OP preach of white men. "

Peter's river.

ST.

No wonder,"

87

said he, " the whites

drive us every year further and further before them, from

They

the sea to the JVIississippi.

ket

and

;

we

greatly change, the red

How

spread like

oil

on a blan-

melt like snow before the sun. If things do not

men

will disappear

very shortly."

well-founded this apprehension has proved, and

rapidly the prediction has been

of every traveller to the west

attest.

Little Turtle died in the year at that

time

is

very much

to

how

verified, let the experience

1804 or 1805, and

his death

be regretted, as the attach-

ment which he had contracted for the American nation had become so great, that it is presumed he would have used his influence,

which was very

great, to

prevent the Indians

of that vicinity from joining the British during the late

war

and no doubt can be entertained that a peaceful

;

by

policy, if supported

a

man

of his weight,

would have

prevailed.

The

naturalists to the expedition

being aware that few

or no skulls of Indians exist in the collections of our Atlantic cities,

were desirous of procuring some, and among

others they would have been pleased to obtain that of this celebrated chief

It

would, in their opinion, have been in-

teresting to observe,

would

have afforded

whether the examination of

any support

uncertain, science of Phrenology.

to the

The

head

as yet

principal traits

which have been collected of the character of tle,

this

new, and

Little

Tur-

might have been compared with the developements of

the brain, and this comparison would perhaps have led to

some interesting results. They were likewise in hopes, that by disintering it they might have rescued, (for a while at least,)

men

from

Avho, to

final

decay, the head of one of the greatest

our knowledge, have adorned the character of

the American aborigines.

But upon consulting with the

EXPEDITION TO THE

88

gentlemen of the Indian department, they found that

memory tion,

of Little Turtle was so

and the

friends

visits

much revered by

tlie

his na-

of Indians to the grave of departed

were so frequent, that such an attempt could not

pass unnoticed, and that this apparent sacrilege less irritate

them, and might lead

would doubt-

to unpleasant consequences.

The hope of obtaining this head was therefore abandoned. The expedition was as kindly treated as they could have wished, by the gentlemen attached to the Indian depart-

ment

at this place.

agent,) and

the

General Tipton, (the present Indian

Mr. Hays,

facilities in their

them

(the late agent,) afforded

power

;

and

to

all

Mr. Kercheval, the

sub-agent, they are under great obligations for the infor-

mation which his long experience of the Indians, and his acquaintance with their language enabled nicate.

him

to

commu-

In order to afford to the party an opportunity of ob-

taining the best information, General Tipton sent for one

of the principal chiefs in that vicinity, with

whom

they

conversed for two days.

The name

of this

man

is

Wt-V^-i', (which signifies in

the Potawatomi language, Kiss me. J

He was

represented

to us as being the greatest chief of the nation

;

we

had,

however, an opportunity of ascertaining afterwards, that he is not the principal chief, but that he has, by his talents as a warrior,

and his eloquence

as an orator, obtained con-

siderable influence in the councils of his nation.

He may

be considered as a partisan, who, by his military achievements, has secured to himself the command of an independent

tribe.

He resides

above Fort Wayne,

at

on the

St.

Joseph, about nine miles

an Indian village called Mus-kwa-

of the old red wood creek. J Being a chief of distinction, he came accompanied by his brother as his rank required that he should be assisted by

w'a-s'^-p'e-o'-t'^n, {tow}i

;

SOURCE OF

some one

to light his pipe,

as always devolve

man

ST.

Peter's river.

89

and perform such other duties

upon attendants. Metea appears

of about forty or forty-five years of age

blooded Potawatomi

his stature

;

is

he

;

to be a a full-

is

about six feet ; he has

a forbidding aspect, by no means deficient in dignity; his features are strongly marked, and expressive of a

and tyrannical disposition

most of the Potawatomis

by

terized

;

whom we met with,

are small, elongated, and black

slight

he

His hair

to about 80°.

like

charac-

his eyes

;

is

angle

facial

black, and indicates a

tendency to curl; his cheek bones are remarkably

high and prominent, even for those of an Indian not,

is

;

they are not set widely

;

low and receding; the

is

haughty

dark

is

a low, aquiline, and well-shaped nose

apart; his forehead

amounts

complexion

his

;

they are

however, angular, but present very distinctly the

rounded appearance which distinguishes the aboriginal

American from the lip

Asiatic.

prominent; there

owing

to his

and to a scar first

is

His mouth

is

upper

large, the

something unpleasant in his looks,

opening one of his eyes wider than the other,

which he has upon the wing of

inspection, his countenance

his nostril.

would be considered

On

as ex-

pressive of defiance and impetuous daring, but upon closer scrutiny,

it is

found rather to announce obstinate constancy

©f purpose, and sullen fortitude.

We

behold in him

characteristics of the Indian warrior to perfection.

all

the

If ever

an expression of pity or of the kinder affections belonged to his countenance,

it

has been driven

away by

the scenes

of bloodshed and cruelty through which he has passed.

His dress was old and somewhat have been arranged upon of care ;

it

dirty, but appeared to

his person

with no small degree

consisted of leather leggings buttoned on the

outside, a breech-cloth of blue broadcloth,

checkered shirt over

Vol.

I.

it

13

;

and a short

the whole was covered with a

EXPEDITION TO THE

90

was secured round his waist by a belt, and hung not ungracefully from his shoulders generally concealing his right arm, which is rendered useless and somewhat withered, from a wound received during the late war, blanket, which

;

when he

attacked with a small party of Indians, the force

that Avas advancing to the relief of Fort

was

Wayne.

His face

carefully painted with vermillion round his left eye.

hung behind him

feathers, coloured without taste,

Four

secured to a string, which was tied to a lock of his hair. In

our second interview with him, he wore a red and white

was covered with other orna-

feather in his head, that

ments equally deficient likeness of him,

by

all

w^ho

in

taste.

Mr. Seymour took

which was considered

knew Metea.

a

a

very striking one,

(Plate III.)

The chief was accompanied by his brother, who is much younger and resembles him, but whose features indicate a more amiable and

We

interesting disposition.

that during the interview, the latter treated

much

respect, always preparing

observed,

Metea with

and lighting his pipe, and

never interfering in the conversation, unless when addressed

by

the chief.

On

entering the

room where

the gentlemen

of the party were, Metea shook hands with the agent, but

took no notice of the rest of the company, until General

Tipton had explained to him, through his interpreter, the the objects of his great father, the

nature of the expedition

;

President, in sending

among

it

the Indians

and the infor-

;

mation which would be expected from him

;

he informed

him likewise that his time and trouble would be suitably rewarded. The chief then arose from his seat, shook hands with all who were present, told them that he would very willingly reply to usage, he that

all

was bound

their questions, but that according to to repeat to his nation all the questions

would be asked, and the

replies

which he would make;

\

"•^--^1,,-i*-*'^

SOURCE OF that there

were

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

certain points,

91

however, on which he could

give no information, without having

first

obtained the

formal consent of his community ; that on those subjects

he would remain

silent,

while to

with cheerfulness, and that

after

all

others he

would reply

they should have conclud-

ed their inquiries, he would likewise ask them some

upon points which he thought concerned his

questions, nation,

and

reply.

He

to

which he trusted they would

then resumed his

intelligence,

seat,

in like

manner

and answered with much,

and with a remarkable degree of patience,

all

the questions which were asked of him.

The Potawatomis, whose name selves, is

making

P6-ta-w^a-t6'-me, (in

fire,")

as

sounded by them-

their language,

"

we

are

appear to be connected not only by language

but also by their manners, customs and opinions, with the

numerous nations of Algonquin origin. all these nations bear evident marks of

of

and

in

some

a

The languages common origin,

cases appear only to be dialects of the

same

tongue; and although diversities of dress and of dialect distinguish them, their customs and usages are evidently, for

the most part, the same. Their traditions as to their origin are

very uncertain. They believe that the first meeting between them and the Miamis occurred at a time not very remote.

The Potawatomis Of their

gan.

first

resided on the banks of

Lake Michi-

meeting with the Miamis, the following

tradition appears to be fresh in the recollection of is

all.

It

said that a Miami, having wandered out from his cabin,

met three Indians whose language was unintelligible to him by signs and motions he invited them to follow him to his cabin, where they were hospitably entertained, and where they remained until dark. During the night, two ;

of the strange Indians stole from the hut, while their com-

rade and host were asleep; they took a few embers from

EXPEDITION TO THE

93

the cabin, and placing these near the door of the hut,

they made a

mi and council

From

which, being afterwards seen by the Mia-

token of peace between the two nations.

in

fire

this

fire

remaining guest, was understood to imply a

his

circumstance the

Miami

them

called

in his

language, W^a-h^6-n^-h3., or the fire-makers, w^hich being

term by

translated into the other language, produced the

which

All

ever since been distinguished.*

this nation has

the Indians of this part of the country recognise their alliance

with the Delaware Indians,

whom

their forefathers, applying to

them

they seem to consider as

in councils the appellation

of" Grand Fathers," and recognising their right of interfering and of deciding in

last resort in all their national

cerns. This right extends,

however, only so

far as to

their approbation necessary to the adoption of

Should

ant measure.

it

con-

make

any import-

be withheld, the matter

is

again

referred to the nations for consideration, in their separate councils,

and should they persevere in the measure,

would bring on

it

a separation of the alliance, and the nation

refusing to submit to the decision of their grandfathers

would be considered

as strangers.

however, recorded, and racter of

all

it is

No

such instance

is,

a remarkable trait in the cha-

Indian institutions, as far as

we have

observed,

that the principle of the binding influence of the will of

the majority

unknown. In

is

all

their decisions,

must be obtained, and very seldom

fails to

unanimity

be procured.

Firmness of purpose and an invincible perseverance in plans against national enemies, seems with

•

This

them

to

all

be

tradition, together with a considerable part of the circum-

stances which

we

shall

embody

in

the following pages, was obtained

from the Agent's Interpreter, Mr. Joseph Barron, a man whose long residence

among

the Indians, extensive acquaintance with

racter, together with his

upon

all

their cha-

unimpeachable veracity, confer much value

the information obtained from him.

SOURCE OP

PETER

ST.

united to a great spirit of conciliation

and

93

RIVER.

S

among

themselves,

to an indifference as to the final result of

any measure

The

success of a

which they advocate

in their councils.

measure depends altogether upon the personal influence of

man who brings it forward. If he be one whom they deem wise in their generation, or if he be supposed to be the

with supernatural

gifted

talents,

suggestions without opposition,

if

they will yield to

his.

on the contrary he be pos-

sessed of but little weight, he meets with no support, and his

good sense probably induces him

When

the

applied to

Miamis

them the

to relinquish his

scheme.

met with the Potawatomis, they of younger brothers but this was

first

title

;

afterwards changed, and their seniority acknowledged,

from the circumstance that they resided further west ;

as those nations

deemed more

are

which reside

ancient.

of the two nations, held

ing

to the

to the

west of others

This was settled in a council

some time

after their first

meet-

the Potawatomis being at present acknowledged

;

and styled elder brothers, and the Miamis younger brothers

but the council

:

By some

mis.

tion of the fire

cil

it is

fire is

always held with the Mia-

mentioned, that they have no recollec-

Potawatomis having ever

assisted at

any coun-

but one, which was held on the St. Joseph, (of

Lake Michigan?) and

at

which the Chippewas, Potawato-

mis, and Ottowas were present.*

*

This statement

is

taken from a valuable manuscript of observations

concerning the Indians, communicated to the party by Dr. Hall,

we

Surgeon U.

S.

A.

Thomas

visited that post. His opportunities of obtaining information

sucli, as to

render

liis

were

notes valuable, and they are particularly so in

the medical parts, from which

we have made many

extracts.

As the

observations, which he made, relate principally to the Potawatomis,

has been thought proper to connect them with those

Wayne.

P.

Dr. Hall was stationed at Chicago at the time

made

at

it

Fort

EXPEDITION TO THE

y4 Their notions of ple kind

they believe

;

appear to be of the most sim-

reliji;ion

of an only God,

in the existence

whom

they term Ka-sh'4-ma-ne-t'6, or Great

means

great,

The

and Maneto an

epithet of

Kasha

irresistible

never applied to any other word,

is

but as connected with the Supreme Being. highly indecorous to apply

Yet

other visible object. plied to a

good man,

expression,

also an Evil Spirit,

is,

his

good

Great

more

force to the

with those

qualities

They

Spirit.

recognise

whom they call Mat-ch^a-ma-ne-f 6, (from

matcha, which signifies bad.) is

any

few instances, ap-

in a

in order to give

to the

would be

It

to a house, a horse, or

it

it

by connecting

which they ascribe

Kasha

Spirit.

almighty being.

not restricted in

its

This unfavourable epithet

application, but

pleasant or disagreeable

Good

selves as indebted to the

from the south, while the

evil

is

extended

They

objects.

un-

warm winds

Spirit for the

one sends the cold winds

The Matchamaneto

and storms of the north.

to all

consider them-

resides in

the cold regions of the north, where the sun never shines.

The Kashamaneto, on

the contrary, dwells at the " mid-

Their worship appears to be princi-

day-sun's place."

pally addressed to the Evil Spirit,

whom

they think

it

ex-

pedient to propitiate ; the good one needing no prayers, for his natural

and protect

tions; neither Spirit can in cases,

goodness

any manner

it

always induce him to

being reminded of

as

in a

when

displease the Good. afflicted

by

the suggestion of one

them

to

to the

Evil

In certain

offer a sacrifice of livis

generally done at

who

calls all

his views,

and ap-

of the chiefs or leaders,

the warriors together, explains to

assist

his peti-

with disease, or when,

dream, they will

ing animals to the Kashamaneto. This

points one of

it

do they believe that their prayers

however,

impelled to

Avill

man without

them

go in search of a buck, to another

;

SOURCE OF

ST.

peter's rtver.

he commits the killing of a raccoon,

some other animal

to be killed

to a third

first

buck which they

in this situation, so that

Great

Spirit.

buck.

Upon

kill,

upon

may

it

Any other

a

meet and fasten it

serve as a sacrifice to the

animal would answer as well as a

the remainder of the chase they

The

allots

high pole, and leave

having boiled the animal, they partake of the Great Spirit.

he

and when they have been

;

successful in their respective hunts, they

the

95

it

feast.

in the

object of these sacrifices

is

After

name

of

to obtain

luck in their pursuits, whether of hunting or fighting; these /easts are generally .singing, &c.

sacrifices is

accompanied with prayers, dancing,

The only

when they have

period

regular

during the winter and spring of the year

which time, many of the warriors give

feasts

;

;

at

each selects

him best, and invites such guests as he Having assembled them all, he rises, takes

the time that suits

thinks proper.

a sort of tambourine, formed by fastening a piece of skin or

parchment upon a frame, he beats upon

this

and addresses

himself to the divinity, accompanying his invocation by

many violent gestures. They have no set form of prayer when he has concluded, he resumes his seat, hands over the tambourine to another, who proceeds in the same manner. They have regular songs, which they sing together

No

on such occasions.

other music

is

ever used but that

of the tambourine.*

•

Among

the Shawanese there

is

a solemn festival called the green

corn dance, which resembles the offering of the

ed

to the Israelites.

This practice

Cherokees, and other southern

dual's corn

of the

It is said,

may

festival.

be,

that

but

live in

among

first fruits

as enjoin-

among the Creeks, unknown to the Potawa-

said to exist

tribes,

tomis and other nations, which

Shawanese.

is

is

the

neighbourhood of the

the latter, however ripe an indivi-

he w ill not pluck

it

until after the

celebration

EXPEDITION TO THE

96

Among the

Potawatomis polygamy

but even encouraged

a

;

man

times four, according to his

The number that

two or more wives, some-

skill

and success as a hunter.

of wives which an Indian keeps,

which he can support and maintain

has many,

is

not only allowed,

is

has

is

equal to

he, therefore, that

;

respected as being abetter or a

more favoured

hunter than he that has but one wife. Dr. Hall observes that

polygamy that

exists in the proportion of twenty-five per cent,

some men have

man was known attentive to

to

three, four, or five wives,

have

eight.

They appear

the proper education to be given

dren, in order to impart to

mind and body, which

them those

shall enable

and one very

to be to

chil-

qualities both of the

them

to endure fatigue

and privation, and to obtain an influence, either

in the

counsels of the nation, or during their military operations.

When

questioned on this subject, Metea replied, that while

he was yet very young, his father began

and incessantly, day

and night

after day,

to instruct

him,

after night, taught

him the traditions, the laws and ceremonies of his nation. "This he did," said Metea, "that I might one day benefit my country with my counsel." The education of boys generally

commences

at ten or

twelve years of age

;

they

accustom them early to the endurance of cold, by making

them bathe every morning

in winter.

They

likewise encour-

age them to habituate themselves to the privation of food.

In this manner, children are observed to acquire, more readily, the qualifications to possess.

which

it is

desirable for an Indian

Parents use no compulsory means to reduce

their children to obedience, but they generally succeed in

obtaining a powerful influence over them, by acting upon their fears; they tell

them

that if they do not behave

them-

selves as they are bid, that they will irritate the Great Spirit,

who

will deprive

them of

ajl

luck as hunters, and as war-

3

SOURCE OF

Peter's river.

ST.

97

This, together with the constant and never ceasing

riors.

importance, which the children observe, that their parents attribute to luck in all their pursuits,

desired effect upon

is

found to have the

minds of young persons,

the

with the ambition of becoming distinguished, ture day,

by

their skill and success.

ed by the ceremony of smearing their

To

charcoal.

effect this,

it,

morning, keeping face

some

fu-

mark-

faces, hands, &c.

with

it

to their necks,

they

and rub themselves with the coal every it

No person, whose

on until after sunset.

blackened, dare eat or drink any thing during that

is

time; whatever

must

at

fasts are

they take a piece of wood of the

length of the finger, and suspend

char one end of

Their

fired

may wash

may

be the cravings of his appetite, he

until the

evening arrives, when he

off his black paint,

and indulge, moderately, in

restrict

them

the use of food.

The next morning he repeats the ceremony

of blackening his face, and continues it from day to day, until the whole of his piece of

wood be cunsumed, which gene-

rally takes place in the course of

from ten

to

twelve days.

After this term, they either suspend their mortifications, or continue

seem

them according

to require.

From

as the exigencies of the case

the information which was com-

municated by the interpreter and others,

it

does not ap-

pear that, in any one instance, have the Indians ever been

known

to break their fasts,

whatever

may have

been the

temptation to which they were exposed ; so powerful, indeed,

would

is

their superstitious dread of that

ill

luck,

which

attach to a transgression of their rules, that

children have been, in vain, tempted to take food

the houses of traders, parents

;

in all cases

even

when

at

and beyond the control of their

they have declined

it

;

neither does

it

appear that, during, those seasons of mortification, they indulge after sunset, in any unreasonable gratification of their

VoT-

I.

1

98

EXPEDITION TO THE

appetite

;

in this respect, therefore, they

more

consistent than the

their

Ramadan

ries in

or

lent lasts, to

which they indulge

painful restrictions imposed

make up by

while

said

the debauche-

the night time,

in

for the

upon them during the day, by

the precepts of their prophet.

which

prove themselves

Mahometans, who are

will prevent an Indian,

The same apprehensions whether man or boy, from

tasting food, while covered with his coating of charcoal,

him

will not allow

to shorten the

consuming the piece of wood too use

it

sparingly, he

which he invests

it,

is

term of his penance by hastily.

certain that the

he does not

If

charm or virtue wnth

will be dispelled. In addition to these

upon

mortifications, the Indian attempts to impress

his off-

spring a permanent and unshaken belief in the existence

of a Great Spirit, ruler of the universe, whose attributes

men, and a

are kindness to all

their afflictions

grateful to

him

is

:

desire of relieving

the necessity of doing

morning and evening. is

that

It

instructs his sons, both

does not appear that the same

extended to the religious principles of females.

never heard of their joining in

fasts

as they

We

or mortifications;

they are not allowed to take a part in the public

and

may be

often recurred to, in those exhortations

by which every Indian parent care

all

them from

sacrifices,

have no concern in the noble occupations of war

or the chase,

it

probably matters but

little

they are agreeable in the sight of the Great

inducement which they have

to

pray

is,

whether or not Spirit.

The only

that they

may

continue to hold a place in the afFectionsof their husbands; but, as

upon

this point the

men are quite indifferent,

it

would

appear to them unworthy of their superior rank in creation, if

they were to bestow a thought upon the subject.

Among

the

men

own many

of their

presented as indulging in

tribe, these Indians are re-

of the virtues

which have

SOURCE OF

PETER

ST.

long been considered as peculiar to

S

RIVER.

man

99

in a state of civili-

Children incapacitated from labour, or exertion,

zation.

by accident or deformity, are

dom

allowed to

forts

which the

disgraceful in a

suffer,

rest of the

man,

carefully attended to, and sel-

from a privation of any of the comtribe enjoy.

to inflict

or unprotected person.

considered

It is

any injury upon a helpless

In a few instances,

children born deformed have been

is

it

said, that

destroyed by

tlieir

mothers, but these instances are rare, and whenever discovered, uniformly bring them into disrepute, and are nqt

unfrequently punished by some of the near relations.

dependent of these

cases,

which are but

of infanticide, by single trigue,

women,

rare, a

In-

few instances

in order to conceal in-

have been heard of; but they are always

ti-eated

with abhorrence. In like manner when going out on hunt-

known

ing excursions, elderly parents have been

to be

abandoned, or exposed to a certain death, but these were likewise rare cases, which

may

be considered as always

carrying with them a severe punishment by the utter con-

tempt and detestation

were

nied that

it

to raise us

that

we

in

which those who committed them

When

held.

questioned upon this point, Metea dehappened ; " as they have taken pains ever had

when we were young,"

said he, "

it

is

but fair

should return this care to them in their old age."

Instances have

however occurred even among the Pota-

watomis one of which took place on the Milwacke, when ;

a decrepid old

from

that place,

woman, who had no horse to remove her was burned by them. In painful and vio-

lent diseases, Indians are sometimes killed at their

own

re-

quest, and afterwards burned to prevent contagion or the

disease falling

upon another.

Their attentions

sons, and their respect towards them, as

one of the virtues

in

may

to old per-

be considered

which they pride themselves most,

;

100

EXPEDITION TO THE

and one of those which they exercise most frequently. To ideots they likewise generally extend a kind and

By

treatment.

with tenderness

humane

their relations, ideots are always treated ;

but the idle and foolish,

who

are not con-

nected with them, though they never abuse, will some-

times ridicule them

ment

to

in

;

this respect imitating the treat-

which they are so inhumanly, yet

so frequently ex-

among civilized nations. There are some persons among them who think that ideots are possessed of more intellect than they make show of, and who believe them to be endowed with much intelligence, but by none are they held in the light of sorcerers. The posed, from the unthinking, even

same opinion

is

are supposed

by some

likewise entertained of insane persons,

this opinion is not,

to hold converse

who

with the Deity Care

however, universally adopted.

is

taken in the physical education of the Potawatomi from his earliest age, that his

the head

;

body should be

straight and well-

however made to change the shape of observations which have been made on this the

formed, no attempt

is

by various travellers, apply only to certain nations, one of which is designated by the term of Flat-heads, and subject

it is

highly incorrect to consider them as general.

shape of the head

is

one of the features which

in the discrimination of the various tribes.

The

assists

most

It is at least

as easy for a person well acquainted with the Indians, to

distinguish between the different nations, as

white

men

to observe differences

that inhabit

Europe

;

to an Indian

his long habits of scrutiny have

ticing differences

said Little Turtle, feet, are all to

this is

We

even

among

easier, as

made him quick

which would escape the

practised observers. "

it is

between the various races

attention of less

know every tribe

"the shape, colour,

at no-

at first sight,"

legs, knees,

us certain marks of distinction."

and

SOURCE OF

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

101

If in the intercourse of the Potavvatomi with his

own

feelings

tribe,

we

many

observe

which adorn mankind

men

of

of the virtues and finer

we

in all situations,

have,

unfortunately, cause to regret that in his conduct towards

other nations he appears under very disadvantageous colours.

To

a stranger,

if

he be not an enemy,

it is

he will extend the most unrestricted hospitality

;

true that his prin-

ciples as well as his habits of life prevent his greeting him,

or joining him in conversation ral spirit

reception,

is

;

but

him

can do, to secure to

In

cordially done.

all

enemy

libe-

his actions, words,

motions, the stranger must however take heed veal himself to be an

most

that the

all

a friendly and fraternal

lest

and

he re-

for in that case, not the bread

;

that they have been breaking together, nor the tobacco of

which they have both smoked, nor the sacred laws of hospitality, could protect the guest

from the

which him by the enemy, or that of sacrifice

the Potawatomi considers as enjoined upon

paramount obligation of destroying

wherever he may meet with him.

his nation,

ing of hatred and resentment against

they are

his

at

Their

nations with

feel-

which

war, has led them to deeds, from the recital of

which we shrink none more

all

in

disgust.

horrible, and

Among

these

there

is

on the subject of which so much

difference of opinion has existed, as that of cannibalism, as-

cribed to them by numerous travellers. serted, in plain terms,

America

•

The

watomis,

some "

I

;*

fact is

but

it

by some of the

We

find

oldest writers

it

as-

upon

has been brought into question by many,

which we advance here of the cannibalism of the Potanew as regards the North American Indians, though

not

travellers

may have

asserted

it

not to exist

among them.

think," says Hennepin, " that the Neros and Maximians of old

never invented greater cruelties to

test the patience of martyrs, than

the torments to which the Iroquois expose their enemies.

And

102

EXPEDITION TO THE

who, having never

visited the Indians,

have been

influ-

enced by a laudable incredulity, springing doubtless from a justifiable wish to close their eyes and ears against evi-

dence which bears so hardly upon human nature.

With

these feelings the gentlemen of the expedition

heard

first

the reports of the anthropophagy of the Potawatomi, and

yielded but an unwilling ear to every thing that could in-

duce a belief

in the existence of this disgusting trait in the

Truth compels them

character of the north-west Indians.

however

to assert, that the reports

which they have

re-

ceived on this subject were so frequent, so circumstantial,

when we saw slave

whom

cruelties,

this

man

chief,

that their children

their parents

were

cutting- slices of flesh

from the

had murdered with the most unheard of

and that these young anthropophagi were eating the in

own

our

presence,

we withdrew from

flesh of

the hut of the

and we would eat with them no longer, and

we

retraced

our steps through forests to Niagara river." (page 40,) and again,

in

page 304. •*

In this confusion

it

was not

difiicult for

the Iroquois, united with

the Miamis, to carry away about eight hundred slaves, both

These anthropophagi

and young men.

men

of the Illinois nation, and burned a few others

strength enough to follow

them

than four hundred leagues distant."

He however makes ?)

to be so inhuman, and not to partake of la

who had

whom he human

an excep-

" not

asserts,

flesh."

not

more

to the country of tlie Iroquois,

tion in favour of the Nadiousioux, (Sioux

Description de

women

eat immediately several old

(Page 68.

Louisianne, &c. &c. par le K. P. Louis Hennepin,

&c. Paris. 1683. 12mo.)

Even Adair, who may be considered subject, in the

same page

in

as the great skeptic

which he rejects the charge

one, states that he could not learn "that they had eaten

only the heart of the enemy, which they for blood,) in order to inspire

heart of an

enemy

fore mentioned,

my," &c.

all

on

this

as a false

human

flesh,

do sympathetically, (blood

them with courage." •••»«« To eat the

will, in their opinion, like

eating other things be-

communicate and give greater heart against the ene-

Page 135.

History of the American Indians, by James

Adair, Esq. London, 17'74. 4to.

SOURCE OF

103

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

and derived from such respectable sources, that any concealment of

or

it,

any apparent

incredulity

on their

Even

the most

would be a dereliction of duty.

part,

incredulous of the party, or those disposed to entertain the most favourable opinion of the Indians, were at last

compelled

acknowledge that

to

doubt on the subject had

all

They have been

been removed from their minds.

whether they had ever been present they have heard

it

asserted

by

such a

at

asked,

feast,

and

respectable persons, that

nothing but the autoptical observation of the travellers could induce them to place any credit in this imputed canniit may be replied that, travelling as they when the Indians were comparatively in a of peace, when few and but accidental hostilities had

balism

;

to this

did, at a time state

occurred between them, and these always the route which they pursued

it

;

from

at a distance

could not be expected

that they should have been themselves eye witnesses to

But

these infamous orgies.

if it

can be adduced in support

of their assertion, that the fact has the Indians themselves,

deed, that ters

it

by those

are connected to

who have

time

it

if

it,

its

to be of the

interpre-

the

are them-

names of the individuals

can be mentioned,

if

having been observed

same

among

nation, and

the addiat several

those Indians

who

who

speak dialects

of the same language be taken into consideration, facts

who

declare having been present

thousands of miles distance, but

known

by the

long resided among them,

who

took place ; victims to

tional circumstance of

are

had perpetrated the

them by intermixtures, who

selves partly Indians, and

who became

that

has been uniformly admitted

and traders

at the

been acknowledged by

if

these

should be corroborated by names expressive of this

custom, given to certain localities by the Indians them-

EXPEDITION TO THE

101

and

selves,

these should be found to concur with the

if all

observations recorded in the histories of the in

may have

America, (who, whatever

must be considered than tial

as

travellers

having adhered more closely

generally supposed,) then with

is

first

been their errors,

all this

to truth

circumstan-

evidence, strongly and uniformly bearing on one side

of the question,

is it

possible for thejnost skeptical to refuse

his belief to this fact,

attends

We

it.

whatever

are far

may

be the horrour which

however from

asserting, that this

among

practice has prevailed universally

the Indians

;

the

evidences on the subject of the cannibalism of the Dacota or Sioux Indians, (Naudowessies of Carver,) are too few and too suspicious

they are refuted by too

;

facts

to permit us

case

is

all

them; but the

the other Indian nations which are

known to be of Algonquin origin. The motives which impel them :

in

otherwise with the Chippewas, the Miamis, the

Potawatomis, and

rious

many contradictory

any confidence

to place

in

some

cases

country, and of this

it is

we

to cannibalism are va-

produced by a famine over the shall be able to cite a

number of

well attested instances, some of which carry with them

very horrible tribes

features,

is

enemy, or

charm

that will

man

a belief that

make them

by

irresistible.

them, that he that

It is a

common

tastes of the

which by them

is

greater. It matters not

su-

body of if

a

he can

considered as the seat of

courage, the share of bravery which he derives from

still

fre-

so doing, they acquire a

acquires a part of his valour, and that

eat of his heart, all

Chippewa

the desire of venting their rage upon a de-

feated

perstition with

treat of the

Another, and a more

west of Lake Superior.

quent cause,

brave

when we

it is

whether the foe be a white man

or an Indian, provided he be an enemy,

it is all

that

is

re-

SOURCE OP

ST.

105

Peter's river.

Mr. Barron has seen the Potawatomis, with the

quired.

hands and limbs, both of white

men and

Cherokees, which

they were about to devour. well attested, that one of the

It is

officers,

attached to

General Harmer's command, was taken prisoner by the

Miamis, previously tortured

by them

the defeat of the whole army, and

to

most cruel and unrelenting man-

in the

ner for three days, on the west bank of the Maumee.

The

Indians declared that he had behaved with a remarkable de-

gree of fortitude.

Pieces

of flesh

body, roasted and eaten by them the agonized victim.

drawn from the

No

were cut from his the

in

presence of

exclamation or groan could be

intrepid prisoner, until a

squaw thrust a

burning brand into his privates, when he was heard to exyoung Indian warrior then declaim, " Oh my God !''

A

clared, that the prisoner

having proved himself a brave

man, should no longer be kept to his sufferings

One

in agony,

by despatching him with

of the best attested instances,

and put his

is

a

period

tomahawk.

that of Captain

who was killed after the capture of Chicago in 1812. who had been a long time among the Indians,

Wells,

This man,

haviftg been taken prisoner

by them

had acquired a great reputation is still

mentioned

ever met.

He

as the bravest

white

age of thirteen,

and his name man with whom they ;

had almost become one of their number, and

had united himself the

at the

for courage

commencement

At

to a descendant of Little Turtle.

of hostilities between Britain and the

United States he sided with his own countrymen, while the Indians of this vicinity

When

all

passed into the British service.

the fort was afterwards besieged

by the united

In-

Wells was there, having arrived two days prior with the orders from General Hull for the evacuation dians, Captain

of the post.

Vol.

I.

Wells was 14

killed after the action, his

body

EXPEDITION TO THE

106

was divided, and

his heart

was shared,

certain spell for courage, and part of

as

being the most

was sent

it

to

the

various tribes in alliance with the Potawatomis, while they

themselves feasted upon the

Among some appears that

among

rest.

cannibalism

tribes,

stricted to a society or fraternity, it is

on

is

Potawatomis

tlie

all occasions to eat of the

universal, but

it

it

generally re-

is

whose privilege and duty enemy's flesh ; at least

one individual must be eaten. The

flesh is

sometimes dried

Not only

are the

members

and taken

to the village.

fraternity

endowed with

them by means of

part

they wish to favour.

which

is

to

whom all

its

a case, the candidate for this distinction,

held in great esteem, makes a fine present to the

We

society.

some

any individual

warrior can be elected into the

by the unanimous consent of

association, except

members. In such

spells to

No

of this

great virtues, but they can im-

shall

have an opportunity of recurring on

future occasion to this subject, and

we

shall

be enabled

prove the participation in this nefarious practice, of many

Indian tribes collected together on a memorable occasion, at the siege of

Fort Meigs, in 1813.

We do

is

not wish to

human

be considered as advancing the doctrine that usually, or as a matter of preference, eaten

dians, or

that

it

by any others with

has been eaten on

whom we may

many

flesh

by these In-

have met, but

occasions under the most

aggravating circumstances, and without the least shadow of necessity,

we

consider as fully established.

Of their first origin, their ideas appear to be very confused. They all consider the earth as their mother, and some of them are impressed with the belief that they formerly resided un-

der ground, and that they rose out from

it.

On

this subject

Mr. Keating held a conversation of better than an hour with Richarville, one of the principal chiefs of the Miamis, who

SOURCE OF

107

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

gave him a long but confused account of the division which

among

exists

two

the Miamis, into

tribes,

one of which

considers itself as having risen from the waters, and the

other from the centre of the earth. origin,

made

climbing up is

their

way

The man who gave

trees, &c.

a half-breed

Miami,

like a trader,

ners and language,

we

by

account

he

;

we saw him, he

the time

x'Vt

this

Frenchman

his father being a

speaks very good French.

was dressed

Those of Neptunian

as is believed, to the surface,

and from his appearance, man-

should never have suspected him to

He

be any other than a Canadian fur-dealer.

is said,

ever, to possess considerable influence with his tribe.

how-

He

sometimes assumes the Indian costume, with the exception of the blanket, for which he always substitutes a capote.

In the conversation which to consider

him

we had with

him,

we had reason

as well entitled to the reputation

which he

has acquired, of being one of the most artful and deceitful of his nation.

He

declined meeting the party in conference,

stating that the other chiefs of his tribe

were

absent, and

that the circumstance of his holding a confprp.nee with

white the

men might expose him

more

to suspicion, which would him on account of his being himThis reason was too plausible to allow

readily attach to

self but a half-breed.

of our objecting to

it;

and

we

regretted that

test the sincerity of his offer, to

a

few days, when

arrived.

the other

The gentleman

we

could not

answer all our questions,

men

in

of his nation would have

of the party

who conversed with man whose man-

him, noticed that he had never met with a ners evinced so chief.

much cunning and

subtilty as those of this

Affecting not to understand questions to which he

did not choose to reply, and involving

all

his answers in

obscurity, he imparted no information concerning the points

upon which he was questioned, except

in the instance

EXPEDITION TO THE

lOS already alluded tribes,

whose

to,

of the division of the

orig;ins are

might be considered

as

Miamis

supposed to be so

very interesting,

if

two

into

This

different.

any confidence

could be placed in such a man as Richarville. Of his craft and worthlessness, an idea can be formed from the circumstance

when negotiating on the part of the Miamis a treaty with commissioners at Chicago, he made it an indispensable

that,

the

condition that a tract of nine sections of land should be secur-

ed to him in fee simple, while the

rest of his nation are

merely joint tenants on their lands, and destitute of the privilege of disposing of the same, except with the consent of the

Government of the United

mode

that this

by

must be regretted,

It

States.

of obtaining the assent of chiefs, to a treaty

private presents, grants, &c. should have ever been

we

believe, first introduced by the French, by these pretended treaties, to which the chiefs of the nations were bribed to give their consent, to obtain a colour of right which the French government could afterwards maintain against European nations. This

allowed. It was,

whose

object was,

practice has existed so long, and

perhaps be

difficult to

make

is

so universal, that it

a treaty

with the Indians,

would if

pre-

sents or grants were withheld from the

chiefs; but in order

to test the correctness of the principle,

we need

the feelings which would be excited

if

but look to

an European power,

while discussing the terms of a treaty with our government,

were

to offer or to consent to give

any private presents

the negotiators on the part of our country. retains

his attachment

to

the

to

Richarville

British government, and

although residing upon our territory, and sharing in the

annuity paid by the United States to the Miamis, he holds a commission in the British service, and his

appears on the half-pay or pension

Metea

told us that the

list

name

still

still

of Great Britain.

Potawatomis thought that they

SOURCE OP

ST.

109

Peter's river.

had always existed in the neighbourhood of Lake Michi-

That the

gan.

When

up.

he gave

man and woman had been made by God sowed the seed and the men sprung

first

the Great Spirit.

upon

called

to explain

to understand that

what he meant by

figurative point of view, and as a parable. at first

this,

he had used the language in a Their tradition

mentioned but one original couple, the parents of

the red people, from

whom

they believed themselves to

But when they became acquainted with

have descended.

the different races of men, they supposed a couple of white,

and another of black, had likewise been created by the Great Spirit,

and that these had given

people

whom

rise to the

white and black

they had since seen, but he had not troubled

much with thinking on this subject. Soon after the white men came among them, they were told that, far to

himself

the setting sun, there was a race of people whose features

and complexion resembled

This had led them

theirs.

to

among themnations whence

think upon and discuss this matter frequently selves ; they had often enquired from other

they came, but they found strong reasons to adhere to their old traditions, that

resided was that upon

on which they

the land

which the Great

Spirit

had

now first

Metea has always been of the opinion that there is but one God, who is a Supreme Being, but that he has made a Spirit or God to be under him, whose spe-

placed them.

cial

duty

it is

to take charge

thought to be the

common

he knew. This inferior Deity stood in the

The

same

relation that the red

existence of a

Bad

Spirit

is

to the

man

Indians

all

could not have

When

whom

Supreme Being

stands to the white.

considered as proved by

the circumstance of there being bad men, for a rit

This he

of the Indians.

opinion of

made any thing

that

was

Good

Spi-

evil.

questioned as to his opinion of a future

life,

and

EXPEDITION TO THE

110

the immortality of the soul, he unhesitatingly replied that

had heard the white

lie

no belief whatever

men

thought that after death ;

nor would

belief in the doctrine

which we

both body and spirit decayed and disappeared

he

acknowledge a

at all

liad

had

talk of those things, but

He

in them.

heard asserted by the interpreter, as generally enter-

by the

tained

Indians, that the spirits of the departed re-

turned after death to the Master of Life. In replying to this question he so

man

after

dies

made

use of a strong expression, " as a

—the dog

he has ceased

rots after death, so does

Being asked

to live."

dog dies,

man decay

if it

was true

that they placed provisions near the dead, both at the time

of death and afterwards, and done,

if

if true,

wherefore

both spirit and body decayed together ?

that this

was

this

He replied,

custom really prevailed, but he knew of no other

foundation for

than a dream of one of their ancestors,

it,

that a departed friend

had appeared

him, and told him

to

he was hungry, which induced him to take provisions to the grave of that

We

it.

felt

man

^he

some anxiety

answer from Metea on funeral of a

—

nephew

knew

of no other cause for

more

satisfactory

we knew

that at the

to obtain a

this point, as

of his, he had once expressed himself

thus in the presence of Mrs. Hackley,*

Major Long. " His

spirit has fled

you must give him provisions during his journey."

Although

who

repeated

it

to

upon a long journey, and that

all

he

may

feed upon

our attempts

at obtain-

ing a different answer from Metea proved abortive,

we

in-

cline to the opinion that the doctrine of the immortality of

•

Mrs. Hackley

squaw,

who was

is

the daughter of the late Captain Wells, by a Miami

either the daughter or adopted chihl of Little Turtle.

Having received her education among white men, she unites to the manners of

civilized

distinguish

mankind

life,

many

of the interesting peculiarities which

in its primitive state.

SOURCE OP

ST.

PETERS

HI

RIVER.

(he soul, and of a future state of reward and punishment,

generally entertained by them, and that isted to their intercourse

is

probably preex-

it

with white men.

Our opinion

does not merely rest upon the general prevalence of this belief

among

all

form opinion on

who were most

who have made

those

above the lowest

state

the least advance

of barbarism, but upon the uni-

this subject, expressed

to us

by those

conversant with Indian manners, and

who

had enjoyed the best opportunities of becoming acquainted

From Mr. Barron we

with them.

heard that they gene-

rally admitted the existence of a future

life,

of which, how-

ever, they entertained very confused ideas, believing for

who had lived a good where they could pursue without

the most part that the spirits of those

went

life,

to a country

fatigue their favourite occupation of hunting,

would be plenty and bad

theirs

;

would be

fat.

Not

where animals

so with the spirits of the

a country barren and nearly destitute

of animals, where the chase would become a painful and unprofitable occupation.

existence

is at

At any

they hold that their

rate,

the disposal of the Great Master of Life.

however, when asked where their carelessly replied that

Many,

went after death, they knew not what became of them, spirits

they saw them not leaving the body.

One

of the strongest

facts in corroboration of their entertaining a belief in futurity, all

and the immortality of the soul or

believe in ghosts or phantoms.

spirit, is, that

they

" Once," said Mr. Bar-

ron, " on approaching in the night a village of Ottawas, I

found

all

engaged

the inhabitants in confusion

;

they were

in raising noises of the loudest

monious kind.

Upon

all

busily

and most inhar-

inquiry, I found that a battle had

been lately fought between the Ottawas and the Kickapoos, and that the object of

all this

noise

was

to prevent the

ghosts of the departed combatants from entering the village."

EXPEDITION TO THE

112 It is

impossible in seeing them at present, not to feel

convinced that the time for correct information has passed

away they have imbibed from ;

many

the missionaries so

notions which certainly did not belong to them originally, to counteract the ef-

and the crafty policy of their chiefs fect of their intercourse

idle

and

with white men, has raised so

false traditions, that it is

many

difficult to distinguish

the genuine from the false doctrines attributed to these nations in their original state.

Of the many

which, according to their traditions, lent

among them,

interesting customs,

v^^ere

the dereliction of none

gretted than of that

which accompanied

formerly prevais

more

to

be

re-

their marriage cere-

mony. This has now nearly disappeared from the

face of

the country. Their intermarriages with other nations have become so frequent, and the demoralizing tendency of their Intercourse with the traders has been so great, that led to

them

them by

has

a venerable antiquity.

The form stated to

it

recommended

to neglect practices which were

of courtship which

have been

as follows

;

when

formerly,

existed a

is

young man had con-

ceived an attachment for a female, or that he wished to

make her sign,

his wife,

by throwing

girl's parent.

he gave the

first

intimation of his de-

a deer into the lodge belonging to the

This he would repeat for several days, from

ten to fifteen, after

which the doing

father usually asked

and whether

what object he had

in

tain his daughter.

The young man having

so,

it

was

him

to ob-

replied in the

affirmative, the relations of the girl would, if they approv-

ed of the connexion, prepare

a dress for the

youth, which

they would take to his house, and there the damsel's father

would invest him with

it.

He would

then take him

with him and introduce him to the bride

remained

for the space of ten or

;

home

there the lover

twelve days, until his

5

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

113

had prepared the presents they intended

friends

wife's family, and had taken

usual for the

young couple

them

to

to their house.

for his

was

It

dwell with the wife's parents

for the

term of a year, during which time the husband

was, as

it

were, a servant in the family, giving to his

ther-in-law

all

At

the produce of his hunt.

fa-

the expiration

of this term, he was at liberty to remove his wife to his

own

The opinion

house, and treat her as he pleased.

which

is

entertained

who reside

those

by the Missouri

Indians, and

would be the height of indecorum

in a

man

to

sent,

and

is

believed never to have prevailed

Potawatomis.

all

The power

it

to speak, or

look upon his son-in-law, does not exist

even

by

along the banks of the Mississippi, that

at pre-

among

the

of the husband over his wife

was unlimited, he might even put her to death if he chose, and she had lost all claim to the sympathy and protection of her

own

They never would

relations.

ment which she had been made fixed time for marrying; girls at a

resent any treat-

There was no were sometimes betrothed to endure.

The

very early age, long before maturity.

which

it

was customary

to

presents

make, were of the most valua-

ble kind, and consisted of horses, venison, guns, &c.

some

instances

it

happened

that the parties

In

were mutually

attached, and that they contracted a secret engagement,

marrying w^ithout the consent of their parents. breaches of ceremony were usually

made

up,

But these by the inter-

change of presents between the parents on both

sides,

who

then confirmed the marriage.

when an Indian married one of him as wedded to all and it became incumbent upon him to take them all as wives. The marrying of a brother's widow was not interdicted, It

was usual

for them,

several sisters, to consider

;

hut was always looked upon as a very improper connexion.

Vol.

T.

1

EXPEDITION TO THE

114

The union all

by blood was likewise

of persons related

liked, and discouraged.

An

dis-

incestuous connexion was at

times considered as highly criminal, but no punishment

was attached riire as

to

Instances of

it.

Among

might be expected.

We

heard of several.

are not, however, as

it

were

the Potawatomis

we

Chicago of two cases,

told at

which were accompanied by circumstances of an aggra-

A

vating nature.

Potawatomi of the name of W^a-ga-k^'-

na-go'n, died a short time since, aged about fifty; he

had

married his mother-in-law, previous to wdiich he had been connected w^ith two of his daughters.

He

denied the con-

nexion with his elder daughter, who, however, acknowledg-

ed that he had seduced her, by promising to teach her a spell her enemies, by

by which she would be enabled

to destroy

writing their names on sand.

A

few months afterwards,

in an intercourse

with his second daugh-

he was detected

whom

ter,

ly confessed their guilt, but with very

little

appearance of

This did not prevent their marrying subsequent-

shame. ly.

women open*

he had likewise seduced. Both the

After these abominable transactions, he married their

grandmother,

man

ther

come

who was

a chief

wife.

wife. ter,

first

wife.

Ano-

who had beis known to have

belonging to the same nation, and

by the death of his

had intercourse with first

the mother of his

He

a

woman

brother,

that

was the mother of

afterwards deserted both, and took a third

The two

other

women, both mother and daughthis man's name was

were subsequently married

0-zan-6'-f ap, ( YcUoiv-head. )

;

But all these connexions are

lield in utter

abhorrence by the nation

who

them

contract

notice.

at large,

and those

are considered as base and worthless

members of the community. The circumstances which worthy of

his

They

attend funerals arc likewise

have,

it is

true, but

few cerem6-

SOURCE OF

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

nies at the time of the removal of the corpse

ner in which this duty

The

dry

performed deserves mention.

is

most decorous manner

the spot selected

;

is

new

it,

the east.

The

A

funeral

him

:

the corpse

with

laid

is

his property are

face turned to

its

placed near the head.

is

generally attended by

express their grief by Aveeping

money,

knife,

rifle,

whole of

small quantity of food is

The

clothes are obtained

His moccassins,

silver ornaments, in fine, the

placed near

of.

clothed in his best garments, and,

the relations can afford

for this purpose.

always

is

admit

as the circumstances of the place will

body of the deceased if

but the man-

greatest pains are taken that all should be transacted

in the as

;

115

all

the relations,

who

but yells, dances, &c. are

;

The deceased

not customary on such occasions.

is

buried

in an erect, seated, or inclined posture, according to the

wishes and directions which he

may have

The

graves in which they are buried are generally from If the deceased

four to five feet in depth. to his death expressed a is

attended to

is

in a blanket,

The

and

this is

it,

and bid

it

is

suspended

friends of the deceased visit is

decaying

a last farewell

;

it ;

always interred.

but even after this they it is it.

the funeral, they frequently light a

fire

this

sowed

frequently, until they

they uniformly leave some food near

upon

it is first

to the branches.

they then shake hands

return yearly to visit the spot where

the grave, and

had previously

to be deposited in a tree, this

to be deposited in a tree,

observe that the body

with

wish

otherwise the corpse

;

When the corpse up

given previously

most implicitly obeyed.

to his death, for these are always

deposited, and

At

the time of

near the head of

they prepare their

feast,

throw-

ing a part of the food on the grave for the use of their friend.

If they

have whiskey, they likewise scatter some

@n the ground, but of

this

they are sparing, doubtless from

EXPEDITION TO THE

IKi

the belief that the living require

dead. is

An

invocation

is

than the

who

to the deceased,

entreated to speed his course direct to the Great Prairie,

without casting his eyes back

way

his it

much more

it

made

then

would bring

whom by

it

ill

w ould

he were

It is usual to

which are inscribed not

It is

on

if

look behind him,

be a signal, that his company was required

of the deceased, whether in the ing.

to

hold, that

luck upon some one of his relations, to

his departed friend.

a post, on

for they

;

to the land of Spirits,

uncommon

mark

the grave with

in hieroglyphics the deeds

way

of hunting or of fight-

for the survivors to adopt a

they bury a corpse in a trough hollowed out of a prefer one of ash wood, as they observe that

male

When

or female child as a substitute for their lost relative.

tree,

it is less

they

easily

penetrated by water.

We

are informed, that they profess to have been well

acquainted with the art of making maple sugar previous to their intercourse

with the whites.

ject in the presence of Jose Renard, a latter

Our

interpreter

having once expressed his doubts on the sub-

states, that

Kickapoo

chief, the

answered him immediately, with a smile, " can

be that thou art so simple as

to ask

me

it

such a question,

seeing that the Master of Life has imparted to us an instinct

which enables us

to substitute stone hatchets

and knives for

made of steel by the whites wherefore should we known as well as they how to manufacture sugar ? He has made us all, that we should enjoy life he has placed

those

;

not have

;

before us

all

food, water,

the requisites for the support of existence,

fire,

trees &c.

;

wherefore then should he have

withheld from us the art of excavating the trees in order to

make troughs

of them, of placing the sap in these, of

heating the stones and throwing them into the sap so as to

cause

it

to boil,

and by

this

means reducing

it

into

SOURCE OP

In this short reply of the Kickapoo,

sugar."

117

Peter's river.

ST.

brief sketch of the rude process practised

we have

a

by the Indians

in the preparation of the

maple sugar.

they had learned the

of making and using pottery, but

had abandoned

wooden

it

art

for the purpose, as

Previously to this

Metea

tery did not stand

fire

The

well.

from the action of the hot

evaporation resulting

produced a crystallization

stones,

Their process was a tedious and

of sugar in the trough.

imperfect one, which probably required it

a

told us, of using

troughs, and hot stones, perhaps because their pot-

could be improved

Delaware, " Brother, there

man and

the white

much time

is

the Indian

before

of

Nacoma,

a great difference

between

to use the language

;

;

we

believe that

we

are

not endowed with the same natural advantages which you possess, since

we

places before us

implements

;

discover those things alone which nature

we

derive advantage of such tools and has provided for us, only so far as

as she

they appear to us useful, but without any attempt to quire into their nature

;

in-

you, on the contrary, have re-

ceived from the Master of Life, the disposition to erect to

yourselves a system of education that enables you to treasure up the knowledge which you

may have

acquired, to

endeavour to prosecute your discoveries, to make new applications of them, and to dive into those things with

which you

are unacquainted."

We shall have an

opportu-

nity of comparing these ideas of the Delaware chief with the reflexions

made by

a

Sauk Indian, who attended the expe-

dition as a guide, and that,

with

all

we

shall

their apparent

be confirmed in the belief

contempt

for the whites, the In-

dians are frequently obliged to acknowledge the superiority of the civilized man,

which however they improperly con-

sider as the cause, and not as the effect of civilization.

The

use of salt previously to the arrival of Europeans

is

lis

EXPEDITION TO THE

They

likewise claimed by the Indians.

trace the origin of

their acquaintance with this valuable condiment, to the ob-

servation of the preference given salt licks

;

having tasted

it,

boil their vegetables with,

they boiled

done the

down

sap,

by elks

they liked

and took some to

and having found

the water in the

and thus obtained

that the sediments of white salt,

manner

taught them that

it

palatable,

it

that they had

It is not improbable,

salt.

which are frequently ob-

served during dry seasons, in the vicinity of

may have

water from

to the

it,

salt springs,

was by evaporation

that the

substance could be separated from the water which holds it in

solution

;

were

for although the Indians

totally ignorant

of the nature and causes of evaporation, they had noticed the process, and were aware, that

from the action of

it

could result as well

from that of the

fire as

sun.

Prior to their intercourse with white men, that these Indians

cating liquors

;

if

it

appears

were not acquainted with any

we

intoxi-

except a decoction of a plant resem-

bling the whortleberry, which was used by the Chippe-

was

only

in cases of sickness

this fact

;

it

produced vertigo.

was ascertained by Dr. Hall

at

Chippewas and Potawatomis frequently meet, improbable that the it

latter

was never used except

were in

also acquainted

it

is

with

cases of sickness.

Europeans they are therefore indebted

which have attended too

As

Chicago, where the

it,

To

not

but the

for all the evils

free a use of spirituous liquors.

The Potawatomis are not divided into tribes, designated by the name of animals, as is reported to be the case with the Missouri Indians, but they are distinguished merely

from

their local habitations.

Joseph form a small

Those that

tribe, in

those residing near Chicago, or near

though not divided into regular

live

on the

St.

every respect similar to

Lake Michigan. Al-

tribes,

they have a sort of

;

SOURCE OP

ST.

Peter's river.

119

family distinction, kept up by means of signs resembling those of heraldry. These signs are

by them

called T^o-t^'m

they are taken from an animal or from some part of it, but by

no means imply

a

supposed relationship with that animal, as

has been incorrectly stated.

It is

mark or badge, which appears

to

a family, after It

merely a distinguishing

belong to every member of

whether male or female. The

latter retain it

even

matrimony, and do not assume that of their husbands.

does not appear that this implies the least obligation of

the Indian, to the animal from which kill it

or eat

it.

The totem

it is

He may

taken.

appears to answer no other

purpose than that of distinguishing families

;

it

does not

imply any degree of nobility or inequality of rank among them.

It

tributed

is

the same custom, which

improperly

is

at-

by Carver to the Dacota or Sioux Indians, (Nau-

dowessie.)

Independently of the name which he bears, and of the

totem or badge of family to which he lays claim, an Indian has frequently a kind spirit to watch over assist

him.

This tutelar saint

neration, and nothing

is

is

him and

of course held in high ve-

done that could

in the least offend

The mode in which each Indian becomes acquainted with the name or nature of this ministering spirit, is by

him.

dreams, in which he fancies that the Master of Life reveals himself to

him

in his sleep,

under the form of some

tangible object in creation, generally of an animal this shape the

the Indian ever after supposes that this

which he may expect him.

To

;

under

Great Spirit holds converse with him, and

this animal,

to

is

the form in

see the Great Spirit appear to

whom

he considers as a medium of

communication between him and the Master of Life, he addresses his prayers and states his wants he consults it ;

in all his difficulties,

and not unfrequently conceives that

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

120

he has derived

relief

from

Of

it

from

course, he abstains

eating of the animal, and would rather starve than sacrile-

But he holds the animal

giously feed upon his idol.

He knows

friend to himself alone.

ent

is

no virtue

in the animal for

part of

it

that the

differ-

to pro-

any one but him-

Sometimes, instead of the whole animal,

self.

some

have

companions, because he knows

tect that animal against his

that there

that others

and hence does not think himself bound

spirits,

as a

charm

resides,

will feel no hesitation in eating of

all

and

it is

only in

in this case

he

the other parts of the

beast.

In their conversation, the Indians frequently display

Their attempts

considerable humour.

rous, and often successful

general tenour of their conversation, of this, stances

we ;

might,

if it

is

Avell

as the

obscene ; in proof

were necessary, mention several

have preceded

excused from doing

what they consider

in-

As

it.

us, that

we

him some, he pointed was the milk

;

was related

when they were

to a

feel ourselves

an instance of an attempt at

as wit, the following

an Indian called for milk

it

wit are nume-

but they have been so frequently noticed by the

travellers that

that

at

but their wit as

;

whiskey

bottle,

to us

about to give

and observed

of that black cow, that

he wanted.

Such an observation is sure to draw peals of laughter from But all about them, which encourages them to proceed. perhaps, the most remarkable trait in their conversation is,

that they feel

among

none of that delicacy or

civilized nations has proscribed

general use.

With them every

idea

which

which enters into their

head, or every word which they think out any respect for the

restraint,

many words from

company

of, is

uttered with-

present.

With

this

apparent obscenity in their conversation, the Indians are

very guarded in their actions, and their manners indicate

;

SOURCE OF a considerable

121

degree of native modesty.

men who

generally excel the white

live

In this they

with them

by the experience of

a fact, well attested

it is

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

;

and

who

all

have spent any time among them, that they are seldom or never observed in an obscene or indecorous

attitude.

Metea was asked, whether he had ever heard accounting for the formation

dition

of any tra-

of those

artificial

mounds, which are found scattered over the whole country

when he immediately replied, that they had been constructed by the Indians as fortifications, before white men had come among them. " After men had been made," said he, " they scattered themselves over the surface of the earth, and lost

knowledge of each

all

was with

it

fear

When

other.

they afterwards met,

and caution ; they were engaged in wars,

during which they erected these works, which served for

made between

defence, until treaties and alliances were

He

them."

has always heard this origin ascribed to them,

and has known three of those constructions which are supposed to have been made by his nation. fork of the

One is at the Kankakee and the Des Plaines rivers, a second

on the Ohio, which, from be

at the

his description,

mouth of the Muskingum he ;

was supposed

visited

it,

to

but could

not describe the spot very accurately; and a third, which

he had St.

also seen,

he

states to

be on the head waters of the

Joseph of Lake Michigan.

forty miles north-west of Fort

This

latter is at

Wayne, and

miles distant from an Indian village called

on a small stream which empties into the a

round

whj

hill

about as large as Fort

has seen those on the

St.

St,

Wayne.

Joseph and

about

five or six

Mangokwa, Joseph

;

it is

Major Long,

at the

mouth of

the Kankakee, on a former visit to this country, considers

One of the named Legros, once

them^ as natural, and not artificial elevations.

Miami told

chiefs

whom

the traders have

Barron that he had heard that his father had fought

Vol. L

16

EXPEDITION TO THE

122

with his tribe in one of the

Piqua; that the fort

forts at

had been erected by the Indians against the French, and that his father had been killed during: one of the assaults

made upon it by the French. The chiefdom is hereditary among

the Potawatomis.

If a chief should be destitute of male heirs, sons or ne-

phews, he assembles the warriors of his points one of

them

and ap-

tribe,

Should he die without

as his successor.

leaving any male heir, and without having adopted any,

then the warriors convene and appoint one of their number to succeed to the vacant dignity exist" says

Metea "without

no regular debate takes

nominated dent that

;

" for a nation cannol In their councils

a leader."

The

place.

man who

first

as chief, generally unites all votes;

much must depend upon

nominates a candidate.

It is,

is

it

the influence of

is

evi-

him who

however, usual to ascertain

the wish of the people beforehand, and for this reason they are always consulted.

In like manner,

if

party, he mentions

a

it

man be

desirous of leading a war-

to others, secures their assistance,

and then publicly announces lage,

when such

his

as please follow

intention

him.

in the

vil-

Previous to his

departure, he performs his religious ceremonies, and pre-

pares what

he hopes opposed

is

termed

his "

to insure success. to the

medicine" or

spell,

by which

If the chief of the village

influencing their superstitious fears.

To

this

by

effect,

he

counteracts, as they suppose, the spells prepared

warrior,

suming

by walking round him his place.

the medicine, that dition.

sures to

it

by the

and then re-

This they so firmly Joelieve to

The power

upon his personal

in a circle,

be

it,

scheme, he undertakes to prevent

vitiate

immediately puts a stop to the expeof the chief appears to rest exclusively

influence.

He

can use no coercive mea-

obtain what he wishes, or prevent what he

dis-

SOURCE OP

123

Peter's river.

ST.

Although the Indians have notions of right and

likes.

wrong, they have no means of rewarding the former and redressing the latter; the chief cannot punish a

any

offence whatsoever. If the

crime committed be

man

for

flagrant,

may seek for redress in no mode of obtaining it by

the party that deems itself injured a forcible manner, but there fair

faith

may

is

In some cases, however, a breach of

and legal means. be punished

;

if,

for instance, a chief wishes to

undertake a military operation, he convenes his warriors,

and

states his

their assent

which

is

views

;

should they agree to

by presenting him with

they declare

wampum,

kept as an evidence of their acquiescence. Should

any one of those who have agreed his promise,

he

is

liable to

part of his property, or string of

it,

a string of

wampum

is

to go, afterwards

break

be punished by forfeiture of

by expulsion from the

A

village.

sometimes sent from one village

another, with a piece of tobacco attached to

the faith of the messenger.

It

it

as a

to

proof of

has often been stated, that

the Indians in no instance whatever punished their children.

This

is

not correct as a general rule. Mr. Colhoun was in-

formed, that the Potawatomis sometimes enjoin upon their children, as a punishment, the use of the charcoal and its

accompanying

fast.

He

also observes, that the circum-

stance of chastisement being inflicted

confirmed by

Joutel's statement,

by some

that

Indians,

is

the Illinois and

Cadoquias punished their children by throwing water in their faces

;

and by Jones's observations, that the Shawa-

nese had the same practice, and likewise threw them into brooks.*

•

The power

of the chief

is

only exercised as

Vide " Journal Historique du dernier Voyage de M. de

Joutel." Paris, 1713, p. 284 and 342, and "Journal of two

la Salle,

visits

to

par

some

nations of Indians west of Ohio river, in 1772 and 1773, by Rev. D.

Jones."

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

124

long as he behaves himself

manner agreeable

a

in

to the

wishes of his warriors, for though the dignity be a hereditary one,

duct

is

it

The

chiefs. all

not

uncommon

them

for

depose their

to

principal prerogative of the chief

military operations

when once war

;

declared,

he cannot conclude peace without the consent of

The duty

riors.

to con-

is

is

his

war-

of dividing the annuity paid to them by

the United States' Government, likewise devolves upon the

Formerly the

chief.

manner

was made by him

partition

some

that he thought best, but

to the principal chief of the nation,

lar to each, all

cases of malversa-

The money is paid who calls his people

tion have led to a different method.

round him, places them in a

in the

and then throws a dol-

circle,

round, continuing this operation until the

whole of the money be disposed of

In this division the

father of a family receives an equal share for every indi-

vidual in his household, whether male or female, child or

The annuities paid to the Miamis amount to

adult.

thousand dollars. The

made

their

whom

last census,

eighteen

taken a few years since,

numbers eleven hundred and seventy-two, of

An

three hundred were warriors.

accurate

amount

of the Potawatomi population could not be obtained here it

has been variously stated

sand,

who rous,

which

is

we

;

heard

it

rated at ten thou-

probably far beyond the true number. Those

receive their annuities at Fort

Wayne,

and the census of Indians in the

are not

state of Illinois

not admit of more than twelve hundred Potawatomis.

payment of their is_^very

much

to

numedoes

The

annuities on the United States' territory,

be regretted

they ought to be paid to them

;

on the Indian reservations, where by a humane law no spirituous liquors can be sold

holding a sort of ture, at the

;

if

fair for cattle,

some means were taken of

and implements of agricul-

time that the annuity

is

paid, they might, per-

;

SOURCE OF

ST.

125

PETER's RIVER.

haps, be induced to apply to the purchase of useful objects,

the

money which

Under

is at

present wasted in procuring

the present system, the

his annuity, he

moment an

immediately converts

it

spirits.

Indian receives

into

whiskey the •,

deplorable effects of which upon their system are too well

known to require that we should dwell upon them but we may be permitted to add the testimony of what came under our own inspection, to the great mass of information which ;

has already transpired on this subject. During the three days that

we

stayed at Fort

hawked. The

first

case

Wayne, we saw two Indians tomahappened the night of our

arrival

man was very severely cut in the head by some unknown person. It was supposed that it was by one of the French engages. At the time this occurred, they were all concerned in a drunken frolic. The next day, on visiting the Fort, we met at the gate a few Indians, one of whom was in a state of intoxication; and we this

were informed by a boy, that he had threatened to shoot A few moments after, while we were enhis wife. gaged in conversation with the Indian Agent, word was brought to him, that the Indian had drawn his knife and severely

wounded her

in the forehead.

It

appeared the

only provocation she had given him, was in attempting to

draw him away from the town, and induce him to his village.

very considerable, and such that Indians could have survived

it

;

it

was believed none but

but they are so inured to

pain and privations of every kind, that that they recover

prove

fatal.

to return

In both these cases the loss of blood was

The

from wounds which

it

cannot be doubted

to other

excellent surgical assistance

men would which they

wounds and bruises, may also be considered as one of the causes which tend to restore them to health. These assaults are, however, so common

receive in

all

cases of

EXPEDITION TO THE

126

here, that no one appears surprised at

them

sidered as an every day occurrence.

Generally an Indian

will, after

they are con-

;

he has recovered from his drunken

frolic,

express

great regret for the fatal effects which have attended

This

where he

peculiarly the case

is

the white population, and

come with him an

where

is at

intoxication has not be-

habitual or daily vice

otherwise the

;

him

frequent repetition of these bloody frays renders

As

lous to their consequences. that

some time

were allowed tions,

since,

when

an instance,

cal-

we were told,

the Baptist Missionary Society

Wayne

occupy Fort

to

it.

a distance from

as

one of their

sta-

an Indian brought to the fort the corpse of his

brother, and asked the Rev.

Mr. M'Coy, who superintended

On

the establishment, to provide for the funeral.

inquiry,

Mr. M'Coy found

that the deceased

short time before,

by the very Indian who had brought

him

When

in.

had been murdered a

questioned as to the cause of his brother's

death, the murderer carelessly raised the clothing from the breast of the deceased, and exhibited five or six

which he had tion of

inflicted

wounds

with a knife, nor could any emo-

compunction be observed in his unyielding coun-

tenance.

These

evils

may

all

be traced to the unfortu-

nate circumstance, that the prohibition to liquors to the Indians only extends If congress

were

to

sell spirituous

their

territory.

to include in this prohibition all lands be-

longing to the United States, the evil could be partly, not wholly, remedied.

quor and

sell it

The inducement

clandestinely,

might be

to

smuggle

if li-

sufficiently great to

prevent the mischief from being completely removed, but it

would certainly render

it

agents were required to pay

Indian reservation, and

at a

rare.

them

if

the

on the

when an opportunity would their money in the purchase

time

be given them of laying out

Perhaps, also, their annuities

SOURCE OP

ST.

Peter's river.

127

of cattle, implements of agriculture, and other useful or in-

nocent

while the introduction of spirituous liquors

articles,

would be closely guarded cation

would be rendered

sures congress it is

may

against, the great evil of intoxi-

more

still

rare.

Whatever mea-

choose to adopt to civilize the Indians,

not difficult to foresee that they will ever prove un-

check be immediately put to the

successful, unless a

ardent liquors sale of

it

upon

among them.

The law

their territory having

more general system of

restriction

sale of

that prohibits the

proved

insufficient, a

must be adopted.

Experience has likewise proved, that the term sale was

The

not sufficiently comprehensive. to be subjected to the

giving of spirits ought

same regulation

;

for

it

has been ob-

served on the Missouri, as well as on the Mississippi, and

probably every where throughout the Indian country,

from selling

that if prohibited

it,

the traders will give

it

to

the Indians as an inducement to trade with them, taking care that the price of the liquor be included in that of the

them

tobacco or other article sold to

at the time.

All Indians concur in considering intoxication as improper, and as the source of

that are held to be

most

every

Among

evil.

crimes, those

atrocious, are murder, theft,

and

the violation of the advice and directions of their parents.

Many, however, of crime. Rape

Great

Spirit,

are said to be " foolish," and not sensible

is

and

considered as visited by the anger of the is

state of intoxication.

never practised but upon females in a In the treatment of their wives, they

are often severe and brutal

;

if

they should prove lazy, or

be deemed so by their unrelenting husbands, or

if

careless

of their children, they arc not unfrequently beaten with clubs.

Among women

as infidelity to their

no crime

husbands ;

is

considered so flagrant

this is

punished with blows,

and sometimes by cutting off the nose, or other mutilations.

;;

128

EXPEDITION TO THE

Seldom do the Potawatomis punish

it

by death, and

it is

very rare that they vent their resentment against the pa-

The

ramour.

barbarous punishment noticed by

in the account of the

Say

INIr.

manners of the Otos, Omawhaws,

and other Missouri Indians, which he described under the

name

of the

Round

the Canadians,)

(tour de la prairie of

in the Prairie,

not

known among

the Potawatomis.

Indians are liable to more distempers than might

The at first

is

be expected from their

common

one of their most of the cases are

mode

diseases

;

of living.

while in others

fatal,

some

in

all

No

maple

sap, or sugar dissolved in hot water.

lief

is

from vomiting.

is

most

the patients reco-

ver.

medicine

Croup

seasons,

applied in this disease, except the

Sore throat appears,

Adults find re-

also, to

be one of

their most frequent complaints ; especially in the morning,

but it soon passes the

wound

is

They are often bitten by rattlesnakes among the Potawatomis by poultices of

off.

cured

the Seneca snake-root, draughts of violet tea, and Eupato-

riutn perfoliatum ; they have other remedies, which they

keep secret; the venom of the snake at

some periods of the moon than

August

most

it is

so.

is

considered greater

at others

;

in the

These Indians entertain

month

of

a high degree

of veneration for the rattlesnake, not that they consider

it

in

the light of a spirit, as has frequently but incorrectly been asserted, but because they are grateful to

warning which of an

it

it

for the

has often given them, of

tlie

timely

approach

They therefore seldom kill it, unless young man fancies that he requires a rattle, in

enemy.

when

a

which

case he will have no hesitation in killing a snake

which

act he,

forms.

He

informing

however, always accompanies by certain

introduces it

person, and

it

by many apologies

that he wants the rattle as an

by no means

to

make fun

of

to the animal,

ornament it,

and in

for his testi-

SOURCE or

mony

PETER

ST.

RIVER.

S

of his amity to the species, leaves a piece of tobacco

The fang

near the carcase.

of the snake

charm against rheumatism and other

mode until

of applying it

;

held to be a ;

the

bleeds. In their rude midwifery, they use the rat-

it is

not,

known among' them, and

of

its

most horrible

is

it

;

however, used

is

emmenagogue. Leprosy

known

In a case,

some one

body and limbs with

then administered inter-

as an

has been observed under

features.

the patient required his

is

internal pains

consists in scratching the affected part

it

tle to assist in parturition

nally

129

to be constantly scraping

A

a knife.

double handful of

furfuraceous matter

was daily discharged

course of six months

;

his feet

some

to Dr. Hall,

;

had turned

he died in the as black as

gun-

powder. Fevers are

common among

the Potawatomis, and are

either bilious, intermittent, remittent or continued afflict

most those who follow the game

who

the country; while those

the lake enjoy that the

much

easterly

;

they

to the interior of

reside along the shores of

The

better health.

Indians observe

winds are the most wholesome, the

southerly produce dullness and laziness, the north wind too cold, and that from the west Haepatitis

is

not

common

;

repeated vomiting until the

is

veiy uncomfortable.

is

when

it

bile is

completely evacuated

occurs,

it is

relieved

by ;

if

the bile be not discharged, the white of the eye turns yellow,

Hydrocephalus and

and continues so until death ensues. dropsy are, itseems, unknown but

is

ever,

them. Small Pox is frequent,

always introduced by white

men

commit any great depredation

among them, and proved evil

to

effects

;

at

does not, how-

one time

it

incurable.

raged Its

were suspended by the introduction of the

made known I.

it

disastrous and

practice of inoculation and vaccination,

Vol.

;

to them.

17

which

Little Turtle

Having never known

the small

EXPEDITION TO THE

130

pox

to be violent but once, they

opinion, of

have not entertained that

return at periodical times,

its

be held by other nations.

which

is

Dr. Hall's offer to vaccinate

them was accepted by many and declined by

Metea for

told us that vaccination

want of the

some, and said disseminate

virus, if

he expressed a great wish to obtain

he had

it,

he would use his influence to

Syphilis was, according to Metea,

It is

others.

had only been abandoned

it.

in its mildest

them.

said to

form prior

known

to the arrival of

to the Indians

white

men among

considered as having increased in virulence and

frequency, since the promiscuous intercourse of white

and squaws which

is

men

not interrupted, according to the uni-

form practice of Indians, during the period of the catamenia.

When the disease is in its mild state, they cure it very readily by timely

application to their medicine

men

;

the principal

remedies are decoctions of the red root and the prairie willow root, as also of sassafras. In such cases they drink very plentifully.

These remedies are not applied to the disease in its worst

we heard that they had remedies which, even in these as certain, but of which we could

forms

:

cases,

were considered

not ascertain the nature.

In

to their regular doctors,

who

vagant

fees.

all

such diseases, they apply

are said to charge very extra-

These men combine the use of

with

spells

that of herbs, and are held in very great esteem.

Their

materia medica consists of astringents, cathartics, emetics, mucilages, and sudorifics.

we

heard of

pills

Among the emetics most in

made from

tion of a decoction of the horse-chestnut boiled

viscous

state.

One

use,

the product of the evapora-

of their sudorifics

is

down

to a

said to consist in

the application of a poultice of maize, boiled as for food,

spread over the body of the sick person,

which

is

is first

extended on a board or skin.

The maize

who

used in

;

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

this application is afterwards

the prickly ash for

The berry of warming medicine

used as food.

used by them as a

is

131

inward complaints. They have no vesicatories but

fire

and hot water, which are applied for sore joints and rheu-

Phlebotomy

matism.

with a thin lamina of

performed with a small knife or

is

flint

attached to a stick in the

man-

ner of a fleam, and stuck in the flesh in the same way.

For

a pain in the head they bleed in the

arm, or above

it

one

for

;

the pain be in the back they bleed on the right or

and

if

left

ankle according as

side.

Bleeding

Calculous ease and

its

parturition

knees

it is

;

is

symptoms are causes are is

;

sometimes

turning

is

is

unknown

to

assisted

woman

;

expelled.

They

foetus

;

and

is

operation of resorted to,

many

instances

became putrid before

;

these are principally old

Men are never allowed to assist at the

;

it

are

women.

all

Indian

women

after parturition.

This

practice exists

among

however extremely incorrect the

the Sioux or Dacotas, and

who

delivery of a woman.

general opinion has prevailed that

bathed in cold water immediately is

The

have professed midwives,

paid for their attendance

A

to the top of the

cut.

no manual assistance

have occurred in which the

process of

being on her

by bending the body over

which are attached

regularly tied and

unknown

The

them.

even in cases of wrong presentation

was

left

accurately described, but the dis-

generally easy, the

the funis

the right or

inclines to

it

never resorted to in fevers.

a cord, the ends of

cabin

bend of the

below the bend

in the side

among many

other nations, but

we very much question whether any nation of Algonquin origin practises it. The Potawatomi women are very careexpose themselves to cold after child-birth, and do not bathe for ten days unless the weather be very warm. The placenta not being always expelled naturally, they

ful not to

EXPEDITION TO THE

132

have recourse that if

to a strong medicinal draught

should remain

it

for

stated,

it is

;

days, the husband

several

takes his wife upon his shoulders, and carries her about for

some time

;

the motion

Mothers always nurse

them

;

in

more

is

expulsion.

its

and continue to suckle

some

instances for

no subsequent pregnancy oc-

years, if

one case a mother was observed suckling a child

When

twelve years of age. child

said to assist in

for a great length of time, in

three, four, or

cur

is

their children,

the mother's milk

fails,

the

fed with an extract of sweet maize in boiling water,

and medicines are administered

Metea had never heard

renew the

to

secretion.

woman's

of a total failure of a

milk while nursing her child; during a temporary terruption of

who

care of a friend, is it

disapproved proves

acts as a nurse; but this practice

Parturition

of.

so, it is attributed to

the part of the midwife

;

in

by

from eight

it is

women it

The

months, and

to nine

of indolent habit

is

much

with gray

is

during their

Menstruation

is

to

Menstruation commonly commences

it

is

not

uncommon

gestation, although

often irregular with

and in some

fifty,

to see a

ceased.

disabled from child-bearing

first

women

seldom attended with

whose catamenia has not

hair,

women become

it is

less laborious.

period of gestation varies

age of fourteen, and continues until

cases sixty years;

when

:

frequently the cause of their being

their husbands.

sickness or nausea. at the

fatal

very common, but does not expose

contempt, though cast off

seldom

is

ignorance or carelessness on

said to be painful, in the active Sterility is

in-

they sometimes commit children to the

it

still

them

woman Many

by accidents very young. ;

when

too

abundant, they have remedies which are represented as

very successful, but which Metea declined indicating,

was not usual

for

them

to talk of these things except

as it

when

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

upou professionally, and with

called

sion of

In a suppres-

a fee.

menses they seldom apply any remedy

by

is

Indian

all

women

women

the rest of the nation

During the period

are not allowed to associate with

they are completely

;

they

sterility,

considered as the greatest

curse that can be entailed upon them.

of the catamenia,

as

;

might be productive of

are apprehensive that this

which

133

and

laid aside,

are not permitted to touch any article of furniture or food

which men have occasion tionary at the time, the

camp; trail,

on

if

a

women

be

If the Indians

sta-

are placed outside of the

march, they are not allowed

to follow the

but must take a different path and keep at a distance

from the main body. vail

to use.

wherever man

This practice, which appears to pre-

and

retains his primitive simplicity

purity of manners, has been very unphilosophically considered

by Adair and other

theoretic writers as a strong

confirmation of the descent of the aborigines of America

from the ten lost tribes of Israel. But as Charlevoix observes, " one must have good eyes, or rather a very lively imagination to perceive in them

all

have pretended

The

to

Prince, of Boston,

discover."*

who

that

some

late

travellers

Mr. Samuel

resided thi'ee or four years in

Owhyhee, assured Mr. Colhoun

that the natives of that

island are equally scrupulous with regard to the catamenia,

and during

its

continuance

;

the

houses without the villages. has not,

we

think, been noticed

women

being secluded in

This custom of

by any

Owhyhee we

traveller that

have met with. It has

been often asserted that

women

it

was

a

common

tice

with Indian

may

be correct as respects certain nations, but

to destroy

the

foetus.

* Charlevoix's Journal Historique, Letter 23i.

it

prac-

This ought

EXPEDITION TO THE

134

by no means

to be considered as applicable lo

we know

to

mis.

it

and humane provisions of the Christian

to

and

;

All travellers concur in representing them as very

proud of the number of their children.

vail,

all

be incorrect as respects the Potawato-

Where faith

the mild

do not pre-

man

children form almost the only link which binds

woman

for

It is the

life.

only obstacle to that constant

repudiation of wives which occurred previous to the Christian dispensation

tude of the deed,

woman

;

hence, independent of the moral turpi-

it

would be the height of impolicy

which she has upon

to impair the strongest claim

her husband's affections

Potawatomi woman

in a

besides these considerations, the

;

prevented from attempting infanti-

is

would

cide from the fear which she entertains that abortion

be followed by the death of the parent.

Askabunkese, one of the most celebrated physicians

among the Potawatomis, being asked whether was known to them, said that he did not know it

men were too modest him down with

Among the

to inform the

a stick

if

chlorosis ;

wo-

the

men, and would knock

he were to inquire of them.

Potawatomi, the practice of medicine

con-

is

sidered quite distinct from that ofjugglery. Both are in great repute, but

man

it

appears that there

of medicine has,

it

is

is

cantations to add to the virtue of the plants

but this

is

totally

The

no interference.

true, recourse to spells

and

in-

which he uses;

unconnected with the avocations of the

sorcerer and juggler,

whose object

is

amusement, and who

are resorted to for the recovery of lost articles, or to answer

questions about persons and things at a distance, for

which

they sometimes get pay from the more ignorant, but they are soon detected in their clumsy arts. treated with

much

The

sorcerers arc

respect, being held in great

awe

;

they

generally perform their tricks in the, twilight, or during

—

SOURCE OP

ST.

Peter's river.

135

Prophets formerly existed in great number,

the night.

and were much revered the predictions

nese, the brother of

and

this subject,

but the failure which attended

;

made by

the great prophet of the Shawa-

Tecumseh, has opened

satisfied

them

who had enjoyed

the others

reputation

The Potawatomis have

on

among them, was

merely a tool in the hands of a designing the Indians into measures

their eyes

that he, as well perhaps as

chief, to deceive

which he wished

to effect.

number of war songs, formed for the most part of one or two ideas, expressed in short and forcible sentences, which they repeat over and over, in a low humming kind of tune, which to our ears appeared very monotonous

a

;

they have no love songs, the

business of singing being always connected with warlike avocations. as follows

We took down

the words of one of their sonscs

:

Y6-wa-kwa ta-m^-noi me-ch^-mo-ko-man. IFhat do

I hear

behind

me?

the

Americans

n^-to-ta-wa-n^-ka pe-te-ksi-wa,

are entering our village.

Prepare yourselves

to fight.

Ka-na-m^-ta-s^ we-ta-se ne-p6-vv^n.

We

must

The to

Victory or death.

die.

translation of

two others

is

annexed, with a view" When I

give an idea of the purport of their songs.

march against mine enemies, the earth trembles under feet:" this

is

my

sung with considerable force by a warrior:

the others joining in chorus, to the words ya, wa, often repeated, and concluded with a general whoop.

Another, which

very short, consists merely in the repetition of the words, " The head of the enemy is cut off,

and

falls at

my

is

feet;" with the exclamation ha-ha-ha, fre-

quently repeated.

Singing

is

always attended by the dance, and

if

pos-

;;

EXPEDITION TO THE

136

by

sible,

intoxication, in

The only

rent and unintelligible.

which they

use, are the

They have

let.

name

which case

drum,

it

becomes incohe-

musical instruments

rattle,

and a kind of

war dance, medicine dance, Manito or

of the

flage-

known by

various kinds of dances

the

spirit

dance, wabano, metawee, mewicine, and beggar's dance.

Their games are numerous and diversified

many

of those

known

to civilized

men

;

;

they resemble

such as gymnastic

exercises, battledore, pitching the bar, ball, &c. tennis

and

which they use the spur of the deer with a

cup-ball, for

string attached to

particularly cards,

They

it.

are fond of

games of chance,

which they have received from

traders,

&c.

The Potawatomis

are for the

most part well proportion-

ed, about five feet eight inches in height, possessed of much

muscular strength in the arm, but rather weak in the back,

with a strong neck, endowed with considerable

Their voice

is

feeble and low, but

when

agility.

excited very shrill

their teeth are sound and clean, but not remarkable for re-

In persons of feeble habits, or of a scrophulous

gularity.

tendency, the teeth are found to decay others.

Dentition

Indian children, a circumstance which ed.

much

faster than in

said to be a painful process

is

Their complexion

is

we had

among

not expect-

very much darkened by expo-

sure to the sun and wind, while those parts

which are

kept covered, are observed to retain their native brightness.

Children are red

when new-born,

they assume the yellow colour. penetrating, but blindness plication of the eye in

the alternate, and, in

and snow

;

still

some

is

after a

Their sight

is

few years quick and

frequent from the intense ap-

hunting, and from exposure to cases, united action of the

doubtless also on account of the constant

in their huts.

Their hearing

is

usually good

sun

smoke

when young

SOURCE OF but

is

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

by the

often affected in old age, probably

cold, or the usually disordered state

137 effect

of

of their stomach.

Their olfactory nerves are said to be inferior in acuteness

man

to those of the white

which

;

We should have believed that man would be possessed of

a

when

facts stated

civilized; the

singular, considering

is

the extent of the sense of smelling

among wild

animals.

in his {[primitive state

more acute sense of smelling than

Caraibs being able to trace

men

on

this subject of the

through the woods by the

scent, like hounds, and of their distinguishing " the track

of an Englishman or a negro, from that of a

or a Spaniard, by the sense of smelling,"

strong confirmation of this doctrine.*

Arabs cannot bear the smell of a Their endurance of cold

is

would be

It is said that

the

Their powers of

di-

city.

great.

gestion are strong, but exposed to severe

of food which an Indian will take

Frenchman

if true,

The quantity

trials.

when he

has

it

in abun-

dance is surprising, and if considered in connection with what is

related

by Captain Parry of the appetite of the Esquimaux,

would lead us

to believe that this is not peculiar to

tion of Indians, but that

wild

state.

who

live

it

belongs to

man

any na-

in general in his

We find that it extends also to the half-breeds The

among them.

observations

made

at a later

period of the expedition, upon the quantity of buffaloe

meat consumed by every man of the party, confirm

The

this.

usual allowance of fresh buffaloe meat to the guides

and boatmen of the fur trading companies eight pounds per day

;

it is

is

not less than

probable, that during the short

time the party were among the buffaloe, the ration of each of the gentlemen averaged about four pounds. to

This

is

be attributed to any want of nutritive power in the

•

Vol.

I.

Archseologia Americana, vol.

18

I.

p. 426.

not

flesh

EXPEDITION TO THE

138

of the buflaloe, but to the great facility that attends the digestion of this food, and to the irregular habits which even

men

the most civilized

readily acquire as soon as they find

themselves beyond the pale of society. if

Certain

that

it is,

well provided with food, and not engaged in hunting, the

Potawatomi will

eat

from ten

to

twenty times

a day. Fre-

quent exposure to privation of food has, however, accus-

tomed him

to

endure the want of

and perhaps with

man. red

There

man

less real

is also

with more fortitude,

it

inconvenience, than the white

probably a moral support which the

receives from the recollection, that

quent, and W'hich he

however long have been the

was deprived of

however

fre-

intervals during

subsistence, they have al-

all

ways terminated in time to secure him from absolute famine he therefore always retains the hope of being soon re;

stored to abundance.

The white man,

less

accustomed to

these privations, considers himself as lost the very

time

first

that he misses his usual allowance, and is deprived of the great

accession of physical strength

which proceeds from moral

men

Notwithstanding their great fortitude, the

courage.

of this nation are sometimes liable to unaccountable depression of spirits, which seldom, however, leads

commit

suicide

which was

in a

;

we

fit

heard of

two

them

to

instances only, one of

of intoxication, and the other to get rid

of a scolding wife.

This account of the Potawatomis might have been lengthened out by adding

many

related to us concerning their

circumstances which were

manners and opinions

having given the most important,

we

shall

ing the remainder, except in a few instances,

ing of other Indian tribes in a

;

in

;

but

withhold notic-

when

which case they may

comparison between the different nations.

treatassist

; ;

SOURCE OF

139

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

CHAPTER

IV.

Carey mission-house. Lake Michigan. Chicago.

THE at

only person worthy of note,

whom

met

the party

Fort Wayne, besides those already alluded

to,

was Cap-

same gentleman who has amused the

tain Riley, the

He

world by an account of his sufferings in Africa.

formed a settlement on

St.

Mary

has

river, fourteen miles

above Fort Wayne, which he has called Willshire, in honour of the British consul

The

spot

who redeemed him from

which he has selected

is

captivity.

said to be the only

that affords a water-power witliin fifty miles of Fort

from which circumstance portance.

The

party

will probably increase in im-

made arrangements

derness, of upwards of this place

it

one

Wayne

to cross the wil-

two hundred miles, which separates

from Chicago they fortunately met here the ex;

press sent from the latter place for letters, and detained

him

His name was Bemis, and wc have great

as a guide.

pleasure in stating, that of all the United States' soldiers who,

accompanied the expedition

at various times,

in the capa-

city of escort or guide,

none behaved himself so much

their satisfaction as this

man.

party

left

On

the 29th of

to

May, the

Fort Wayne, the cavalcade consisted of seven

persons, including the soldier, and a black servant, called

Andrew

Allison

with provisions.

;

there were in addition two horses loaded

The

first

day the party travelled but

twenty miles, and encamped on the bank of a small stream

known by the name

of Blue-grass ; this

butaries to the Mississippi all

the streams which

we

is

the last of the

which are met with

tri-

in Indiana

crossed during the ensuing five or

;;

EXPEDITION TO THE

1-10

empty

six days

their

Wayne

country to the west of Fort ing than that which

swampy,

places

we

lies east

much

it is

had previously

of it

less so

is much more promisThough wet, and in some

than that through which

The

travelled.

soil

consist of white oak,

is

thin, but of

met with; the

good quality; prairies are occasionally rests

The

waters into Lake MicTiigan.

shellbark,

fo-

The

aspen, &c.

weather, which was cloudy in the morning and showery

towards sunset, and our

in the afternoon, cleared off

first

night's exposure was attended with no evil consequences.

The meadow on which we fine

tame

halted,

was covered with

which afibrded us a

grass,

while

soft couch,

The

secured to our horses plentiful and palatable food.

streams

we

crossed this

day were inconsiderable

;

a it

the

first

known by the name of Eel river, is one of the head branches Wabash it was considerably swollen at that time we forded it with some difficulty, and met on the west bank a party of traders, who had been encamped there some-

of the

:

time with a large quantity of

which they dared not

furs,

trust across the stream in its present state of elevation.

They were

nearly destitute of provisions, and

them with one day's

A

rations.

we

supplied

ride of thirty miles took

us the next day to a fine river called the Elkheart, which it

had been our intention

upon reaching

its

banks

we

to

have forded before night

found

it

preclude the possibility of crossing

so

it,

much swollen

as to

unless a raft could be

made but as this would have detained us too long, we prefered attempting to make our way down the left bank of the ;

stream.

We

were led

to take this course

from the

cumstance, that the usual path crosses back to the southern bank, about twenty miles below the sing. flat

The country

ridges, the

cir-

left

first

or

cros-

travelled over this day, consisted of low

summits of which presented extensive levels

SOURCE OP interspersed with

many

more

ridges are not

ST.

141

Peter's river.

These

small lakes and lagoons.

than ten or fifteen feet in height, their

make them sometimes difficult of The country is almost destitute of timber few miles of the Elkheart, when we entered

sides are so steep as to

ascent for horses. until within a

we

the river bottom, in which

found a noble forest of

oak, black and white walnut, wild cherry, beech, poplar, ash, bass or linden, white

which

it

grows appearing

but somewhat wet. prairie land,

to

Among

and the wild

in great

flax,

upon

soil

be of the very best quality, the plants observed upon the

Mr. Say noticed

bloom and

full

and sugar maple, &c. the

a lupin with blue flowers, in

abundance; a

which grew

fine

cypripedium,

in great plenty.

Some

of

the small lakes or ponds are surrounded exclusively with

a thick growth of white cedars, none of which are seen elsewhere, or intermixed with any of the forest trees on

more elevated ground. One of the most curious characters of the prairie, was the number of conical depres-

the

sions in the earth, resembling the sink holes in the neigh-

bourhood of

St.

feet in depth,

Louis

;

they are from eight to ten or more

and from twenty to thirty in diameter. They

remind the geologist of the numerous funnel-formed holes which are observable in gypsum formations, and particularly in the muriatiferous

gypsum of the

any where along these

vicinity of

No

zerland, Moutiers in Savoy, &c.

prairies, but

granitic boulders, bearing evident

Bex

in Swit-

rocks appear in situ

they are covered with

marks of

attrition.

The

soil is

likewise thickly studded with water-worn pebbles,

and

therefore far inferior in quality to that over

is

we passed is

the preceding day.

The

which

grass of these prairies

generally short and dry.

One

of the greatest inconveniences

this stage of

we

our journey, and which was

encountered felt still

at

more

H2

EXPEDITION TO THE

when

sensibly sippi,

travelling on the prairies west of the Missis-

We noticed

was the great range of the thermometer.

this day, that at sunrise it stood at 38^, (of Fahrenheit's scale,)

while

at

of temperature

we were

noon

it

had risen to

72°.

So great a variation

productive of very heavy dews, to which

is

frequently exposed, as

we

often neglected pitch-

ing our tents at night.

In rising in the morning

found our clothes as wet as

if

Whether

water.

vents the

the usual elevation of these prairies pre-

dew from

being attended with the sickliness

which generally

prevails

whether the

to

life,

them

we know

it is

remarkable that none

In no instance were any of us

it.

with either cold or rheumatismal pains ; and

affected

one or two cases

symptoms of

when we had

left

fever prevailed,

to

struck

The

Fort Wayne.

by

that

which leads

was

if

in

at a

trail

to

day on their

which we followed was

one of their villages about

The weather was hazy throughout

fifteen miles distant.

the day ; in the evening light clouds tle

it

the prairies.

A few Potawatomi Indians were met this way

in crossing

against the noxious influence

not; but

of the party suffered from

time

the vicinity of rivers, or

in

which men are exposed

the prairies, protects

of the dew,

we

they had been drenched in

were observed.

A gen-

breeze from the north-west prevailed during the day. Our

liorses

had been fastened,

to prevent their

rambling in

the woods ; meeting with but a scanty supply of grass in the neighbourhood of the river which was overgrown with bushes, and which offered

of trees,

many

of

them no other food but the bark

them broke the bark ligaments with

which they were secured, and strayed to a considerable distance from the

camp

;

these ligaments are called in the lan-

guage of the travellers to the west " hobbles."

The

pursuit

after the horses in the morning occasioned a great loss of time,

SOURCE OF

ST.

peter's kiver.

which was however increased on discovering

143

that the black

boy (Andrew) had not returned with them he having unfor;

tunately lost his way in the woods.

ing proved vain, track, affixed

we

them

ance.

after

him hav-

wrote directions for him to pursue our to a tree,

when

leaving the camp,

Our search

and were on the point of

fortunately he

we

It is probable, as

made

his appear-

afterwards found out, that he

would have perished in the woods had he not come

moment

just at that for

him

to

;

for

it

in

would have been impossible

have traced the party in the thick forest

through which our course led us

:

neither

would

have

it

been prudent for us to have remained any longer there, as

our horses gave evident signs of their having been

on short allowance since noon of the preceding day.

Andrew's return what appeared

to the

to be the

to seek for a place

camp enabled

most important

We therefore resolved

course as

we to

object,

which was

where the horses might pasture

vantage.

same time

us then to attend to

upon following

to ad-

as short a

could to the prairie land, endeavouring at the

keep near enough

to the river to reach the

second crossing before night. In this attempt

we met with

great difficulties, from the closeness of the forest and the

swampy

to get through,

them on

The

nature of the ground.

and when

we

horses laboured

stopped

a small patch of grass,

noon

at

we found

to pasture

that our progress

during four hours had been but about six miles.

met with

much

We had

a bold and hitherto undescribed stream, about

twenty yards wide, which empties into the Elkheart about three miles below the usual crossing, and which designated in our river.

From

map

as the south-west

the rapidity and depth of this branch

cipated the same difficulties

we have

branch of that

we

anti-

which we had encountered the

evening before, but on continuing along the bank, for some

ExrKDlTlON TO THE

144 time,

we

observed a large tree that had

and that afforded a

fallen across,

and commodious bridge for our-

safe

selves and baggage, while

our horses

swam

The

over.

afternoon of that day was consumed in passing through

swamps, being

in

which our horses were frequently

At one

lost.

less efforts of the

were happy

to get

danger of

horses

with

hurt,

by the

fruit-

former to get over a bad hole.

We

three

of

were near being severely

their riders,

in

the

place

through without any more serious injury

than that of being smeared with dirt from head to foot,

and with the

loss

merely of a few spurs that stuck

to the

bottom of the pool. After one of the most trying days that

any of us ever recollected having undergone, we encamp-

low that we could scarcely get

ed, at sunset, in a place so

a spot

dry enough to spread our blankets

;

we

and before

had partaken of our evening meal, the mosquitoes arose in such

numbers around

us, that

we were

We had likewise

rest for the night.

deprived of

all

the mortification of

finding that our horses were almost as badly off for grass this

evening

as the last; the

did not exceed twenty miles.

distance travelled this day

Our course had been

entirely

by the compass, and was nearly west. An Indian which we observed in a direction north 40° west, was

directed trail

followed for a while, with the hope that to an Indian village, but

heart,

which we found

encampment.

We

it

;

would take us

deep and

as rapid as at

our

last

observed here the remains of a

frail

as

canoe which, for a moment, crossing the river

it

only lead us back to the Elk-

we

thought might

but the weakness of this

assist us in

little

vessel,

soon convinced us of the impossibility of trusting to

it

;

it

was made of the bark of the linden or elm, procured by cutting through to the

wood transversely, first at the

foot of

the tree, and then again about twelve feet above this.

A

SOURCE OP

PETER

ST.

S

RIVER.

145

longitudinal cut, uniting these two, allowed the bark to be shelled off in a single piece.

It

had then been reversed, so

on the

that the inner surface, while

tree,

formed the outside

of the boat; the whole was finished by causing the middle

by means

part to bulge out,

each end was pressed

having misled

us,

in,

we

of sticks placed athwart, while

and rendered water-tight. This path

retraced our steps until

a bank, about twenty-five feet high,

with the river, and

we

we

ascended

which runs

parallel

continued along the edge of this

through thick woods of elm, prickly ash, red haw, spice

wood, papaw

Our situation during the night was a very uncomfortable one, and little calculated to in flower, &c.

please those of the party,

who

were, for the

gaged on an exploring expedition.

time, en-

first

To be placed in the midst

of a dense forest, surrounded by bogs, from which our horses

had been extricated with great difficulty, uncertain possibility of reaching

we wished for

by

this route the spot

tormented by

to arrive,

want of food, and

all this at

the

insects,

as to the

at

which

our horses faint

commencement

of our

journey through the woods, was rather a discouraging

si-

we

re-

Anxious

tuation.

to escape

from these

sumed our journey on Sunday, the an hour

as

we

could, and

hours, in difficulties

The

ing day.

still

difficulties,

1st of June, at as early

were engaged

for about five

greater than those of the preced-

thickness of the forest having obliged us to

we waded knee deep in the new obstacle in the necessity of making

dismount and lead our horses, mire, and met with a

frequent halts, to replace on the horses the baggage which

was thrown to take

off,

during the

over the fallen

trees.

high and dry prairie, partly

many

leaps

which they had

After a while

we

reached a

covered with young aspen

bushes, rising to the height of from eight to ten feet, and

so thick that

Vol.

T.

it

was almost impossible 19

to

keep the whole of

;

'

146

EXPEDITION TO TIIK

the party in sight; this reminded Major

Long

of

some of

the difficulties he had experienced in travelling through

the cane hrakes of Arkansaw.

On

halting at noon,

we

disco-

vered the Elkheart at no great distance, and from the account of our guides, concluded that

To the younger

culties.

we had

travellers

it

got through our

was

a source of

diffi-

much

gratification, to find that the fatigues of that morning had ex-

ceeded

all

met with,

that their as

it

was

more experienced companions had ever them

to

a sure

warrant that they had not

At our

overrated their forces in undertaking the journey.

noontime's encampment, we found the angelica plant, and the

wild pea-vine.

We

soon struck a

trail,

and about three

miles below, came to the lower crossing of the river ;

was

still

so high that

it

would have been impossible

it

to pass,

but we experienced great pleasure in ascertaining that we had again fallen into the usual track from

we

observed here, for the

Wayne

In the afternoon

ing in abundance.

to

Chicago

time, the equisetum grow-

first

we

travelled with

ease and comfort over a prairie country interspersed with

One

occasional spots of woodland.

of these prairies which

was about five miles wide and one and a half long, was as level as possible, and as far as the eye could observe,

sembled

a

it

re-

smooth unruffled sheet of water. The scene was

enlivened, and the solitude interrupted of the deer which

we

by

the quick flight

disturbed while feeding, and which

darted across our path with a rapidity that baffles description.

About sunset we arrived at a romantic stream called Devil's river, and here we encamped upon as beautiful a spot as the most fastidious could have wished for;

we

pitched our

tent for the first time, and while partaking of a comfortable

meal, in the open

than perhaps in

we

such a solitude.

air,

spent a more pleasant evening

could ever

There was

a

have expected still

to

enjoy

sublimity in the scene,

SOURCE OF Avliich

The

we have

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

in vain looked for

of

dreariness

our

last

on many an occasion.

encampment

contrasted

strongly with the calmness of the present, that

reminded us of that constant mutability man, which perhaps

147

it

so

powerfully

in the situation of

finds its parallel only in the unceasing

changes which his ideas and his feelings undergo.

The next day we proceeded along the southern bank of the Elkheart and observed its junction with the

mentioned stream

last

is

known by

St.

Joseph. This

the appellation of St.

Joseph of Lake Michigan, in contradistinction to the river

name which empties into Lake Erie, and which The St. Joseph of Michigan is a

of the same

we saw

at

Fort Wayne.

fine stream,

deeply incased

wide, and being rapid left

;

it is

the finest stream

it is

about one hundred yards full,

with a

tiful prairie

mode

fine rich soil,

ojfifered

we

with since

A

the Ohio.

beau-

to the party an

of travelling, and the occasional glimpses which

they caught of the afibrded

was both deep and

we have met

Muskingum, and perhaps even

the

easy

;

time very

at that

them

Joseph and

St.

its

adjoining forests,

a series of varied but ever beautiful prospects,

which were rendered more picturesque by the ruins of Strawberry,

Rum, and

St.

Joseph's villages, formerly the

residence of Indians or of the

first

French

settlers.

It

was

curious to trace the difference in the remains of the habitations of the red

presented in

and white man in the midst of

this dis-

While the untenanted cabin of the Indian

tant solitude. its

neighbourhood but the remains of an old

overgrown with weeds, the rude hut of the Frenchman was surrounded with vines, and with the cornfield

remains of his former gardening exertions. The asparagus, the pea-vine, and the woodbine,

though those

still

in defiance of the revolutions

who

planted

them

here.

grow about

it,

as

which have dispersed

The very names

of the vil-

EXPEDITION TO THE

148

mark

lages

the difference between their former tenants

those of the Indians were designated by the fruit

ject

which grew abundantly on the

j

name of the

spot, or of the ob-

which they coveted most while the French missionary ;

has placed his village under the patronage of the tutelar

whom

saint in

we

to these

found two

Indian lands, or as vation

itself;

trade,

if,

valued

at

is

traders settled in the vicinity of

by many, upon the

believed

where they probably carry on

we were

as

reser-

a lucrative

informed by one of them, a skia

one dollar was obtained for

had cost him

Near

he reposed his utmost confidence.

a cent a piece.

This

evil; our objections to this ti'ade

is,

five gunflints,

which

however, the

would be much

least

lighter, if

the Indians were liable only to be defrauded of their dues ; but great as

is this injustice, it

bears no comparison to the evils

growing out of the constant temptation of liquor they are exposed, and which as is too well known sible for

them to

manner

in

resist.

It is really

to

which

it is

impos-

shocking to observe the

which, notwithstanding the laws of the land, the

dictates of

sound reason, and morality, and the active

efforts

of the United States' agents, the traders persist in their practice of offering liquor to the Indians, the effect

which

is to

There

is

of

demoralize and to destroy them. in this

neighbourhood an establishment which,

by the philanthopic views

that

have led

to

establish-

its

ment and by the boundless charity with which it is administered, compensates in a manner for the insult offered to the laws of God and man by the traders. The reports which we had received of the

flattering success

which had

attended the efforts of the Baptist missionaries on the

Joseph, induced us to deviate a

little

visit their interesting establishment.

St.

from our route to

The Carey

mission-

house, so designated in honour of the late Mr. Carey, the

;

SOURCE OF

ST.

149

Peter's river.

indefatigable apostle of India,

situated within about a

is

mile of the river, and twenty-five miles, (by land,) above its

mouth.

The ground upon which

it is

erected

The

longer in existence.

the site

is

now no

of an ancient and extensive Potawatomi village,

by

establishment was created

the Baptist Missionary Society in Washington, and

under the superintendance of the Rev. Mr. M'Coy, a

whom

from

all

the reports

we

heard of him

we

is

man

should

consider as very eminently qualified for the important trust

committed

to him.

We

regretted that at the time

we

pas-

sed at the Carey mission-house, this gentleman was absent

on business connected with the establishment of another missionary settlement on the grand river of Michigan but

we saw

his wife,

who

received us in a very hospitable

manner, and gave us every opportunity of becoming quainted with the circumstances of the school.

upon which the houses are suits carried on,

built

spot

and the agricultural pur-

was covered with a very dense

months before the time when we

The

ac-

visited

it,

forest

seven

but by the great

activity of the superintendant, he has succeeded in the course

of this short time in building six good log houses, four of

which are connected and

afford a comfortable residence to

the inmates of the establishment, a

room, and the sixth forms In addition to land,

this,

a

fifth is

used as a school-

commodious blacksmith's shop.

they have cleared about

which are nearly

all

fifty acres

of

enclosed by a substantial fence;

forty acres have already been ploughed and planted with

maize, and every step has been taken to place the establish-

ment upon an independant

footing.

The

school consists

of from forty to sixty children, of which fifteen are females.

They

are either children of Indians,

or half-breed de-

scendants of French and Indian parents; there being about

an equal number of each.

It is

contemplated that the

EXPEDITION TO THE

150

The

school will soon be increased to one hundred.

plan

adopted appears to be a very judicious one to instruct them ;

in the arts of civilized life, to teach

they

may

them the

benefits

which

derive from them, without attempting to con-

fuse their heads

by

ideas of religion, the value of

them

which

it

is in

their present state, impossible for

It is

only after they shall have been f3.miliarized with the

upon

blessings attendant

duced

to turn,

with

civilization, that

to appreciate.

may

they

effect, their attention to

be in-

the sublime

which we are indebted To attempt to christianize them before

principles of that dispensation to for all those comforts.

they have been civilized, would be

to

expect of them a matu-

rity of reasoning far beyond that of which experience teaches

In his present state of

us that they are possessed.

and ignorance,

it is

a\

ildness

impossible for the Indian to appreciate

the vast difference which exists between his heathen superstitions

and the pure morality of the gospel.

what must

entertain a doubt of as true,

we need

sionaries

whose

less wastes of

we man

Could

strike every reflecting

but open the books of the Catholic miszeal first induced

America,

to

them

to visit the track-

ascend her as yet

unknown

rivers,

and to risk every hazard and surmount every ob-

stacle,

conveying the glad tidings of the gospel and bap-

name

tising in the

success, they is

of the Lord.

the practice of the Indian, but

strike in the

What

were heard with patient

minds

say they of their

attention, for such

what root did

of their pupils? Father

their

words

Hennepin, one

of the most celebrated of these missionaries, has accounted for their

ill

success in the true way.

"There

are," says he,

" several obstacles to the conversion of the Indians, but in

most cases the chief

which they manifest

difficulty arises

for

from the indifference

every thing. If

we

instruct

them

in the creation of the world, and in the mysteries of the

SOURCE OF

christian religion, they say that

nerally applaud

what we

to be a great breach of

and praised ought

to

show

relate to us,

vanced

we had

that

all

we

we

are right, and they ge-

They would

them.

tell

manners

as to the truth of all that

151

Peter's river.

ST.

to intimate the least

we

to say,

we have

them

tell

their reply

is false,

it

doubt

teach them, but having heard

is,

we

they pretend that

the same deference for the tales

and when

hold

that

which they

they have ad-

all

that as they have acquiesced

on our part to interrupt them and deny the truth of what they assert." " All in all that

stated,

it is

foolish

that thou hast taught us, say they, respecting the belief of

thy country

is

doubtless true as respects thy people, but

it is

otherwise with us

and

who

who

belong to a different nation,

dwell upon lands which are on this side of the

great lake."

It

is

doctrines

of the missionaries, that

may

source of the failure of

But

all

after their ideas will

were

fail

all

as

matters of

good

as those

be*'considered as the true

attempts to christianize them.

have been expanded by a proper

acquaintance with the arts of civilized not

in

indiflference

this

faith, this belief that their

life,

then they can-

fully to appreciate the superiority of our faith over

theirs.

The

plan

adopted in the school, purposes to unite a

practical with an intellectual education

;

the boys are in-

structed in the English language, in reading, writing and arithmetic, they are tions of a farm,

with

it,

and

made to

to attend to the usual occupa-

perform every operation connected

such as ploughing, planting, harrowing, &c.

these pursuits they appear to take great delight

tem being well regulated, they

find time for

;

;

in

the sys-

every thing,

not only for study and labour, but also for innocent recreation, in

which they are encouraged

hours allotted to recreation

to indulge

may perhaps

;

and the

be viewed

as pro-

EXPEDITION TO THE

152

ductive of results fully as important as those accruing from

more

In visiting Indian villages,

serious pursuits.

we

ob-

served, that the children seldom played together in the

manner

The

which those of white men unite

in

pursuits of the Indian

boy

for recreation.

are of a solitary nature, he

imitates the chace, practises shooting at a

mark

in order to

acquire a sure aim, prepares his arrows, &c. but seldom

appears to enjoy that community of pleasures, from which

a taste for society would necessarily spring.

By inducing

the boys of the Mission-house to play together, they will

soon discover life arise

how many

led to form attachments life,

of the comforts and pleasures of

from the communion of souls ; and they will be

and which

may

which

will attend

them through

induce them, after they have

left

the

peaceful abode of the missionary, to continue in the course

which has already been

much

delight.

instruction

The

which

is

;

them the

fruitful source of so

given to the boys, and are in addition

to this, taught spinning,

and ornamental

to

females receive in the school the same

weaving, and sewing, both plain

they were just beginning to embroider,

an occupation which may, by some, be considered as unsuit-

which they are destined

able to the situation life,

ward and stimulus

;

talent for imitation,

them it

to

hold in

but which appears to us very judiciously used as a reit

which

that occupation

may

encourages their taste and natural

may

is

very great ; and by teaching

be connected with amusement,

prevent their relapsing into that idleness, which has

been justly termed the source of

all evils.

They

are like-

wise made to attend to the pursuits of the dairy, such as the milking of cows, churning of milk,

ment

is

&.c.

The

establish-

intended to be opened for children from seven to

fourteen years old, but they very properly receive at a

much

earlier age,

them

and even where a great desire of

;

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER's RIVER.

153

learning was manifested, older persons have

been ad-

All appear to be very happy, and to

mitted.

make

make

;

their principal excellence rests in

they write astonishingly well, and talent for drawing.

The

works of imitation

many display great natural

institution receives the counte-

nance of the most respectable among the Indians ai-e

in the school

residence upon this river.

ment often

The

by

make

there

it,

has his

and show their

presents of sugar, venison, &c.

to the

who

Indians visit the establish-

occasionally, appear pleased with it

;

two of the gi-andchildren of T6-p4-ne-ba,

the great hereditary chief of the Potawatomis,

favour to

as

would

rapid a progress as white children of the same age

which they

family of the missionary.

Some

of

the parents of the half-breed scholars pay for their children's board, and contribute in this

manner

to the support

of the establishment ; which, being sanctioned by the Wai'

Department, receives annually one thousand dollars from the United States, for the support of a teacher and blacksmith, according to the conditions of the treaty concluded at

Chicago in 1821, by Governor Cass and Mr. Sibley, com-

missioners on the part of the United States.

By

this treaty

about four or five millions of acres of land were relinquished

by

the Potawatomis.

It

was one of the conditions of the

purchase, that a small tract of the Indian reservation should

be conveyed in fee simple to the Baptist missionaries, for the

purpose of forming a school and agricultural establishment. It is said that

ing the

site

the Indians themselves selected this spot as be-

of their old village ; this must have been very

populous, as the remains of corn-hills, which are very distinctly visible at this time, are said to extend over a thou-

sand acres.

The

village

was

finally

abandoned about

fifty

years ago, but there are a few of the oldest of the nation

who

still

Vol.

recollect the site of their respective huts I.

20

;

they

EXPEDITION TO THE

154

are said frequently to visit the establishment, and to trace

with deep feeling a spot which

is

endeared to them by " the

memory of past joys, pleasing and mournful The Carey Mission-house has been very

to the soul."

liberally sup-

ported by the charitable contributions raised throughout the

western states.

The family have a flock of one hundred sheep,

collected in Tennessee,

Kentucky, and Ohio, and are daily

expecting two hundred head of cattle from the same

states.

These contributions, together with the produce of farm, will,

it is

thought, prevent

their

them from being exposed

much from scarcity of provisions as they have done. When we visited them, they were on short

to suffer as

already

allowance, owing to the loss of a load of wheat which had

been sent from Fort

we

left that place,

Wayne in

a

wagon

a short time before

and which had been embarked

in pi-

rogues at the upper crossing of the Elkheart ; by the accidental upsetting of the pirogues the whole of the cargo

was

lost.

We

were

the use

told that the family

of milk, during

the

had been deprived of

whole winter, from the

circumstance of their cows feeding upon a kind of wild

onion which grows in the

prairies. It

may

that, notwithstanding the great objection

be well to state

which the Indians

generally have to the use of milk, the children in the school have

become

quite fond of

In order to give a

it.

greater extension to their establishment, they contemplate

engaging Shane as an interpreter and assistant

we saw to

of this

man while

at

Fort Wayne,

form so high an opinion of him

from reports received on

No

St.

as

Mary's

;

from what

we were

we had

not led

entertained

river.

rock appears in place near the establishment; and

met with none on our way from Devil's one place where

we

we

river, except in

observed, in a ravine, a calcareous for-

SOURCE OF mation evidently of the still

latest date,

continues to increase

;

155

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

it

was

and which probably with vegetables,

filled

some of which were unaltered, while others appeared have undergone a

partial decomposition.

Having engaged an Indian M'Coy's

Chicago

to the

trace,

to lead us

back from Mr.

we resumed

our journey on

Our guide's hoary head would have

the 3d of June.

to

even Humboldt himself, that

satisfied

his assertion " that the hair of

Indians never becomes gray," was too general.*

We have

met with many

is

tural that

we

instances,

and the circumstance

should not have mentioned

it,

so na-

but for the im-

portance attached to the slightest observation of a traveller

Humboldt generally

so accurate as

about ten miles through a prairie

is.

After travelling

we parted from

our guide,

who considered himself amply rewarded with about half a pound of gunpowder. We then entered upon what is termed the fourteen mile prairie, which for the first seven miles presented an extensive plain uninterrupted by the least elevation,

single

mer

and undiversified by the prospect of

We

tree.

had occasion

occasion, that the route

to

observe, on

which we

a

a

for-

travelled carried

along the height of land that separates the waters

us

tributary to the Mississippi from those

the lakes ; and

we had

firmed, in this place,

by the

tween those waters has been through the fourteen mile

deep swamp, which

which empty

into

an opportunity of seeing this con-

we

fact that a

communication be-

efiected,

during wet seasons,

prairie.

It

appears that a very

avoided by our visit to the mission

station, establishes a

connection between two streams one

of which empties

waters into the Kankakee, while those

its

of the other run to the still

St.

Joseph.

This has afforded, and

continues to afford every year an easy communication

* Polit. Ess.

on the Kingd. of New Spain, (Lond. 1811,) vol.

i.p. 150,

EXPEDITION TO THE

156

An

for canoes and small l)oats.

establishment which

we

noon

intercourse has likewise

wet seasons, across the prairie

existed, in

we

east of the trader's

passed on the previous day.

At

rested our horses in the vicinity of the remains

named

of an Indian village,

the

Grand Quoit, and we

observed a few Indian lodges scattered along the edge of the forest which encloses this prairie.

On

discovering

our party on the prairie, the tenants of the lodges immerode out of the woods, advanced towards us,

diately

Their

and opened a conversation with our guides.

inter-

course with white men, and the consequent departure from

were observable in the circumstance commencing the conversation, and in their minute

their original customs,

of their

inquries respecting our object and intentions in visiting

They are said to experience a great scarcity of food, which we can readily believe from the total absence of any kind of game which we have observed upon the route. An Indian who rode up near us, while we were

the country.

partaking of our dinner, stopped and appeared to long after food

;

We

but called for none.

offered

him some, which

he very thankfully accepted, and seemed

to

eat

with

great voraciousness.

Our party was

this

Wayne, who brought

day overtaken by an express from letters to

Major Long, one of which

from Dr. James, stating that he had been waiting

w^as

Pittsburg for the party.

From

in

the contents of his letter,

concluded that the hopes, which had been hitherto

we

entertained, of his being able to effect a junction with us,

were

vain.

These were the

friends, until St.

we

last letters,

received from our

found some on our return

at the Sault

de

Marie.

At trail

gan ;

about forty-three miles from the Carey station the which we followed struck the shores of Lake Michithis

was

a source of great gratification to us ; as the

SOURCE OF last

ST.

157

Peter's river.

twelve miles of our road had been very dangerous on

account of the numerous deep holes formed in

may

many

be added the

from the beech

to these

;

superficial roots that projected

every direction, and that exposed

trees, in

the horses to frequent stumbling. clusively

it

The

forest

was almost ex-

composed of the finest growth of beech on some of ;

the higher grounds we found, in great plenty, the partridge or fox-berry, (Gaultheria procumbens,) with

the whortleberry in

full

blossom.

aromatic red

its

it

was accompanied by

We

saw this day the first

of perfect maturity

fruit, in a state

;

white pine, and in some places this tree was very abundant.

We had

been following for some time the valley of a small

stream, called river,) but

winded

by

the French, Riviere

on approaching near

to the south,

and

du Chemin,

to its

we found

ourselves at the base of

a sand-hill of about twenty feet in height arose behind

it,

(Trail

mouth, our path

and the coolness of the

air

;

the fog which

warned us of our

approach to the lake, and on turning along the base of the hill

we

discovered ourselves to be on the beach of

Michigan.

Lake

The scenery changes here most suddenly

;

in-

stead of the low, level and uniformly green prairies, through

which we had been travelling beech

swamp which had

for

some time

past, or of the

offered us such difficulties during

the last four hours of our ride, we found ourselves transported, as

it

were, to the shores of an ocean.

the southern extremity of the lake north, was boundless

;

;

We

that time as calm and unruffled as though

Towards the

south, the prospect

hundred yards, being suddenly cut sand-hills,

which arose

to

the eye meeting nothing but the vast

expanse of water which spread like an ocean,

ice.

were near

the view, towards the

to a height

it

its

surface at

were a sheet of

was limited

off

to a

few

by a range of low

varying from twenty to

forty feet, in some instances rising perhaps to

upwards of one

EXPEDITION TO THE

158

hundred

feet.

When we

first

approached the lake,

it

was

co-

vered with a mist, which soon vanished and the bright sun, reflected

upon the sand and water, produced a glare of light

quite fatiguing to the eye.

Our progress was

in a south-

vvestwardly direction, along the beach, which reminded us of that of the Atlantic on the coast of

New

crowned

sand-hills are undulating and

Jersey.

at their

with a scrubby growth of white pine and furze

brow, which faces the lake, hills,

•,

The

summits while the

quite bare. In the rear of the

is

but invisible from the beach, spreads a level country

supporting a scattering growth of white pine, oak, beech,

hophorn-beam, (Ostrya virginica,) &c. East and west of us, a continuous narrow beach curved gradually towards the north and, bounded by the lake and the could observe.

June,

we were

hills,

was all

that the eye

At our evening's encampment of the 4th

and could distinctly observe that

its

south-eastern corner

the arc of a greater circle than the south-western. is

of

at the southernmost extremity of the lake, is

The beach

strewed with fragments of rocks, evidently primitive,

and probably derived from the decomposition of the same masses which, by their destruction, have given rise to the immense deposite of sand and pebbles that forms the bottom of the lake. These fragments, which are all rolled,

vary

much

in size

the largest

;

haps twenty or thirty tons.

and

we

observed weighed per-

They consist of granite, mica The hills appear to have

clay-slates, hornblende, &c.

been produced by the constant accumulation of sand, blown from the beach, by the strong north-westerly winds which prevail during the winter season

uncemented. are to be

;

the sand

is

loose and

In a few places traces of lignite and peat

met with doubtless ;

sition of the partial vegetation

resulting from the

decompo-

which grew upon these hills,

and which was successively destroyed and buried under

SOURCE OF the sand is

;

159

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

perhaps also from some of the drift-wood which

often carried ashore

by the waves.

The lake appears to abound in fish, judging from the quantity that

we saw gliding along the surface of the many that lay dead, and

the beach there were

places rendered the air quite fetid. to the pike, the salmon-trout, &c.

there

The

is

any great variety

water ; upon that in

These belonged

We

in the fish

some

chiefly

cannot learn that

found in this lake.

streams passed this day, during our ride along the

beach, were inconsiderable

;

the

termed the Riviere

first is

des JBois, probably from the quantity of drift-wood ob-

served near river

;

it;

the English appellation for

the second, which

we

it

is

Stick

met, was the Big Calamick,

(K^-no-mo-konk of the Indians,) where the party dispersed, during the evening, each to attend to his

own

avocations.

Major Long and Mr. Colhoun commenced observations for latitude,

which they found

complete on

difficult to

Hunting

account of the fog which spread over the lake.

and

were sent

fishing parties

out, but which returned with-

out having met with any success.

The colour of the streams which we passed indicates their swamp and the great excess of water in this

origin in a

;

fen during some seasons, together with the loose nature of the sandy bar which divides it from the lake, causes it fre-

quently to force the dam, and open to into the lake

;

itself a

new

passage

there are near to this place two streams, one

named Pine river was opened last year the other, termed New river, was formed a short time before. We of which,

;

crossed both these streams as well as the

little

Calamick,

and finding that the travelling on the beach had become

very uncomfortable, owing lake

to a

heavy

fog,

and a strong

wind which announced an approaching storm, we

crossed the sand

hills,

and travelled on the prairie

;

in this

EXPEDITION TO THE

160

manner we were well

Our path

sheltered from the wind.

led us over the scene of the bloody massacre perpetrated

when

in 1812,

was entirely de-

the garrison of Chicago

stroyed by the Indians, (principally Potawatomis,) after

they had abandoned the

fort

and

No

seen of the massacre

which

mained

for a long

the bones,

;

now

traces are

to be

are said to have re-

while bleaching upon the prairie, were

at

gathered up and buried by order of Captain Bradley,

last

who had

the

the old one

command

;

of the

new

fort built

on the ruins of

but no one could point out to us the spot

While

where they had been deposited. on the bank of to

pledge

in violation of the

given to them by the Indians.

New

river,

we

observed

resting at noon,

how

difficult it is

judge correctly of objects on the prairie and,

at the

same

how great is the similarity between the prairie wolf and dogs owned by the Indians. While seated at dinner, we

time,

the

were

told that one of the soldiers had discovered a

and was about to

fire

upon

The whole

it.

wolf

paily saw the

animal and remained convinced that it was a wolf, until one of the

men

observed an Indian hut in the distance, and sug-

gested that hut,

it

might be a dog belonging to the tenant of the

which information induced the

shooting ; a few

from

soldier to desist

moments afterwards an Indian made

appearance on the prairie and called the animal

This Indian was remarkable

to

his

him.

for the length of his beard,

which, contrary to their usual custom, he had allowed to

grow

to the length of

indicative of the

liged to

one inch and a half; his dress was

same slovenly

disposition.

commit to his charge one of the horses

We were ob;

this

was the

only one that had travelled the whole distance from Philadelphia

;

but he had become unable to proceed, having

been affected for some time past with the distemper notwithstanding

all

the care that

;

and,

was taken of him, he had

SOURCE OF

become

so faint that, even without

possible to

The

PETER

ST.

RIVER.

S

any

make him keep up with

load,

161

we found

im-

it

the rest of the horses.

Indian undertook to take care of him for a few days,

and then lead him to the

which promise he

fort,

faithfully

discharged.

In the afternoon of the

fifth

of June,

we

reached Fort

Dearborn, (Chicago,) having been engaged eight days in

two hundred and sixteen miles, making an average of twenty-seven miles per day. Our

ti'avelling a distance of

by

estimate of the distance exceeds the usual allowance sixteen miles, on account of the circuitous route

At Fort Dearborn

took to avoid crossing the Elkheart.

we

which we

stopped for a few days, with a view to examine the

country and make further preparations for the journey to tlie

Mississippi.

In taking a retrospective view of the nature of the country travelled over, we find that from Fort

Wayne to twenty

miles west of Devil river,

it

tinct surfaces.

The

first,

it

presents as

or lower one,

prairie covered with luxuriant herbage

one,

is

;

were two

is

the second, or upper

abruptly elevated twenty-five or thirty feet above

the prairie land, and consists of a succession of

flat

ridges,

uniform in height, but of unequal breadth, that are quently disconnected by narrow

from

dis-

a level moist

this circumstance the

straits

lower level presents a continu-

ous surface, while the upper one

is

broken into distinct

ridges insulated in the midst of the prairie.

the ridges

is

fre-

of prairie land;

The

soil

of

poor and gravelly, covered with a thin growth

of scrubby oaks ;

it

appears to have been occasioned by what

has been termed an ancient alluvial formation, (probably similar to those extensive deposites stitute the great plains that are

this formation

Vol.

I.

which are

said to con-

observed in South America ;)

having been afterwards divided by valleys 21

EXPEDITION TO THE

lb'3

of a

has produced a lower

later origin,

still

the action of causes which this

day

level that

with a newer alluvion probably resulting from

is filled

;

as

we had

still

continue to operate to

an opportunity of remarking in the

prairie east of the trading house v.hich

we

visited pre-

To

viously to our arrival at the Carey station.

these

ridges succeeds a broken country consisting of insulated hills

of a soil

oaks, that

grow

more trees among the

inferior, but having

still

we

here,

;

observed for the

first

time the

hickory interspersed.

Fort Dearborn

is

situated in the State of Illinois, on the

south bank, and near

boundary

line

to the

between

the western shore of

mouth of Chicago

this state

river; the

and that of Indiana strikes

Lake Michigan

ten miles north of

its

southernmost extremity, and then continues along the shore of the lake until

it

reaches the forty-second and a

half degree of north latitude, along

the Mississippi.

months

The

which

it

extends to

post at Chicago was abandoned a few

after the party visited

it.

Its

establishment had

been found necessary to intimidate the hostile and*

very powerful

still

tribes of Indians that inhabit this part of the

country but the rapid extension of the white population ;

to the west, the establishment along the IMississippi of a

chain of military posts which encloses them, and at the

same time convinces them of the vigilance of the government, and of the inevitable destruction which they would bring upon themselves by the most

on their

part, have,

it is

trifling act of hostility

thought, rendered the continuance

of a military force at this place unnecessary.

An

Indian

agent remains there, in order to keep up amicable relations

with them, and to attend to their wants, which are daily

becoming greater, owing

to the increasing scarcity of

game

in the country.

We were much disappointed at the

appearance of Chi-

SOURCE OF cago and

We

vicinity.

its

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

found in

16.3

nothing to justify

it

by a

the great eulogium lavished upon this place

who

traveller,

observes that "

it

beautiful that can be imagined." "

says he, "

As

a farming country,"

unites the fertile soil of the finest lowland

it

with an elevation which exempts

prairies

late

the most fertile and

is

it

summer The best comment upon

fluence of stagnant waters, and a lightful serenity."*

of the climate and

in-

this description

with the most active

soil is the fact that,

vigilance on the part of the officers,

from the

climate of de-

it

was impossible

for

the garrison, consisting of from seventy to ninety men, to subsist themselves

although pursuits.

much The

upon the grain raised

of their time difficulties

which the

with here are numerous; they of the

soil,

cold and

from

its

arise

to agricultural

agriculturist

meets

from the shallowness

humidity, and from

damp winds which blow from

force during

in the country,

was devoted

its

exposure to the

the lake with great

most part of the year; the grain

fre-

is

quently destroyed by swarms of insects; there are also a

number of destructive

birds of

which

it

was impossible

the garrison to avoid the baneful influence, except ing, as

was practised

at

for

by keep-

Fort Dearborn, a party of soldiers

constantly engaged at shooting at the crows and blackbirds that depredated

with

all

upon the corn planted by them. But, even

these exertions, the maize seldom has time to

pen, owing

to the shortness and coldness of the season.

ri-

The

provisions for the garrison were for the most part conveyed

from Mackinaw

in a schooner,

brought from

Louis, a distance of three hundred and

St.

and sometimes they were

eighty-six miles up the Illinois and

The appearance

Des Plaines

rivers.

of the country near Chicago ofiers but

upon which the eye of the

traveller can dwell

• Schoolcraft's Nan-ative Journal of Travels,

(Albany, 1820,) page

few

384.

features

EXPEDITION TO THE

164

There

with pleasure. scenery

;

too

is

much

uniformity in the

the extensive water prospect

a waste uncheck-

is

ered by islands, unenlivened by the spreading canvass, and the

fatiguing

monotony

which

of

is

increased

by the

equally undiversified prospect of the land scenery, which aflbrds

in

no relief to the sight, as

which but few patches of

it

consists

thin and

merely of a plain

scrubby woods are

observed scattered here and there.

The

village presents no cheering prospect, as, notwith-

standing

its

antiquity,

it

few

consists of but

huts, inhabit-

ed by a miserable race of men, scarcely equal dians from

whom

to the In-

Their log or bark

they are descended.

houses are low, filthy and disgusting, displaying not the least trace

Chicago

of comfort.

is

perhaps one of the

oldest settlements in the Indian country

from the Potawatomi language,

;

its

name, derived

signifies either a

skunk, or

a wild onion; and either of these significations has been oc-

A fort is said to have formerly exist-

casionally given for

it.

ed there. Mention

made of

in 1671

is

the place as having been visited

by Perot, who found "Chicagou"

dence of a powerful chief of the Miamis. trails

centring

indicate that this

As

to the settler

;

The number

of

and their apparent antiquity,

was probably

a large Indian village.

inducement

spot,

all at this

to be the resi-

for a long while the site of

a place of business,

for the

it

offers

no

whole annual amount of

the trade on the lake did not exceed the cargo of five or six

schooners even at the time

when

the garrison received

its

supplies from Mackinaw. It is not impossible that at some distant day, when the

banks of the Illinois shall have been cover-

ed with a dense population, and

when the low prairies which

extend between that river and Fort Wayne, shall have acquired a population proportionate to the produce which they can yield, that Chicago

may become one

of the points in

SOURCE OF

ST.

Peter's river.

165

the direct line of communication between the northern lakes and the Mississippi

but even the intercourse which

on through

will be carried

think at

;

this

we

communication, will

times be a limited one

all

;

the dangers attending

the navigation of the lake, and the scarcity of harbours

along the shore, must ever prove a serious obstacle to the

The

increase of the commercial importance of Chicago.

extent of the sand banks which are formed on the eastern

and southern shore, by the prevailing north and northwesterly winds, will likewise prevent any important works

from being undertaken

The

to

improve the post of Chicago.

south fork of Chicago river takes

its rise,

about six

swamp which communicates

also

with the Des Plaines, one of the head branches of the

Illi-

miles from the

fort, in a

Having been informed

nois.

ly travelled

by

traders,

that this route

and that

from

sions fort,

St.

it

had been used by one

who

of the officers of the garrison,

was frequent-

returned with provi-

Louis a few days before our arrival

we determined

to ascend the

to observe this interesting division of waters.

cordingly after

left

having ascended the river about four miles,

we were

fall

;

when we reached

less

we

water

Our course through

three miles, was very

ex-

the

it

continued so for about sort of

this

swamp designame of le petit

swamp, which extended

much impeded by

for

the high grass,

weeds, &c. through which our pirogue passed with culty.

;

a

nated by the Canadian voyagers under the lac.

ac-

ascending was very narrow, rapid, and

crooked, presenting a great three miles,

We

the fort on the 7th of June, in a boat which,

changed for a narrow pirogue that drew stream

at the

Chicago river in order

diffi-

Observing that our progress through the fen was very

slow, and the day being considerably advanced,

we landed

on the north bank, and continued our course along the

EXPEDITION TO THE

IGG edge of the

swamp

for about three miles, until

we

reached

the place where the old portage road meets the current,

which was here very

distinct towards the south.

delighted at beholding for the resting in

itself,

but which

first

We were

time, a feature so inte-

we had afterwards an opportunity

of observing frequently on the route

viz. the division of

;

waters starting from the same source, and running in two different directions, so as to

become the feeders of streams

immense

that discharge themselves into the ocean at

we

dis-

there

was

scarcely water enough to permit our pirogue to pass,

we

tances apart.

Although

at the

time

visited

it,

could not doubt, that in the spring of the year the route

must be

a

very

eligible one.

who accom-

Lieut. Hopson,

panied us to the Des Plaines, told us that he had travelled it

with ease, in a boat loaded with lead and

flour.

The dis-

tance from the fort to the intersection of the Portage road

and Des Plaines, miles river

;

supposed to be about twelve or thirteen

is

the elevation of the feeding lake above Chicago

was estimated

at five or six feet

Des Plaines

that the descent to the

The Portage

road

is

;

and,

is less

it

is

probable

considerable.

about eleven miles long ; the usual

distance travelled

by land seldom however exceeds from

four to nine miles

;

amount

Mount

we

in

very dry seasons

it

has been said to

to thirty miles, as the portage then extends to Juliet, near the confluence of the

Kankakee.

When

consider the facts above stated, we are irresistably led to

the conclusion, that an elevation of the lakes of a few feet, (not exceeding ten or twelve,) above their present level,

would cause them into the Gulf of

to discharge their waters, partly at least,

Mexico

;

that such a discharge has at one

time existed, every one conversant with the nature of the country must admit

;

and

it is

equally apparent that an ex-

penditure, trifling in comparison to the importance of the

SOURCE OP object,

would again render Lake Michigan

Mexican

the

167

Peter's river.

ST.

a tributary of

Impressed with the importance of

gulf.

observations to be this

communication

effect, visited

what us

results

but

;

made upon

this

some

object, the legislature of Illinois has already caused

the possibility of establishing

the commissioners appointed to that

;

we

Chicago after

left it,

and we

know

not

they obtained, as their report has not reached

we have

beerrinformed that they had considered

the elevation of the petit lac above Chicago to be some-

what greater than we had estimated

It is the

it.

opinion

of those best acquainted with the nature of the country, that the easiest tle

communication would be between the Lit-

Calamick and some point of the Des Plaines, probably

below the Portage road is

in

wet

seasons,

we

between these two points there

;

understand, a water communication of

Of the

ten or twelve miles.

practicability of the

work, and

of the sufficiency of a supply of water no doubt can exist.

The only

we

difficulty will,

communication open

after

swampy, and probably

it

apprehend, be in keeping the is

once made, as the

soil is

will require particular care to op-

pose the return of the soft

mud

into the excavations.

In the immediate vicinity of Chicago, a secondary limestone

is

found, disposed in horizontal strata ;

organic remains. similar in

its

This limestone appears

no superposition being at

present

to the opinion, that

stones.

contains

to us to

many

be very

geological as well as mineralogical as|>ect, to

that observed above the coal formation

determine

it

We have

visible,

its it

it

is

relative age

is

;

one of the

to regret that the

obtained of the same have been

lost,

on the Miami

;

but

impossible for us to

we however late

incline

secondary lime-

specimens which were

and that we are depriv-

ed of the opportunity of comparing them with those collected in other parts of our route.

This limestone, which

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

IGS lies

exposed

to

view

some

in

places,

is

for the

most part

covered with an alluvial dcposite consisting of the detritus

Upon

of primitive rocks.

Lake Michigan,

the shore of

specimens of native copper have likewise been occasionally picked up.

We

have in our possession, owing

rality of Dr. Hall, a

specimen which

to the libe-

part of a mass,

is

weighing two pounds, found by the express from Chicago to

Greenbay

;

it

was picked up, on'wie lake shore, about Milwacke,

five miles south of the

a stream

which empties

into the lake about eighty-five miles north of Chicago;

the spot at which

it

the Soapbanks, and

is known by the name of by Mr. Schoolcraft to consist

was found is

of a bed of white clay

stated ;

Dr. Hall was led to visit the spot

in hopes of finding

more copper, but met with none.

have dwelt upon

this

fact

We

merely from the great im-

portance which has been attached to every locality of native copper,

where

by those who

a specimen exists, a

are induced to believe that,

mine ought

to

be looked

for.

In reading the relations of travellers on the subject

we

become satisfied of the incorrectness of this conclusion wherever the copper has been found, it has always been in

detached masses, generally of a small

We

appearing evidently out of place.

must not there-

fore expect to find veins in their vicinity

of copper in the west deserves

all

weight, and

;

if

the existence

which

that importance

it has received, a circumstance which we very much question

in the present state of the country,

it is

not upon the study

of the localities of these fragments of native copper that

The main

are to waste our time and means.

be to ascertain whence they came

;

and

object

this can

we

must

only be

determined by an examination of the nature of the valleys, of the extent and abundance of the alluvial deposite in

which they are found, and of the

original primitive forma-

SOURCE OF tions,

from the

169

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

partial destruction of

which these extensive

deposites of alluvion, and the large boulders which ac-

company them, have received which we

considerations

But these

their origin.

broach

shall not

they will find their place, more naturally,

are

at present, as

at a later

period

of this work.

Although the quantity of game try

is

in this part of the coun-

diminishing very rapidly, and although

ficient for the

support of the Indians,

and particularly of the smaller kind, the amateur sportsman. There are aquatic birds, which feed aquatica,)

it is

there

still

barely sufis

enough,

to offer occupation to

many

different kinds of

upon the wild

rice,

(Zizania

and other plants that thrive in the swamps which

Mr. Say observed, among

cover the country,

others, the

(Anas boschas,) shoveller-duck, (A. clypeata,)

mallard,

blue-winged

teal,

gus serrator,)

(A. discors,)

common coot,

common

merganser, (Mer-

(Fulicaamericana,) stellate he-

ron or Indian hen, ( Ardea minor,) &c. &c. In the lake there is also a

great quantity of

very superior quality Lesueur,) which is

is

;

fish,

but none appears to be of a

the white

fish,

(Coregonus albus,

the greatest delicacy found in the lakes,

not caught at Chicago, but sometimes twenty or thirty

miles north of

it.

Observations, for latitude and longitude, were

by Mr. Colhoun, from which the

found to be in latitude 41° 59' 53"

15"

W.—Magnetic variation

During our short residence

6° 13' at

made

here,

situation of this place

was

N.—longitude 86° 47' East*

Chicago,

we

were, by the

favour of Dr. Wolcott, the Indian agent, furnished with

much

information concerning the Indians of this vicinity,

through his interpreter, Alexander Robinson, a half-breed *

See Appendix

certainty, as there

Vol.

I.

II.

Tl>e longitude cannot be depended

was some doubt

22

upon

as to the error of the watch.

witli

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

170 Chippewa,

who informed

us that the Indians

this part of the country are

who

frequent

very much intermixed, be-

longing principally to the Potawatomis, Ottawas, and

Chippewas,

from which circumstance

(6'-ch^6-pe'-w'Ag,*)

a great admixture of the three languages prevails here.

The

Miamis has

vicinity of the

also, in his opinion,

to adulterate the language of the

bourhood of Fort

Wayne

guage

in

spoken

is

banks of the

St.

and

;

Potawatomis

it is

tended

in the neigh-

believed that this lan-

the greatest purity, only along the

Robinson did

Joseph of Lake Michigan.

not suppose the Potawatomis to exceed two thousand five

hundred souls but ;

it is

probable that their

number must

be greater; especially as they are united with the Kickapoos,

of

whose population amounts to six hundred in the State According to his observations, the Potawato-

Illinois.

mis believe that they came from the vicinity of the Sault de

St.

Marie, where they presume that they were created.

A singular belief, which they entertain, the departed have, on their cross a large stream, over

but that this

is

way

which

that the souls of

a log

is

placed as a bridge

in such constant agitation, that

good men can pass over

spirits of

is,

to the great prairie, to

it

in safety,

none but the

while those of

the bad slip from the log into the water and are never ter heard of.

revealed to

af-

This information they pretend to have had

them by one

of their ancestors

who, being

dead, travelled to the edge of the stream, but not liking

•

We have in the

course of this

work conformed with the general final y used by many

usage in the spelUng of this word, dropping the authors; but from the above pronunciation,

it

will

method of

spelling

it,

according to

can give no idea of the true Indian pronunciation of this word. final letter

the

g

and

ought to be pronounced

k.

its

be readily observed that the usual orthography

in a

The

manner intermediate between

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

171

to venture

on the

the living,

which purpose he effected, having been seen once

more among

He

determined to return to the land of

log,

two days

his friends,

reputed death.

after his

informed them of what he had observed, and further

told

them

that while

on the verge of the stream, he had

heard the sounds of the drum,

at the beat

were dancing on the opposite

blessed

of which the

This story

prairie.

they firmly believe.

With

a view to collect as

on the subject of Indian

much

information as possible

antiquities,

we

inquired of Robin-

son whether any traditions, on this subject, were current

among

He

the Indians.

fications

observed, that their ancient forti-

were a frequent subject of conversation

pecially those in the nature of excavations

He

ground.

This

into the Illinois.

to the

river, a stream

running

fortification is distinguished

2

of E'tn^dt^a^'k.

trenchment

es-

in the

had heard of one, made by the Kickapoos

and Fox Indians, on the Sangamo

name

and

;

made

known

It is

to

have served

Kickapoos and Foxes,

by the

as

an in-

who were met

there and defeated by the Potavvatomis, the Ottowas, and

the Chippewas.

We

No

date

was assigned

to this transaction.

understood that the Etnataek was near the Kickapoo

village

on the Sangamo.

The hunting grounds

of the Potawatomis appear to be

bounded on the north by the side of

Lake Michigan

St.

separates

Joseph, (which on the east

them from the Ottowas,)

and the Milwacke, which, on the west side of the lake, divides them from the

Menomones. They spread

to the south

along the Illinois river about two hundredi miles ; to the west their grounds extend as far as

Rock river, and the Mequin or

Spoon

to the east they probably sel-

dom

river of the Illinois

pass

;

beyond the Wabash.

EXPEDITION TO THE

172

CHAPTER

V.

Hock river. Meno77iones. Geology of the country west of Lake Michigan. Prairie du Chien. Sauks and Foxes.

HAVING spent a few days in Chicago, the party left that post on

Wednesday, June

War

ceived from the

11th.

By

the instructions re-

Department, Major Long had the

option of striking the Mississippi at Fort Armstrong, or at

Dubuque's lead mines, and then ascending that river Prairie du Chien. It appeared to him, however, that direct route to Prairie practicable,

it

du Chien, across the

would save

no person could be found in that direction

;

was

upon inquiry

several days; but

who had

the

if

prairies,

to

ever travelled through,

and although from the description of the

country, the route was supposed to be very practicable,

yet from the impossibility of procuring a guide,

it

would

have been relinquished, had not an old French engage, by the

name

Le Sellier, undertaken to direct the party. who had lived for upwards of thirty years with

of

This man,

the Indians, had taken a wife

and

settled

country as his

way

sippi

among

the Winnebagoes,

on the head waters of Rock river knowing the ;

far as that stream,

he presumed that he could find

thence to Fort Crawford, situated on the Missis-

near the junction of the Wisconsan.

guidance the party proceeded on the

first

day of

Under

his

their jour-

ney, in a general direction nearly west, for about seventeen miles. river,

The first stream

passed, on that day,

which we crossed about half

and immediately above the

first

was the Chicago

a mile above the fort,

fork, (or Gary's river)

;

the

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

173

party next came to the River des Plaines, which

head branches of the

Illinois;

it

receives

riety of maple, which by the Canadians

Potawatomi the river (which lation

from

signifies

is

is

is

one of the

name from a vanamed Plaine. In

its

termed Sh6-shik-ma-6-shi-ke Se-pe,

is

flumen arboris

quae mingit.) This appel-

derived from the great quantity of sap which flows

We

this tree in the spring.

crossed the Des Plaines

about four miles above the Portage road;

it

was forty

yards wide, and so deep that part of our baggage was wet

while fording

The is

it,

but fortunately none materially injured.

length of the Des Plaines from this ford to

about fifteen miles, that to

its

source

its

confluence with the Kan-

kakee about forty miles.

We

encamped on the

name

of 6-t6-k&-ke'-n6g,

The voyagers of that name, this stream.

call it

bank of a small stream, about

which means the uncovered breast.

De Page's

river,

from a Frenchman

who died and was buried on The De Page enters the Des

half a mile above

Chicago

east

designated by the Indians under the

eight yards wide,

its

to the place

the banks of

Plaines about

From

junction with the Kankakee.

where we forded the Des

country presents a low,

flat,

and swampy

Plaines, the

prairie,

thickly covered with high grass, aquatic plants, and

The

others with the wild rice. in the places

which are

still

very

among

latter occurs principally

under water;

its

blades

float-

ing on the surface of the fluid like those of the young do-

The whole

mestic plant.

of this tract of country

is

over-

flowed during the spring, and canoes pass in every direction across the prairie.

there

is

a

Near the fording of the Des Plaines

Potawatomi

which came

to

village,

some of the inhabitants of

we were encamped The birds we saw to-day

converse with us, while

at noon, during a thunder storm.

consisted of prairie hens or grous, (Tetrao cupido) reed-

JiXPEDITION TO

171 birds,

THE

(Emberiza oryzivora, Wilson,) sand-hill cranes, (Grus

Many badger holes were observwe saw at the garrison one of these animals, that had been

canadensis,) curlews, &c.

ed

;

whose

raised in the fort, and

had made him

A of

playful, inoffensive manners,

a general favourite.

ride of about eighteen miles brought us to the banks

Fox

river,

which

a fine stream about

is

thirty yards wide, the scenery of which ral

scattered through

islands

its

one hundred and

is

varied

channel.

The

by

seve-

country,

which consisted of prairie land, became handsomely wooded in the

neighbourhood of the river; a couple of Indian lodges, gave an appearance of inhabitance to

seen in the distance,

These we found

the spot.

to belong to the M'e-n6-m'6-n 'e,

or wild rice eaters, a nation that appears to be fast decreas-

The

ing in numbers.

reports concerning the

nation are so various, and the route, that

we

we

Menomone

observed so few of them on

had not an opportunity of forming an

opinion upon the disputed point of their Algonquin origin. It is said that

few

any white men have ever been able

if

learn their language

;

and

we have been

assured

by the

to

late

Indian Agent at Greenbay, (Major John Biddle,) that he had

found

it

difficult to obtain

an interpreter capable of con-

versing with them in their

own

language.

A

able intercourse has, however, existed between

white

men

;

but

it is

consider-

them and

said to be principally in the

Algon-

quin languages, the prevailing medium of intercourse being the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi languages, or as in

most cases a mixture of these three dialects. The few Menomones whom we met with were of a light colour, resembling states,

much

that of the light mulattoes in our Atlantic

probably nearer the colour of individuals resulting

from an admixture of five-eighths European with threeeighths of African blood.

It is said that this light colour

SOURCE OP

ST.

Peter's river.

175

which distinguishes the Menomones from other Indians, from a general admixture of European blood.

results

But we have been

assured, that even

when

of pure Indian

extraction, they are of a lighter colour than their neighbours,

and are therefore often called the White Indians. Whether they be descendants of the Algonquins, or of a different race of men,

perhaps

may

is

a question of

much

importance, and which

yet be resolved by those, whose opportunities

of obtaining information, on that subject, are greater than

ours were. If they be sprung from a different race of men, it

may

still

be questioned whether they settled here, previ-

ously or subsequently to the Algonquin tribes.

voix says that they were not populous to be regretted,"

he adds, " for they are very

the best shaped of

Pouteouatamis.

I

in

all

Canada; they are even

am assured that they

and nearly the same language

as the

Charle-

his time. " This fine

is

men, and

taller

than the

have the same origin

Noquets and Saulteurs,

(Leapers ;)* but they add, that they have also a particular

language, which they keep to themselves^]

The Meno-

mones at present reside principally on the west shore of Lake Michigan north of the Milwacke, in the vicinity of Greenbay, and on the head waters of Fox river, (of Greenbay,) of is

Menomone

river, &c.

Their personal appearance

very favourable, and indicative of more neatness, and of a

greater taste for ornament, than that of any other of our

north-western Indians.

Their mode of preparing

garters, sheaths for knives, moccasins, &c.

belts,

and of ornament-

ing them with beads, and with the coloured quills of porcupines, evinces It

much

taste,

and

this of the best kind.

does not appear that with them the mere combination of

many gaudy •

colours constitutes beauty

Chippewas.

}

;

but this

is

made

Journal Historique, Letter 19th.

to

176

EXPEDITION TO THE

depend more upon the proper union of

tlic

three colours,

white, red, and blue united, to form symmetric and varied designs.

The Fox for the

river, which we crossed, must not be mistaken same which runs north-eastwardly into Greenbay of

Lake Michigan.

Its

course

being nearly south-west

;

it

in a different

is

falls into

direction,

the Illinois about

twenty miles below the confluence of the Des

fifteen or

Plaines and Kankakee.

The Fox

river of the Illinois It is the

Pish-f 4-k6.

is

same which

is

by the Indians

called

mentioned by Charle-

voix under the name of Pisticoui, and which flows, as he

At present it by the Potawatomis and

says, through the country of the Mascoutins. is

claimed, at least in this part,

who

Kickapoos,

mones

are incorporated together;

The

being connected by intermarriages.

we

Meno-

river has a fine

On the west

gravelly bottom, and was very easily forded. side

the

are allowed to remain there, on account of their

reached a beautiful but small prairie, situated on a

high bank, which approaches within two hundred and yards of the edge of the water discovered a

;

and upon

number of mounds, which appeared

been arranged with

;

to

we

have

Of these

a certain degree of regularity.

mounds we counted twenty •rseven

fifty

this prairie

they vary from one to

four feet and a half in height, and from fifteen to twenty -five in length as

it

;

their breadth

is

not proportional to their length,

seldom exceeds from six to eight

feet.

They

are

placed at unequal distances, which average about twenty

yards ; they are chiefly upon the brow of the of them stand at a greater distance back. pears to have been originally oval

;

hill,

but some

Their form ap-

and the slight depres-

sion in the ground, observed sometimes on both sides of

a

mound, seems

to indicate, that

it

has been raised

by

SOURCE OP

means of the

We

ST.

177

Peter's river.

earth collected in

its

immediate vicinity.

remained ignorant of the causes which

may have

given rise to their construction, or of the circumstances under which they were executed.

Of

their artificial nature,

no doubt could be entertained.

They may probably have been ancient dirt lodges, similar to the ruins observed by Mr. Say, during the expedition to the Rocky mountains, and which were known to be the remains of lodges that

memory

had existed within the then living.

It

Fox

side near the

on

this subject.

of

some of the Indians

does not appear that the Indians,

who

re-

have any recollection or tradition

river,

Our guide informed

us, that they believed,

upon the authority of the missionaries, that these mounds were of antediluvian

origin,

and probably erected as places

of retreat for their families in time of war.

Proceeding two miles further, through a thinly wooded country,

we

crossed a brook four yards wide

further of fine rolling

woods, brought us -Tune.

As we

to

prairie,

;

and six miles with light

interspersed

our encampment of the 12th of

stopped upon the encamping ground, a

night-hawk flew away and abandoned two eggs, which she appeared to have deposited on the ground, without

preparing any kind of nest ; they were of a dull white colour, thickly spotted

over with dirty brown blotches.

A

heavy shower, accompanied by thunder and lightning, made the weather very comfortable. But a high wind, which arose during the

night, rendered travelling

very un-

At about twenty-eight miles in westerly course from the Pishtako, we came

pleasant in the morning. a general

to a beautiful

tonwood.) of

Rock

winding stream,

It is

river.

I.

is

a tributary

About one and a half mile below the place

where we forded VoL.

called the Kish-w^a-k6, (Cot-

about twelve yards wide, and

this stream,

23

we saw

a small Indian vil-

EXrEDITlON TO THE

178

by the name of Wa-kt'sa. (little bend,) one of the bends of the Kishwake. It

lage, dei?ignated

from

its

situation at

consisted of four lodges, the population of which was

com-

puted to amount to

at least sixty persons, as

were

many crowded

one lodge ; the village

bited

into

whose name

chief,

ther with

many

is

there

chiefly inha-

a

few Potawatomis who have in-

We

stopped at the lodge of the

by Menomones, with

termarried with them.

is

He, toge-

K'i-k'&-k^'-sh'a, (Crow.)

of his people, was engaged in his corn-

on seeing the strangers, they gave the dog- whoop,

fields;

at the

and collected

They were

all tall

which we had stopped.

at

and muscular men, well

ter looking than the

Potawatomis

mouth which Volney

The

built,

and bet-

generally are;

their

agreeable, and denoted none of that seve-

countenance was rity about the

he saw.

house

chief

is

a very old

ascribes to those

man and

whom

quite bald

;

at

the time he approached us he had a child-board on his

back, in which he carried his

advanced

in years,

of old age

;

there was

women were little

grandson.

Although

much

dignity in his manner.

The

very ugly, and the children looked like

imps, in whose countenance, and apparently deformed

bodies, tall

all

little

Kakakesha had none of the decrepitude

we

could scarcely discover the

and elegant

as those

who

embryo of men as Most of their

stood before us.

youth had gone out on a hunting excursion. The men whom

we saw were

almost naked, having no other garment than

we drew near them they gathered women had a sort of short-gown and

the breech-cloth, but as

up

their blankets

a blanket

;

the

the children ran about naked, with no other ap-

pendage than serve that

;

all

a belt

round their

loins.

even when they have nothing to attach dren,

It is curious to ob-

Indians, whether old or young,

who seldom assume

to

it

;

wear

a belt,

and the chil-

the breech-cloth until they

at-

SOURCE or tain the age of puberty,

have

was about twenty

twelve feet high

a belt tied round them,

all

house, which

The

as soon as they can run about.

ed,

feet long

by

Seen from

at its centre.

we

visit-

wide, and

fifteen

sembled a log-house ; but on approaching to

179

Peter's river.

ST.

a distance,

we

full

re-

it

discovered

it

be formed of bark, secured to a frame made of poles,

and covered with the same material. ance of being very comfortable.

It

The

had the appear-

fire

was made

in the

middle of the house; two sides of the interior were occupied with a frame, three

feet

high and four or

which was covered with blankets,

skins, &c.

inmates sleep and eat; upon these

down.

There

is

five feet

wide,

and on these the

we were

invited to

sit

no sign of partition, or of any thing that

can serve as a skreen to separate or divide one part of the

A

family from another.

woman who was

sick, lay in

the lodge exposed to view, until the child, which was taken

from the

and which was her's, was handed

chief's back,

Whether from this circumstance, or some of our party, who appeared to be watching the sick woman's motions, we know not, but a blanket was soon suspended in order to conceal over naked to her.

to avoid the curious glances of

the patient from view.

The

disposition of these Indians

was

was explained

ject of the expedition

friendly. to

The

they made no reply, but the chief directed his squaw,

was

a very fleshy

woman,

return for the tobacco

to give us

we had

that

if

who

some maple sugar

presented him

;

his regret at having no fresh meat to give us

to our

at their familiar disposition,

intentional

impudence

;

We

camp.

were a

which we

they

all

;

but added,

little

at first

in

he expressed

his hunters returned that evening with meat,

would send some

ob-

them, to which

he

shocked

mistook for

collected round us, took

our guns, and began to examine them with care, appeared

EXPEDITION TO THE

180 to

be liigMy pleased with the double-barrelled guns of

some of the gentlemen of our party

;

one of them even

drew Mr. Say's hunting knife from the having examined hat,

returned

it,

it

which was a white beaver one, and

examined

this

with

care, tried

however, appeared riosity than

some

it

sheath, and after

he then took Mr. Say's

;

having also

after

on his own head. All

this,

proceed rather from childish cu-

to

from any intention

After

to give offence.

time, they began to beg for bacon,

which soon com-

pelled us to leave them.

In order to avoid

all

we

further importunity,

ten miles before night, and

travelled

encamped on a fine piece of level

ground, which was watered by a small stream that discharg-

ed

itself

The

three miles below into the Kishwake.

mometer was observed, two degrees from the

at six o'clock, P.

in the shade, but

heat,

owing

M. to be

ther-

eighty-

at

no inconvenience was

to a fine westerly breeze

felt

which pre-

vailed during the day.

On which

Rock

the 14th of July, the party reached is

river,

the most important tributary of the Mississippi,

between the

Illinois

Rock

and the Wisconsan.

river

is

termed, in the languages derived from the Algonquin, Sin-s6-pe,

and

in

the Winnebago, We-ro-sha-na-gra, both

which names have the same lish term.

It

signification

as

Eng-

the

forms the division between the hunting

grounds claimed by the Potawatomis, on the eastern

side,

and those of the Sauks, Foxes, and Winnebagoes on the west. it

At

the

where we crossed the

place

was about one hundred and twenty yards wide

depth was such that

though

it

;

river,

and

its

could not be forded at that time,

we were informed

loaded with furs, to cross

that it

it

is

without

customary for horses difficulty.

ferried over in a small canoe, sent for us

We

were

from an Indian

f"

source op

We

village in the vicinity.

the

ST.

181

Peter's river. crossed

Rock

river just above

mouth of the Kishwake, the same stream which we

had passed the day previous, but which, from crease,

above

we

its

scarcely recognised,

mouth, where

when we saw

we were

great in-

its it

three miles

again obliged to cross

Opposite to the mouth of the Kishwake there

is

it.

a large

Rock river. At the lower crossing of the Kishwake, we passed through an Indian village, designated by the name of the river, and which is inhabited by a mixed race of Potawatomis, Chippewas, Ottawas, Menomones, &c. The chief, who belongs to the first of these nations, was away at the time we were there, and in his absence we saw island in

us. A lad, who was in we were told, was the son of the late

no person who could converse with the village, chief,

and who,

when spoken

very stupid

;

as

to,

made no answer, but seemed

destitute of intelligence, yet not

with

us.

The

This indeed

is

one of them could converse

one of the characteristics of Indians.

business of receiving and replying to speeches belongs

to the chief,

it is

one of

his proudest prerogatives,

one in which he chiefly endeavours other Indians, seeming to consider

it

pay no attention to it,'and are always to

to be

although the oth^ Indians did not appear

by those

whom

and

for

as

;

and

it is

while the

no concern of theirs,

at a loss,

when spoken

they are accustomed to treat with re-

spect or with regard dicule,

to excel

;

whom

but with the traders,

whom

they

ri-

they openly profess the most mani-

fest

contempt, they will join in conversation very freely

and

familiarly. After

ped

to dine

side,

and were not

with which the to us

having crossed Rock

river,

on the high bank which confines a little

little

amused

Indian boy,

at the

we

we

stop-

on the west

apparent delight

who had brought the canoe

from Kishwake village up Rock

bread and bacon which

it

gave him

;

river^ partook of the it

really

seemed

as

EXPEDITION TO THE

182

though

it

were the most

delicate food

11^ that he

had ever

tasted.

The

valley of

this place;

Rock

river

about half a mile wide at

is

utterly destitute of rocks, differing, in this

it is

respect,

very much from the characters observed higher

up, and

which have

bears.

We

were there

entitled

it

to the

name

that

it

now

could not, however, ascertain whether the rocks in place, or

merely boulders.

We

had, in the

course of the morning, observed a spot where the limestone appeared in situ ; this was in every respect similar to

The

that found near Chicago.

from Chicago

merous

as in

to

Fox

river,

some other

had seen the limestone

boulders and pebbles which,

had not appeared

to be as nu-

parts of the route, were, after in the

we

morning, found to increase

From his Major Long thought

rapidly in number, though not perhaps in size.

former observations upontJ:ie country.

we were

approaching what has been considered the lead

formation of the west, and this was confirmed by the as-

much lead had been found on some of the tributaries of Rock river, where it is worked, by the Indians, in small quantities for their own use. This induced us to make a careful examination of the country, sertion of our guide, that

with a view

upon our

We

to

route,

whether any lead ore occurred

and

did,

if it

met with none but from ;

in the country, as

ascertain

we

under what circumstances. all

the characters observed

hesitate not in considering its surface

covered by an ancient alluvion, the alluvion of mountains

of the Wernerian school

;

lead should be found,

must be out of

it

and in which, of course, its

if

any

original site.

This alluvion consists principally of a bed of loose and un-

eemented pebbles, varying

in size

from the smallest grain

to the dimensions of an apple, and interspersed with boul-

ders,

which frequently acquire very large dimensions; but

;

SOURCE or

Peter's river.

ST.

183

these do not appear to be so frequent here, whether

because they are buried

in,

we had no

or because they were not deposited here,

The

means of determining.

be

it

and concealed by the pebbles,

alluvion appears to consist

chiefly of the detritus of primitive rocks, such as fragments

of quartz, granite, sienite, &c. but, as far as

we

could observe,

There are

without any trace of a metalliferous mineral. also

many fragments Under

the mass.

of limestone, interspersed throughout

the alluvion, the limestone observed in

From

the morning probably extends to a great distance. the observations which

we have been

able to

believe it to be the same limestone formation,

from Piqua

to

Fort

St.

same

stands to

we

observed further

as that it,

believe

we

it

east, or in

modern

to be at least as

We

so.

is

seen near

Whether

river.

what

it

be the

relation

it

are not desirous of deciding positively, but

the coal formations of

haps more

which extends

Mary, and which

Fort Wayne, Chicago, and Rock

make, we

Wheeling and

as that

found above

Zanesville, and per-

have spoken of the supposed lead

for-

mations of Rock river; not having visited Dubuque's lead

would be imposexpress a decided opinion upon their nature

mines, or those in the state of Missouri, sible for us to

it

but from all that we have heard on the subject, as well as from

what has been written upon these lead mines, we can scarcely hesitate in considering the ore as being equally

out of place there. it

Whether

has been detached, are

is a

point which those alone

are competent to decide,

the original sites, from

still

if

to be

who have

written upon this subject have, as ;

for

seen the country

indeed the question can in the

present state of science be resolved

question open

which

found in the vicinity,

;

it

the authors

who have

appears to us,

while they assert that the lead

left is

the

found

in clay, they appear to us desirous to convey, at all times.

EXPEDITION TO THE

184

the impression that it

"

and

it is

in place, as

we

are informed that

found in detached pieces and solid masses, in veins

is

beds in red clay, and

accompanied by sulphurate

(sulphate?) of barytes, calcareous spar, blende, iron py-

Now, that all the indications menwho have seen these mines, justify a belead is not in its original site, we consider as

and quartz."*

rites,

tioned by those lief that the

That the lead ore

satisfactorily proved.

companying minerals, must be out of

as well as the ac-

place,

is

equally ap-

parent, from the circumstance, that while the clay

upon the limestone, the ore

to repose

is

is

said

not stated to have

ever been worked in this rock.

We are

greatest proportion of lead ore

however, found imbed-

ded

told, that

" the

and accompanied by, the sulphate of barytes resting

in,

in a thick stratum of

The rock

rock.

is,

is

marly

bottomed on limestone

clay,

invariably struck at a depth of from

fif-

teen to twenty feet, and puts a stop to the progress of the

miner drill

common way. To go

in a

further,

necessary to

it is

or blast, and this creates an expense which the gene-

rality of diggers are unwilling to incur, if not unable to sup-

port"! to

Again,

twenty

feet,

we

find " in digging

the rock

is

fifteen

generally struck ; and as the

coming

to the rock,

of the pits are carried no further."J

Finally, in

signs of ore generally give out on

many

down from

his visit to

Dubuque's lead mines, performed

in the

year

1820, Mr. Schoolcraft observed, that the ore " had been chiefly explored in alluvial soil;"

time

states, that

From •

"

it

the specimens which

View of the Lead Mines

flbid, p. 69.

though he

at the

same

generally occurs in beds or veins."§

we have

of Missouri. +

seen, as well as from

New

York, 1819. p. 67.

Ibid, p. 108.

§ Schoolcraft's Narrative Journal of Travels, 8cc. p. 344.

SOURCE OF all

that

serting

we have it

185

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

heard and read,

we

cannot hesitate in as-

as our opinion, that no lead has as yet been dis-

covered on the Mei'rimeg or Mississippi in a metalliferous limestone ;* but that, wherever

ways been

in an alluvion,

beds, nor even in as coeval

it

has been found,

and never

it

has

al-

in regular veins or

masses, which might be

considered

with the substances in which they are im-

bedded.

On

both banks of the Kishwake, not far from

its

mouth,

there are many mounds in every respect similar to those met with on Fox river but scattered along the bank without any apparent order. Mr. Say counted upwards of ;

thirty of these

mounds.

probable that they were for-

It is

merly the cemeteries of

a large Indian population

which

resided along the banks of the Kishwake, and which had

perhaps this

its

principal village at the beautiful confluence of

stream with

Rock

river.

In travelling over a prairie country the party were often obliged to lengthen or shorten their day's journey, in or-

der to accommodate themselves to the scarcity of water

and wood.

camped

at

The

afternoon of the 14th of June

we

en-

three o'clock, as the distance to the next camp-

ing ground would have led us too far into the evening.

The

afternoon was employed in taking observations for

making such

longitude, and in

•

By metalliferous

limestone,

we

and

alterations in

allude to that in

which the lead-

repairs

mines of Cumberland and Derbyshire gium, &c. are found. This limestone

is

older than the coal, and probably in transition

formations

placed, under the

;

name

in

England, of Vedrin in Bel-

by most geologists considered

many

according to Conybeare and Phillips,

land and Wales, London, 1822, part I.

it

is

of mountain limestone, between the old red

sandstone formation and the coal measures.

Vol.

as

instances connected with

24

(Vide Geology of Eng-

1, plate, fig. o.)

EXPEDITION TO THE

ISG

our travelling equipage as had become necessary. horses' backs had been chafed

ing

all

the care taken to keep

was dictated not only dent attention to our ence fort

is

them

interest

;

in a

for

sound

his horse's

state,

which

by a provi-

also

very

required to satisfy a traveller that

and expedition, on such a journey

it

Oui-

saddle, notwithstand-

by humanity, but

own

on the circumstance of as

by the

little

much

as ours,

experi-

of his com-

depends up-

back not being galled,

otherwise worries and tires the animal before he has

performed much work. vellers,

For the information of other

tra-

we may mention, that after having tried many apwe have found none that succeeded so well as

plications,

white lead moistened with milk, procured

;

after

we had

left

used as a substitute for milk

was made it

to be

to carry

lead

as

;

whenever the

in the early stage of the

very

long as this could be

the settlements, sweet

application

wound we have found

It is likewise a

effectual.

was

oil

convenient one

on an expedition, as a couple of ounces of white

sufficed

for the

whole of our party during more

than a month.

The succeeding morning the party continued

its

the weather was very

fair,

and

course over fine undulating prairies,

expanded in every direction so as

to appear in

The only

unbounded by woods.

defect

some

cases

which we ob-

served in the country between Chicago and the Mississippi

is

the scarcity of wood, which

on the west side of Rock

is

more

seriously felt

river, than to the east of

it.

This

will perhaps be the principal difficulty in settling the coun-

try

;

otherwise the land

is

good, not hilly, sufficiently water-

ed, and would

we doubt not prove productive if well worked.

Limestone

frequently to be

is

met with, even west of Rock

river; in other places the soil of

white hornstone

;

is

underlaid with pebbles

the boulders are not sufficiently abun-

;;

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

dant to prove injurious to agriculture

we

;

187

observed as a

between those seen within the two

distinction

last

days,

and those met with east of Rock river, that the

mer

for-

contain principally hornblende instead of mica in their

composition, while the boulders near chiefly granitic.

The

Jiornblendic boulders,

ing nature

;

it differs

Lake Michigan were

rock, which has given rise to the is

from

one of a peculiar and

by the presence

sienite

interest-

of quartz,

from granite by the substitution of hornblende for mica. This rock has not received much attention from European authors does not appear to occupy a very important rank in the ge-

it

ology of Europe, while on the contrary in

North America.

mineralogy of

very abundant

who are conversant with the know that it constitutes most which are found in West Jersey,

Those,

New

Jersey,

of the primitive rocks

and which have been described either

however extensive

it is

may

that deposite

as granite or sienite

be,

it

bears no

com-

parison to the extensive formation of this rock, which shall

have occasion hereafter

to describe,

the fragments which constitute the boulders found in nois,

Indiana, Ohio, &c.

have, as

we

we

and from which Illi-

believe, been de-

tached.

After travelling eighteen miles, designated under the

name

we reached a small

P^ktannon,* a neighbouring stream into which itself a

it

discharges

The meaning of this last in muddy, and it is remarkable that the

few miles below.

the Sauk language

*

stream,

of Pek-tan-noHs, a diminutive of

is

As we have had frequent opportunities of observing

a nasal termi-

nation in Indian words, belonging both to the Sauk, Dacota, and other

languages, is

we have adopted

the sign

(ii)

to designate this sound,

which

equivalent to the nasal termination of the French language, thus in

the

word Pektannon, the last syllable is pronounced by the word non is by the French.

exactly as the

Indians,

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

ISS

same name has been applied

Our guide informed Sauks

to the

us that

it

Missouri by the Sauks.

was very common

for the

form a diminutive of a word, by the addition of a

to

hissing sound at the end, as in the above-mentioned in-

Observing that Le Sellier seemed to have gone

stance.

beyond the quainted,

limits of the country with

Major Long thought

which he was

would be

it

ac-

desirable to en-

deavour to procure an Indian, as a guide to Prairie du Chien

we were in the vicinity ofan Indian village, Le Sellier was sent ahead, to request one of the men to accompany us. The village to which he went was situated on the main stream, about three miles from the place where we had and

as

halted

on the Pektannons

for dinner

it

;

consisted

of

seven permanent and three temporary lodges, inhabited principally

by Sauks, Foxes, Winnebagoes, Menomones, Their chief is a Sauk he was absent,

and Potawatomis. but

we saw

pany us

;

his elder Urother,

to Prairie

whom w^e engaged

Namo'eta, (spinning top,) the chief's (white cedar.)

We visited

to

accom-

His name was W^ane'b^^a

du Chien.

name was W^abe't^'j'ec,

the inside of their bark lodges,

which were very comfortable the number of men appear ;

ed to us

much

greater than that of

women

in the village.

Being aware of our approach, from the information ed through

Le

Sellier,

disposition

by

hoisting flags, or white rags,

their village and,

receiv-

they had manifested their friendly

among

all

around

others, three white flags

from the head and arms of a large

hung

cross, rudely cut out,

which marked the grave of some departed white man. Their behaviour was

whom we

curiosity to

less familiar

than that of the Indians

met with but as they evinced the same examine our arms, we were led to ascribe their

had

last

;

greater reserve, to the admonition given that

the Frenchman, that the familiar

morning

manner with which he

to

be-

;

SOURCE OF liaved towards them, as to that

we

189

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

must be discontinued

in

our presence,

The men

ascribed their forwardness.

village

were distinguished from those observed

places,

by

of this

in other

dark and expressive eyes, the

their unusually

playful smile of their mouth, and their well-formed nose.

We found

them very short of provisions they

offered us,

;

however, a bowlful of maize, which was very acceptable, as our bread-corn

One

had been consumed.

of the party

observed in the lodge a large basket, full of acorns intend-

ed no doubt for food.

We proceeded that afternoon

a

few

miles further, and encamped on a beautiful spot near the

Pektannon

it

;

was on the verge of

a fine

wood.

The

ad-

joining prairie afforded our horses the finest pasture that

could be wished for ; an attempt to fish was made, but

proved unsuccessful.

abound

in fish,

It

and the Indians place no dependence upon

While en-

the produce of the fishery for their support.

camped

this evening,

who came from in a

we were

visited

the village, and

very becoming mannei". In order

guage of the Winnebagoes,

as

year 1817, and which

is

by

several Indians,

who behaved to

themselves

compare the

lan-

spoken here, with that con-

tained in the vocabulary obtained

by Major Long

in the

recorded in the " Account of an

Expedition to the Rocky Mountains,"

we

it

does not seem that these rivers

read to one of these Indians,

(vol. 2, p. Ixxxvi.)

who was

Winnebago,

a

the words as published in the vocabulary, with a view to ascertain

whether or not he understood them the attempt

was rather

;

a difficult one, as

he had to convey the mean-

ing of the Winnebago term in the Sauk language to Sellier,

by

who

whom

it

translated

it

into

was reduced

this threefold translation

French

to

Le

one of the party

into English.

The

result of

was, however, that he recog-

nised, without hesitation, about one-third of the

words

EXPEDITION TO THE

190

the meanins; of the remainder, which he did not readily

understand, being conveyed to

him through

Sauk

the

lan-

guage, he repeated aboutone-half of them with a slight variation, frequently

tion in rr/,

no other than the addition of a termina-

which appeared

to be a sort of dialect.

Some

of

the words he seemed not to recognise at all, even after their

supposed meaning had been explained to him through the interpreter.

Major Long, whose health had been somewhat impaired few days previous, was so severely

for a

15th, with fever

prehend that

and sick stomach, that

his indisposition

affected,

on the

we began

to ap-

would prove

a serious one,

but the timely application of medical assistance fortunately relieved him.

Wennebea, of

whom we

have preserved a very good

by Mr. Seymour, (plate III. middle figure,) young and good looking Indian, whose face denotes

likeness, taken is

a

more

cheerfulness than

tenance of

man

is

generally observed in the coun-

in the savage

lively, cheerful disposition,

which frequently animated lier; to us

life.

He

seems

to

be of a

judging from the laughter

his conversation

with Le Sel-

he was always uniformly polite and obliging.

His dress consisted, try, of a blanket

as usual

with the Indians of

thrown over

his shoulders,

this

coun-

and reaching

to his ankles; a breech-cloth of blue broad-cloth; buckskin

leggings and moccassins of the same material.

The

leg-

gings are very similar to a Chinese garment that supplies the place of pantaloons; they reach up to the hips, covering the whole limb, and are secured to thongs tied to a leather belt around the waist. Garters, generally

mented with porcupine ticles,

quills, beads,

very much orna-

and other fanciful

ar-

support the leggings immediately below the knee.

His pipe was stuck into the plaited hair which he wore on

SOURCE OF f

He was

he crown of his head.

191

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

provided with a gun, of

name of Mackinaw gun, with ramrod, shot-pouch, &c. Wennebea rode a little bay a spare mare, with a long untrimmed tail she was so small that his the kind distinguished by the

;

sweep the ground

legs appeared almost to

over the prairie but the ;

little

bably about four years old stinted

by

;

as

he travelled

animal was a fiery one, pro-

her growth had doubtless been

too early an application to labour.

We

could

not help, frequently, expressing our admiration at the graceful

and easy manner in which

man

this

rode across the

plain, occasionally allowing his blanket to

drop upon his

horse's back, and displaying the stout and symmetric

shoulders and chest, which

when

in a state of nature,

generally characterize

nating habits and vices of civilized

life.

We

cognised our guide a few days afterwards,

him with Sellier

man

and unimpaired by the efiemiscarcely re-

when we saw

which he had borrowed from Le

a calico shirt,

and which concealed his well-formed limbs on ;

in-

quiring into the cause of this addition to his usual costume,

we were

told, that the

he had accepted the its

influence,

sun being very hot on the prairie,

offer to protect his shoulders, against

by means

of a shirt.

This proves

how ready

these Indians are to abandon their natural manners, and to

assume the

artificial

ones of civilized man.

Wennebea

wore this garment at first with an apparent air of ostentation, which confirmed us

in our opinion, that the Indian

wiser than the white

man

is

no

in this respect, often priding

himself upon the acquisition of a garment, which detracts from, rather than adds

seemed

to

to,

his personal appearance.

followed, no track across the prairie

directed

He

be well acquainted with the country, and

by landmarks, such

as

;

but his course was

hills,

woods, &c.

He

appeared to guide himself, likewise, by the situation of the

EXPEDITION TO THE

192

we were satisfied, on more than one inaccuracy of those who suppose that an In-

sun in the heavens ; but occasion, of the

dian has an infallible method of discovering, at all times, the direction in

which he wishes

to travel,

and that he never can

be lost. His habits of observation, permit him,

it is

true, to

discover signs, which would probably escape the attention

of the less experienced white man.

Thus,

if

the sun be

obscured, his keen eye will sometimes detect, from habit, its

place in the heavens

;

at other times, it is said that

he

by close inspection, discover very faint shadows, which would elude the observation of a less practised eye. When these characters fail, he may, in a forest, point can,

with certainty to the north from the circumstance,

more abundantly upon

the tnoss grows

than upon the others. tance from

trees,

But

if

left

when the heavens

tliat

that side of a tree

on a

prairie, at a dis-

are deeply overclouded,

or during the prevalence of a dense fog, the Indian, as well as the

white man, will often be unable to direct himself

properly.

he

We

frequently observed during the march, that

skreened his eyes

with his hands, and seemed

to

study

very attentively the distant points of woods and the surrounding prairie, whether to make sure of the proper route, or to discover signs of

game

or enemies,

we know

not.

Wennebea at first

their

led us in a general north-westerly direction,

through thin woods, which gradually disappeared, place

being supplied by an extensive and appa-

remtly boundless prairie, in crossing

it.

which occupied us a whole day

The woods

out undergrowth

;

consisted of small oaks with-

the prairie, upon which

ling, was undulated, and extended

itself

we were

travel-

along the base of

the dividing ridge between the streams tributary to the Mississippi and those which

fall

into

Rock

river.

This

SOURCE OF ridge stretched on our

our general course

one hundred

to

;

ST.

PETER's RIVER.

left, in

one hundred and

;

Wennebea

fifty feet

Soon

high, and from

we

after

entered the

our route about two miles ahead of

prairie, a deer crossed

of an

a direction nearly parallel to

appeared to be in some places from

it

six to eight miles distant.

us

193

started in pursuit, but returned in the course

He

and fatiguing chace.

hour, after a fruitless

brought back, however, a curlew, (Numenius longirostris,) a bird of

which we occasionally roused

We

a pair or two.

frequently observed the majestic sand-hill crane, (Grus

This animal,

Canadensis,) striding across the prairie.

taken young, can, or three of

lowed

it is

said,

be domesticated with ease.

them were kept

last

over

Hawk,

;

but they never

We also saw on the prairie the

(Falco [Milvus] furcatus,) flying

Our guide showed us

us.

Two

season at Chicago, being al-

to pass freely before the sentinels

failed to return to their nests. fine swallow-tailed

if

a spot

where an

action

had

been fought, about sixty or seventy years ago, between the

Sauks and the Peoras

the former

;

were

successful and lost

but one man, while they killed ten of the enemy.

took place on an elevated

view of the

prairie,

engagement

is

distinct,

said to

have taken place.

a

;

;

among others which were very

two, rising close alongside of each

two twin peaks insulated

in the midst of the

the distance between the two being about one and

quarter

are

interspersed with hills, which con-

vary the scenery

we observed

other, forming prairie

commanding an extensive

and crowned with a forest in which the

The country becomes tribute to

hill,

This

mile in an

visible for

east

and west direction

;

they

upwards of thirty miles, and constitute

one of the best landmarks

we have

ever seen.

They

2

are called in the signifies

Vol.

the I.

Sauk language

E'n-n^«i-sh^6-t^'-n^6,

two mountains being composed of 25

(which ^'n-n^es,

;;

EXPEDITION TO THE

194 two, and the

*6-te'-nV>,

hills.)

Our guide informed us

marked on the maps

hill

qui bouccane of the French,)

tagne

that

as the Smoky-hill, ( Mon-

lay

a

at

long

day's march, (about thirty miles,) in a north-easterly

course from our noon

encampment

of the 16th.

This

hill

has received from the Indians the appellation of Mu-ch^6-

(Smoky mountain,) from

w^a-kii'-nHn,

the circumstance

of its summit being generally enveloped with a cloud or fog, and, as we were told, not from any tradition of smoke having

ever issued from

which

sight,

(always

is

full,)

the evening

To

it.

the left a point of highland

it

we encamped on

the left bank of the W4ss6-

Pektannon

an Indian chief of that name,

means, in

banks of forming

very

the

who

;

it is

resided on

Sauk language, lightning.

stream

this

cliffs

In

a stream that falls into the Mississippi.

moii, a beautiful tributary of the ter

in

is

mouth of the Moschioko,

said to be at the

we

of about

called afits

banks

On

the

observed the limestone in place,

fifty feet in

height ; the rock

distinct horizontal stratification; its structure

is is

in in

may more properly be many called gravelly and sandy it contains many cells or cavities, parts crystalline, or perhaps

it

;

some of which

are filled with crystallizations of carbonate of

much white hornstone appears disseminated throughout the mass. The hornstone is sometimes seen to constitute

lime

;

small beds or layers from one to three or four inches in thickness,

which

are continued for several feet in length

frequently also appearing under the form of flattened

ir-

regular nodules, lying in an almost continuous line for a

considerable distance, and with their long or flattened side parallel to the stratification

;

resembling in this respect

the disposition of the clay-iron stone in the slaty strata

accompany the bituminous

that

are

coal.

Organic remains

by no means uncommon, though they

are not found as

abundantly as in some other spots of our route

;

they consist

*

;

SOURCE OF

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

195

of Terebratulites, Encrinites, and a Madreporite, (Linne :) the

nature of the last of these could not be ascer-

ti'ue

tained without a comparison of characters, which

unable to

make on

the spot, and w^hich the loss of

specimens collected between Fort

Anthony rock

We

has prevented

Wayne

Mr. Say from making

since

are aware that

some of the

characters,

;

the St.

the

which we have

given of this rock, might lead to the opinion that bles the

resem-

it

mountain or carboniferous limestone of Messrs.

Conybeare and Phillips; and consequently that

but

all

and Fort

of a grayish-yellow colour, with a loose structure.

is

same

we were

it

is

the

as the metalliferous limestone of other geologists

we would

consider this union as a very hasty, not to

Although

say, an incorrect one.

indications of crystallization, and

its its

cavernous nature,

its

organic remains, pre-

sent an apparent correspondence with those of that lime-

by the Rev.

stone, as described

Wales," (Part this

rock

W.

D. Conybeare, in the

" Outlines of the Geology of

excellent

is

I. p.

of a

353.)

much

we

England and

incline to the opinion that

later formation

;

we

believe

it

to be

connected with a limestone which was subsequently observed on the Mississippi, between Prairie du Chien and St.

Anthony, and in which we observed an oolite and

a pulve-

rulent limestone similar to the calcareous ashes described

Mr.

by

Freiesleben in his elaborate account of the formations

of Thuringen.

If

we compare

the characters of this rock

with those of the limestone observed by Mr. Freiesleben, and described by 7vacke,

we

appearance.

him under

the

name

of zechstein and rauch-

will be surprised at the great similarity in their

The " zechstein

is

a compact,

hard and tough

limestone of an ash-gray colour passing into blackish-gray, distinctly stratified, without

however presenting any

slaty

EXPEDITION TO THE

196

much

appearance, or at least it

contains specks and

gypsum

;

less so

than the inferior beds;

some veins of calcareous spar and

also crystals of

quartz, &c.

sometimes specks of galena. petrifactions, Corallites

It

and Millepores,

species of Terebratulites

;

likewise offers

it

;

generally presents but few

Ammonites,

as well as several

&.c.

have been found

in it."

"Above this compact limestone another stratum of calcareous rock is found which is known in the country under the name of rauchwacke, (smoky wacke ;) it is a limestone probably intermixed with blackish colour, with a ally fine-^'ained,

tough, and is

filled

characteristic

of the stratum

;

scaly fracture, occasion-

sometimes though seldom with pores or cavities it

may

oolitic, hard,

this last feature

;

be observed even in those parts

which appear most compact the ;

angular, long, and narrow,

(as in a

terior of the cavities is lined

spar, these cavities are

sometime?

silex, of a dark-gray,

somewhat

cavities are

cracked clay

;)

the in-

with small crystals of

sometimes

large,

calc-

being several

yards in length and breadth, &c."

He

afterwards proceeds to describe the ashes or pul-

verulent substance found near larity to the residue of the

it.

This, from

its

great simi-

combustion of wood,

is

desig-

Germany by the name of asche, (ashes.) These characters, when taken into connection, appear to us to nated in

correspond so well with those observed on the Wasse-

mon, on the

Mississippi,

feel strongly

and throughout the

country

and Prairie du Chien, that

we

induced to consider the limestone of

this

between Rock

river

country as analogous to that observed

bj^

Mr. Freiesleben.

by some European continental geologists

This limestone

is

referred to the

Lias of English geologists

;

but

we would

SOURCE OF rather refer the

ST.

PETER

RIVER.

S

with Messrs. Conybeare and Phillips,

it,

to

newer magnesian or conglomerate limestone of Eng-

land

;

we

to this,

think,

it

probably connected, as

It is

and Zanesville

where

;

it

salt

analogy.

has the

strongest

we have

already intimated, fields of Wheeling

with the limestone situated above the coal

ana,

197

extends over those parts of Ohio and Indi-

has been found

;

is

it

cavernous, &c. on the banks of the

observed

Wassemon

cellular,

con-

it is

;

The

nected with real calcareous ashes on the Mississippi.

presence of the oolite which was observed here in a single

which we have

spot, does not militate against the position

taken, as

we

find

it

stated,

by Conybeare and

(page 302,) on the authority of Mr. nesian limestone

of

its

is

Wynch,

that the

mag-

occasionally oolitic. It presents in

many

points, the characters of the

cially the cellular or

rauchwacke, and espe-

cavernous structure

;

seldom found

it is

very abundantly strewed with organic remains is

the pale buff passing to the ash-gray.

attentively

we examine

to connect itself

Phillips,

it,

the

more

In

its

;

fine,

closely do

colour

the

we

more

find

it

with the formations of Thuringen, and

with those which cover so extensive a part of England,

and more particularly with that observed

in

Professor Buckland

appears to us, a

;

offering thus, as

it

Yorkshire by

beautiful confirmation of the analogy established

between

the various kinds of this limestone, observed in divers parts of Europe,

There

is

an experiment which would, as

conceive, place the matter beyond a doubt

;

this

we

would be

an analysis of the limestone with a view to ascertain the quantity of magnesia which

it

contains, and

we

regret

much

that the loss of our specimens has deprived us of the op-

portunity of making this analysis.

But we think the

case

sufficiently strong to justify us in considering this as the

formation corresponding to the magnesian limestone of

EXPEDITION TO THE

198

England, and

to the

rauchwacke and zechstein of

Tliu-

ringen.*

we have

In offering these remarks to geologists,

not

overlooked the very correct observation of one whose experience adds value to the advice which he gives to natu-

we have

indeed

ralists

;

son's

remark

found the truth of Mr. D'Aubuis-

fully exemplified here.

" Let us further

observe," says he, " that the influence of localities be-

comes more

we

and

sensible as

we draw nearer to modern

will be convinced of the difficulty of

tain conclusions as to the identity of

tions

we

somewhat

distant."

cer-

two calcareous forma-

If with this

are thought to have ventured too

epochas,

drawing

remark before

much

us,

in supposing a

connection between the formations of England and Ger-

many, and those west of the Alleghanies, bered that

we only

let

it

be remem-

offer this as a suggestion to the future

investigator of our western limestone, in order that

may

opportunities of observation than those afforded us transient visit through the country.

sion to mention

some further

facts

We

But there

is

we have

it,

states,

the galena

is

The

reader

is

if,

;

if,

as

Mr. Co-

seen " occurring in strings in

the magnesian limestone of Nottingham and

•

as

the zechstein pre-

sents specks of galena or sulphuret of lead

nybeare

a

advanced.

another question which naturally arises;

Mr. Freiesleben has described

as

shall

by

have occa-

which we consider

adding evidence to the opinion which

he

more favourable

turn his attention to the subject with

Durham

;" if

referred to the Outlines of the Geology of England

W. D. Conybeare and Wm. Phillips, &c. Lon& seq. Traite de Geognosie, par J. F. D'Aiibuisson de

and Wales, by the Rev. don, 1822, p. 300,

Voisins, Paris, 1819. Vol.11, p. 336, 337, 343,353. J.C.Freiesleben's

Geognosliche Arbeiten, (Beytrag zur kentniss des kupferschieler-gebirgcs.)

SOURCE OP

ST.

199

Peter's river.

has been occasionally found in the conglomerate beds

it

associated with this formation, particularly near

England

hills, in

Mendip-

contains veins of sulphate of ba-

if it

;

rytes at the Huddleston quarry near Sherburn, between

Ferrybridge and York

if it is

;

traversed by veins of sul-

phate of barytes near Nottingham, at Bramham Moor, &c. may it not then be asked, whether these considerations do not

render is

it

probable that the great lead deposite of the west

in this limestone?

worked tion

?

and

is it

in an alluvion has

notlikely that all that has been

been detached from

These are questions upon which,

this

our acquaintance with the western limestone, profess ourselves unable to give

forma-

in the present state of

we must

any decided opinion; but

from various circumstances which we need not dwell upon,

we

should incline to consider the lead ore as probably ex-

isting in an older limestone this

and which

;

may

which we think underlays

be connected with the mountain or

carboniferous limestone of Messrs. Conybeare and Phillips,

with the metalliferous limestone of other geologists.

The country becomes more undulated to the Mississippi

owing

;

as

the ridges are low but

we draw nearer

somewhat

to the horizontal stratification of the rocks

;

steep,

one of

their sides very frequently discovers the composition of

At other times the country pre-

the hills

by a

sents the

waved appearance of

is

steep break.

a

somewhat

ruffled

ocean

;

it

covered with a short dry grass, the vegetation generally

appearing inferior to that of the alluvial country through

which we had previously passed. seems

to

This waved appearance

have been caused by the production of valleys sub-

sequently formed, and extending from north-east to southwest,

all

dipping to the

latter point

;

these are said to con-

tinue almost in a straight line to the Mississippi.

Our ob-

ject being to strike that river at a point further north, our

sou

EXPEDITION- TO

course,

which approaches

us to cross

No

gles.

for

all

to a

THE

north-west direction, obliges

these ridges and valleys nearly at right an-

granitic blocks are to be seen

by the

fact that

we

are no longer

;

this is

upon the

accounted

alluvial for-

mation, but upon the magnesian limestone which rises to

between

a greater height, constituting the dividing ridge

Rock

the Mississippi,

haps connecting

Wisconsan

The

and the Wisconsan, and per-

river,

itself

with what have been termed the

hills.

which we observed from the Wassemon

features,

the Wisconsan, are extremely interesting. a

At

to

a distance of

few miles north-west of the former stream, the vegetasudden and striking change, announcing a

tion presented a

corresponding one in the geological character of the country.

We ascended

a rough, steep, and hilly ground,

was covered with heavy timber, and with

a

which

very thick

underwood, consisting principally of young oak and aspen. This thick brush-wood continued for about two miles,

when we

struck the bank of a small stream, remarkable for

the beauty of

its

scenery, which differed from any that

we

had hitherto met with. The brook runs in a deep and narrow glen, the sides of vertical tation,

;

which

are very steep and in

some

places

they are covered at their summit with a dense vege-

which extends over the edge of the rock, and imparts

a character of austerity and of

which finds not ever seen.

its

parallel in

The dark

colour,

the deep shadows cast

gloom to

this secluded valley,

any that we recollect having

which the water receives from

by the high

relief to the

its

over-

relief to the glare, so

uniformly fatiguing, of the unsheltered

conveyed so much

bank and

steep

hanging vegetation, forms a pleasing

prairie.

eye and

to the

This spot

mind, that

the party could not repress their delight on beholding

The

geologist

who

it.

connects a change in the nature of the

SOURCE OF

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

201

subjacent rock, with a diversity in the character of the

country, or of

its

planation for the

by observing

vegetation,

new

would naturally

which the country assumes,

features

that the high

find an ex-

banks of

this glen are

sandstone rocks, the nature of which

we had

formed of

an opportunity

of studying with attention, during a great part of our jour-

ney of the 18th of June.

We observed that the sandstone is

distinctly superposed to the limestone

upon

which vary from

it hills,

and upwards

;

that

;

thirty to one

these hills are divided

by

bottom of which the limestone reappears sides of the hills are steep, tification are observable,

cation.

The

limestone,

constitutes

The

in place.

except where the valley itself; in

feet

valleys, in the

and but few indications of

excavated in the limestone part of the hill

it

hundred

is

stra-

partly

which case the lower

steep, but presents a distinct stratifi-

is less

line of superposition of the sandstone over the

may

also

be traced with considerable accuracy,

by

the examination of the vegetation.

ter

rock prevails, the surface

is

Whenever

the

lat-

even and smooth, or mo-

dified

by gentle

grass,

and forming an uniform

swells, covered with a thick fine green,

and long

meadow-like

country, while the sandstone invariably imparts to the surface an asperity

which

growth of trees with which

is

as distinct as the vigorous

it is

covered, and as

its

abun-

dant undergrowth, which denotes a strong and productive soil,

having a tendency to bear heavy

The rock

is

a

forests.

white sandstone, formed of fragments

of fine transparent and colourless quartz, united by

a

cement, which in some parts appears to be ferruginous, while in others ous nature.

it is

colourless,

In some parts the cement

and would almost lead grains

was

Vol.

T.

and probably of a calcareis

quite invisible,

to the belief that the

a crystalline one.

26

union of the

This sandstone appears

in frag.

E.xrKDITlON TO

202

ments or

tatters,

TUE

and constitutes the remains of a formation,

which probably covered the whole of the limestone, at least in this part of the country. That it is above the limestone, no doubt can exist, in our minds, as

we saw the imme-

diate superposition. It sometimes appears,

below the level of

and

that rock;

it is

true, to sink

this led us at first to ap-

prehend that there might be an alternation of

strata,

careful examination of all these spots has left

no doubt

our minds, that

but a in

in these cases the sandstone is deposited in

coves or valleys formed in the limestone previous to the deposition of the sandstone

these cases are, however, not

;

common, and we may

safely state, as a general rule, that

not only the sandstone

is

that

it is

all

cases, at a greater absolute ele-

which we

first met with it, west of Wassemon, was considerably elevated above the usual

vation

the

even, in almost

relatively above the limestone, but

;

and the spot,

at

level of the limestone

tained

its

position,

it

;

for,

wherever the sandstone has

re-

has protected the limestone against

decomposition, and hence, in such places, the latter rock still

continues to rise to a higher level than where

laid bare,

and exposed

mospherical agents.

it

is

to the

destructive influence of at-

We also

observed very distinctly, that

while the valleys, formed in the limestone to the deposition of the sandstone,

at a

time anterior

were few, those produced

subsequently were numerous, as was indicated by the great

roughness and unevenness of the sandstone country, and

by the many undulations in the uncovered limestone which we have already had occasion to mention. From the observations made on the 18th, it was thought very probable that

all

the hills observed at a distance on the 17th,

formed of

this sandstone

had appeared, ferred that the

;

were

and from some characters which

at the time, to

present an anomaly,

it

was

in-

Enneshoteno or twin mountains, near which

SOURCE OP

we had passed

ST.

203

Peter's river.

that day, without stopping,

were probably

remains of the general sandstone formation which ex-

also

No

tended over the whole country.

organic remains were

observed in the sandstone, or in the limestone which underlays

it

;

but no doubt can exist that they

may

contain some,

and that the limestone probably contains many.

Proceeding towards the Wisconsan, the country presents an alternation of rolling and undulated prairie, inter-

spersed with hills composed of either one or the other of

The sandstone

these rocks.

is

found in most places to be

covered with thin flattened fragments of a stone, differing in

its

nature and texture from the character of the other

rocks, whether of limestone or sandstone.

ments are generally observed

to

These

vary from three

to

frag-

twelve

inches in length, from two to eight in breadth, and from

one quarter

to

one inch in thickness

;

they present appear-

ances of having been weathered, but not of having been

roll-

they arc veiy abundant, and we no other way than by admitting that they were the remains, probably the harder parts, of a stratum that had at

ed

could account for

;

them

in

one time covered the sandstone, but that had disappeared almost entirely, leaving only these fragments to attest

former existence and

ments with

care,

we

On examining these

situation.

its

frag-

found them to be very uniform in their

characters ; their composition

is

in great

measure calcareous,

but from their greater hardness we coTisider it as partly

silice-

ous they are replete with organic remains ; these are princi;

pally referrible to the Productus, Terebratula, &c.

We saw

The existence of fragments was observed upon many elevations, over

none but what belonged to bivalves. these

a considerable extent of country, while in the vallies no trace of tions

them could be

made during

seen.

the three last

Generalizing the observa-

days of our journey pre-

201

KXPEDITION TO THE

vious to our arrival on the Mississippi, that there are, or rather that there

we

are led to admit

were formerly, two

tinct formations of limestone in this country,

and

they were separated by a thick stratum of sandstone

of

;

two limestone formations, the older one, which wc

these

have already described with minuteness,

duced

to consider as coeval

we have been

with, or analogous

The

magnesian limestone of England. is

dis-

that

in-

the

superior formation

by the circumstance of

distinguished

to,

its

containing

harder fragments or nodules of limestone, which alone re-

main

to establish the fact of its

former existence

;

that

it

contained no hornstone or flinty quartz, as observed in the former,

we

are led to believe, because had they existed

they must necessarily have resisted decomposition or better than the calcareous nodules which are

The much

alone.

as well

now found

greater abundance of shells in these no-

dules, and the total absence of the Madreporites appear to

us to be very characteristic distinctions between these and

the underlaying limestone, though

weight ought not

to

perhaps

too

much

be assigned to the absence of the

Madreporites, as these from their loose and more porous texture

may have been

unable to resist the decomposing

causes which appear to have affected this formation.

some

places a limestone bed

stone, but these depositions

the ground was so

were unable

to

observed, and

were

so partial, and in all cases

much overgrown with

examine

bushes, that

their characters with

we

are led to consider

the inferior limestone, whenever

it

it

we

any degree

This striking difference, however,

of minuteness.

In

was observed upon the sand-

we

as constant, that

appears exposed,

is

covered with small scales or fragments of the hornstone nodules whose existence has already been alluded

none of the

flat,

to,

while

calcareous fragments, abounding in shells,

SOURCE OF are found

upon

it

;

whereas these were uniformly observ-

to the exclusion of the scales of

ed

205

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

hornstone upon the sur-

face of the calcareous stratum that overlays the sandstone. If contrary to the opinion

which we have been

led to adopt,

the limestone be supposed to constitute but one formation,

whether above or below the sandstone

;

then will

whence come

these flattened fragments, observed

sandstone

from the remains of a more

?

If

we

ask,

upon the

solid stratum in

why, let us again ask, are not these likewise observed upon the inferior limestone itself? Why is not the hornstone, which appears to characterize the limestone

itself,

the lower limestone, also observed upon the sandstone

might further

ask, if the limestone above

sandstone bed be the same, ought

we

?

We

and below the

not to find signs of

calcareous beds subordinate to the sandstone, and would

we

not have a right to expect an interposition of limestone in the

immense bed of sandstone which, one hundred

stated, is often

never observed

as

we have previously ? Yet this we

feet in thickness

to be the case.

If an alternation of sandstone and limestone strata be-

longing to the same formation were indicated by the characters previously alluded to,

would we not be

entitled to

expect that the fragments and detritus of both should be

found together try,

Yet

?

in the valleys of the sandstone coun-

and particularly in the beautiful and romantic one

which rested upon the limestone, and was enclosed by sandstone

hills,

we

observed no fragments of the former

rock, and but a few large blocks of sandstone which had

evidently fallen

While

of late from

travelling on the hills

we

the

sides of the valley.

observed that they were

covered, in certain parts, with a thin stratum of fine sand, resulting from a slight decomposition of the rock, as

servable in

all

sandstones of a loose texture.

is

ob-

EXPEDITION TO THE

206

From what

lias

been previously observed on

formations of Europe,

we

tlic

com-

Wassemon with

parative age of the limestone of the

the

readily discover that this sand-

stone cannot be older than the variegated sandstone, (Bunt sandstein,) of

Werner, and we have reason

the

In

new

to consider it as

This of course corresponds with

an analogous formation.

red sandstone or red marl of English geologists.

England the red marl certainly pre-

this formation in

we

dominates;

are not, however, to be surprised

America we should sandstone in

its

place

for

;

same uniformity, which

it

between the primitive or

exists

new

continent, will be ob-

served between the secondary or partial formations can trace a general resemblance,

we were justified in Germany

riegated sandstones of

great analogy, and perhaps

its

though undoubtedly a very colour,

comes

which so.

is

This,

we have

intelligible

expecting.

With

America are

to be

if

the va-

one

in reality, is in the it

occasionally be-

other instances, proves the

less arbitrary

been usually adopted;

we

most remarkable difierence,

seldom red, though

and

if

this formation presents a

trifling

among many

;

perhaps gone

upon names

great desideratum that geologists should agree

more

in

cannot be expected that the

general formations of the old and

further than

if

marl almost deficient, and the

find the

than those which have

the formations of

Europe and

compared, (and the daily progress of

science proves that even those of Asia and Africa will soon

be suificiently investigated to enable us to take them into consideration,)

we

ought to have better names than those

derived from the most fugitive of

all

characters, that of

colour.

The

limestone formation, the existence of which above

the sandstone

we

think

appears to us from

its

we have been

enabled to establish,

mineralogical as well as

its

geologi-

SOURCE OP cal characters to

connect

207

Peter's river.

ST.

with the Lias of England,

itself

and more particularly with that variety so well

known

in

France and Germany under the name of Calcaire coqiiilUer, (muschel kalk of Werner,) which constitutes,

as is well

known, the upper bed of what was formerly termed the and which

is

inferior to the great oolitic

England, of which

it

forms as

Jura limestone series of

This

tion.

;

oolitic series

it

were the founda-

must not be considered

as in-

cluding the oolites which have been occasionally observed in the Jura limestone of the

French, the zechstebi of the

Germans, and the magnesian limestone of England. In

all

these instances the oolite forms but a partial and probably an accidental deposite in a limestone, to the variegated

mation.

(

which is certainly

inferior

Bunt) sandstone, or new red sandstone for-

We have in

this account of the

western limestones

studiously avoided, until this time, introducing the terms of

Alpine and Jura limestones, and comparing them together, as

it

appears to us well established that the greatest confu-

sion has prevailed from the indiscriminate application of

The who recollect

these words.

truth of this will be

those

that,

have been used

by some

to indicate the

certain cases.) while

acknowledged

b}-

geologists, the

two names

same limestone,

(at least in

some have removed almost

all

the

Alpine limestone into the transition formations, and others

have extended the Jura limestone

to

make

it

include the

muschel kalk of Germany, which we have good grounds for considering as coeval with the Lias of

doubtless, be observed lar

England.

by those who have made

study of the limestone formations to which

luded, that there are statement.

That

we have

some apparent contradictions

for instance, the asche

It will,

a particu-

and the

in

al-

our

oolite ob-

served on the Mississippi cannot be considered as connect-

ed together, and with the cavernous limestone of the Was-

EXPEDITION TO THE

20y

semen, without bringing together limestones, which

Europe

at least, are

found of very different ages, unless

adopt the opinion that this oolite nesian limestone.

no reason

This

we

is

in

we

subordinate to the mag-

are disposed to do, as

we have

to believe that the formations of the Mississippi

Wassemon, or that they arc by the new red sandstone formation if we could

are superior to those of the

separated

;

venture to express an opinion, where exists,

we would

much doubt

the asche, or pulverulent limestone, and that constitutes

really

say that the oolite was of the same age as it

probably

merely an accidental modification of the mag-

nesian limestone similar to that observed " at Hartlepool

on the coast of Northumberland, where white oolite size of a

which

exists, the grains

a stratum of hard

composing

it

mustard seed," and similar to the

being about the oolitic varieties

jMr. Freiesleben observed sometimes,

though

sel-

dorn, in the rauchwacke.

which we have we have thrown any light point, we doubt not we shall

If in the rude and unsatisfactory sketch

presented of these formations,

upon

a doubtful and obscure

be excused, by the experienced geologist, for the apparent contradictions

which we may have revealed.

Our

object

has been to state the facts as they came under our notice,

and without any intention

to establish a connection be-

tween the formations of Europe, and those which we have

made them howopinion remains, Our appeared to us. as they have ever, unchanged, that Whenever these observations shall be repeated under more favourable circumstances, the difdescribed.

abroad,

If the facts militate against observations

we must

regret

ficulties will vanish,

tions of

Europe and

it;

but

we have only

stated

and the analogy between the formaours, will appear

still

greater; a due

allowance being of course made for those differences whicl«

SOURCE OF from the

result

209

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

local circumstances that

may have

influ-

upon

make

enced these partial deposites.

Those

geologists,

who have been

called

to

observations in a wild and uncultivated country, where the

rocks are frequently concealed by a luxuriant vegetation,

where the industry of man has not penetrated by means of quarries, wells, &c. into the bowels of the earth, and

where no will,

facilities exist to

we think, appreciate

roam

at large in search of breaks,

the difficulties

which we have had

to encounter in the examination of this section of the coun-

try

;

difficulties

which have been increased by the

our specimens, whence

we have been

loss of

obliged to depend

exclusively upon the descriptions recorded in our notes at the time, without being allowed an opportunity of com-

paring the characters of the rocks with those observed on

former occasions.

made by Mr. Colhoun

Observations were

for the pur-

pose of ascertaining the longitude of our encampment on

Wassemon, which he determined to be 90° 4' 45" West. The latitude was also obtained by observations made the

at midnight,

and was found to be 42° 30' 10" North.

We

remarked with pleasure the surprise and delight expressed in Wennebea's face, duri ng these observations.

His astonish-

ment at the characters of the mercury, showed that he had never seen any thing like it; his delight was strongly marked every time he placed his

used for an artificial

horizon,

fingei:

fluid,

as

upon the bright and dense mercury, and observed the receding from his touch, and receiving an impression

though

it

had been water

;

yet, as

he observed, not pos-

sessed of the property of wetting his finger like the latter fluid.

He was shown

the construction of the sextant, and

very soon learnt the use of

it.

As soon

as

he saw the

double image of the moon, he raised his two fingers in

Vol.

I.

27

210

THE

EXrjiDITION TO

To one

token of what he had seen.

disposed to indulge in

the sublime views of Plato, on the immortality of the soul, (Cic.

de Senec. Cap. 21,)

there floated in

it

would have appeared

Wennebea's mind,

tinct recollection of

His mind seemed

to

what had once been have received

a

tionable with us,

familiar to him.

deep impression from

the contemplation of the heavens, but

whether

as if

that time, an indis-

at

it still

remains ques-

were produced by

his feelings

the wonderful grandeur of the planets which he had beheld, and

by the

which he connected

associations with

them, or by the ingenuity of white men,

who with

a sort of

talisman, had brought, within the sphere of his vision, objects

which were previously unknown

to

him, and imparted

him thereby, as it were, a new sense. mind was overflowing; and he very

It

seemed

to

as if his

willingly answered

the questions which were put to him, concerning his ideas

of the objects he had been beholding.

sun to be the residence of

upon the

earth,

a

He

believed the

male Deity, who looks placidly

and who being propitious beasts and serpents

to

man, exposes

which

his

view the wild

He

thought, that immediately after death, the soul quits

to

cross his path. its

mortal residence, and journeys towards the setting sun,

where,

had been spent in

if its life

the Deity,

it

tated log

which

comes an

finds

no

a

manner agreeable

difficulty in stepping

stretches across the gulf.

over the agiIt

then be-

eternal inhabitant of the " Village of the

situated in a prairie, that

abounds

Dead,"

in all the pleasures which

the simple imagination of the Indian can covet.

moon, on the contrary, he held

to

to

The

be inhabited by an ad-

verse female Deity, whose delight is to cross

man

in all his

pursuits.

If during their sleep, this Deity should present

herself to

them

in their dreams, the Indians consider

it

as

enjoined upon them by duty, to become cinsedi; they ever

;

SOURCE OF after

this

ST.

assume the female garb*

may have

not impossible that

It is

been the source of the numerous stories of

hermaphrodites, related by

Wennebea thought

the old writers on America.

all

that the Great Spirit had a

form, was white, and wore a hat. this personification of the

the Mexicans and

the

wearing

Lawson, held the

is

human

remarkable that

It is

Supreme Being under

appearance from their own,

white, and

211

PETER's RIVER.

a different

not peculiar to the Sauks

Muypuscas represented him

as

the Santees, according

-to

a beard

;

belief that he

was white.

" They made

answer," says he, " that they had been conversing with the

White Man above, (meaning God Almighty.*)" It would be curious to inquire whether there was any connexion between

white complexion attributed to the Deity,

this

and the prophecies which are said

to

have prevailed among

some of the Virginia tribes, as well as at Quizquiz near the Mississippi, of the coming of white men among them.t These reported prophecies, existing previous

to the disco*

very of this continent, (concerning the arrival of white men,)

by the

are represented

early writers as very

whether they really existed fully cii'culated

Montezuma,

by

in the country, or

the invaders,

may

common; were

art-

be a matter of doubt.

in a speech to his subjects, in the presence of

have alluded to

Cbrtez,

is

writer,

John de Laet, reports the same

said to

An

this subject.

belief to

old

have been

prevalent in the island of Cozumel, on the coast of Yucatan, and distant

20° N.

from

it

about four leagues, in latitude

This author enters into

many

particulars

on

•

A New Voyage to Carolina, by John Lawson.

London, 1709,

j-

Purchas's Pilgrimage, p. 843.

De

Florida, written

London, 1609,

Narrative of

this

p. 20.

Soto's Invasion of

by a gentleman of Elvas, and translated by Ilackluyt,

p. 90.

;;

EXPEDITION TO THE

213

which we are disposed to consider as altogether of own invention.* On the 17th of June our route was diversified by hills and valleys. The Smoky mountain to the east, and Dusubject,

his

buque's to the west, formed distinct objects of vision, while the long ridge, covered with forests, which extended to the left, indicated the course of the " Great river," as the Mississippi has been emphatically called in the Algonquin

languages.

A badger was this day prairie,

killed

those

and

it

after

they had brought

with his tomahawk

who

eat of

it,

by the dogs

discovered

found

it

;

it

it

to

bay, the Indian

was cooked

very good.

in the

for dinner,

and

This was near a

small stream, called by the Indians Mi-k'^-be-'a, Sepe, or

Small-pox river ;

it is

the Riviere de la Fievre, which

said to enter the Mississippi opposite to

On

is

Dubuque's mines.

the morning of the ISth, the sun shone indistinctly

through a mist, which offered us the singular phenomenon of a beautiful Iris without rain.

noon

at

We

encamped

an early hour, on a small stream which

of the Wisconsan and, as

we

is

that aftera tributary

supposed, at a distance of about

twelve miles from the place where

we

intended to cross

that river.

The next morning, after a fatiguing ride over a rough we reached the banks of the Wisconsan as we could not ford it, we prepared a light raft, and sent Bemis across to obtain boats at Fort Crawford, From the account of our guides, we thought we were opposite to a point in the river, known by the name of the Petit cap au Gres, (little sand-stone bluff,) situated about six miles

and hilly country,

above the confluence of the Wisconsan and Mississippi * J

Joannis

633,

lib. 5,

de Laet, Americcc utrlusqTie Descriptio. cap. 27, or p. 273.

Lugd. Bat,

SOURCE OP

we

bvit

afterwards found that

we were

we encamped,

means of transportation

could be procured, was in a steep

bank

it

;

nity, the river

The

wood

place

at the foot

bank above and below

it

where

across the river

of a high and

was almost the only dry place

was about

river

nine miles higher

The

than our guides had reported us to be. until

213

Peter's river.

ST.

in the vici-

being swampy.

a third of a mile wide, and the current

very rapid.

About sunset we observed two boats advancing up the one of which Colonel Morgan, the commanding

river, in

officer at

Fort Crawford, had come up with Lieutenant

Scott to meet our party.

This polite attention on the part

of the Colonel gave us a foretaste of the hospitable reception

which we met with during our stay

Although

it

was

late,

in his quarters.

yet as the weather was

fine,

the

party effected a crossing of the Wisconsan, and having relieved their horses of all unnecessary baggage, the gentle-

men proceeded under the Fort.

It

Colonel Morgan's guidance towards

was eight o'clock when they

consan, and about eleven sippi.

This ride,

character

of

when they

at a late hour,

the

Wis-

was one of a most romantic

the evening was fair and

;

left

reached the Missis^

still

;

not a breath

wind interrupted the calmness of the scenery; the

moon shone

in her full,

trackless course

and threw a pale light over the

which we

a beautiful country,

travelled.

Our way lay

across

where steep and romantic crags con-

trasted pleasantly with widely extended prairies, which,

seen by the uncertain light of the moon, appeared to spread

around like a sheet of water.

Our party was

numerous

which assumed

to

form a long

line,

sufficiently

a

more im-

posing character from the dark and lengthened shadows

which each

cast

spirits excited

behind him.

by

All seemed to have their

the sublimity of the scene.

Even

tlie

EXPEDITION TO THE

214 Indian,

whose occupations must have accustomed him

to

such excursions, appeared to have received an accession of

and the loud whoops which he occasionally gave,

spirits,

as

he raised the summit of a

hill,

enlivened the ride.

Our

course was a winding one along the glens which divide the bluffs; and whenever we rode in the direction of the

moon's rays, the vivid

flashes of light, reflected

by our

military accoutrements, contributed to impart to the whole a character entirely

expedition. It

new

many

to

was impossible

of the gentlemen of the

to be a sharer in this splen-

did prospect, without joining in the enthusiasm to which it

naturally gave rise; and

mind may be recall,

at

however much disposed the

such an hour, and in such a solitude, to

with deep feeling, the image of abodes endeared

by the presence of far distant fi'iends, it would have been impossible for any one of us to wish himself at that

moment on any leys, or

other spot, but in the deep and narrow val-

on the smooth

which have imparted

prairies,

to this

portion of the scenery of the Mississippi, a character of sublimity and beauty, for

which we would perhaps vainly seek

on any other point of the long extended course of the

" Father of Rivers."

At

Prairie du Chien

was

ject of this delay

we

sojourned for five days; the ob-

to obtain the escort

accompany the party up the Long's attention was engaged parations, the gentlemen

departments.

The

St.

Peter.

which was

to

While Major

in superintending these pre-

attended to their

respective

distance from Chicago to Prairie du

Chien, by the route which the party travelled,

is

two

hundred and twenty-eight miles, which, having been performed

in nine days, give an average of twenty-five miles

per day.

No

person had ever gone through this route in a

direct line before

we

did,

which

is

surprising,

when we

SOURCE OP

215

Peter's river.

ST.

consider the extent and antiquity of the trade carried on in this part of the country, and the facilities

On no

route affords.

part of our journey have

more comfort

led with

firm, well watered,

and

to ourselves, the soil

which the

we

travel-

being dry and

sufficiently interspersed

with woods

to afford us a constant supply of this article for fuel

;

the

our horses fared well

;

the

grass

generally

is

fine, so that

we approached the Wiscon-

country only became rough as

This river, like the Ohio, seems to unite with the

san.

Mississippi

country; the

a hilly

in

height of from one hundred and

fifty to

their sides are abrupt, and their soil

The Wisconsan

hills

rise

to

two hundred

the feet;

but indifferent.

is

has been, for a long time past, the usual

communication between the lakes and the Mississippi.

About one hundred and eighty miles above the mouth of the Wisconsan, this river comes so near to the

Greenbay, that across a

a portage of two

low and

which

level prairie

is

occasionally over-

flowed, establishes a connection between the

From

the portage

down

mouth of Fox

to the

Greenbay of Lake Michigan, the distance from one hundred and miles.

The Wisconsan

fifty to

river,

Fox river of

thousand five hundred yards,

is

two streams. river in the

computed

at

one hundred and eighty

which takes

its rise

near the

hills

of the same name, extends at least one hundred and

fifty

miles above the portage.

throughout

its

It is

represented as having,

course, a rapid current, and but a shallow

channel, from which circumstances the ascent

and troublesome. Fox river

is

is difficult

formed by the union of two

branches, one of which rises at a short distance from the

portage road ;

its

course,

which

is at first

westwardly, soon

takes a general easterly direction, but the river

times very crooked;

Howard,

it

falls

into

is at all

Greenbay near Fort

216

EXPEDITION TO THE

The

country, through which these rivers pass,

is

inhabit-

ed by the Menomones, Winnebagoes, Sauks, and Foxes, but principally by the two

nomones being

first

mentioned nations the Me;

chiefly found near the

mouth of Fox

and the Winnebagoes near the portage road, and

which bears their name. The

vicinity of the lake

river,

the

in

latter are

considered as being of distinct origjn from the Algonquin tribes

;

much

their language is said to present

greater

abounds in harsh and guttural sounds, and

culties.

It

letter r,

which does not appear

We

gonquin languages.

to

common

be

is difficult to

in the

Al-

have already had occasion to ad-

many

vert to the termination in r«, added to

by the Winnebago

diffi-

in tlie

whom we

of the words

saw on the Pektannon.

It

obtain correct information concerning their

manners and characters,

They

prevail against them.

white men, and

are considered unfriendly to

instead of being

this,

appears to

as a strong prejudice

viewed in the

light

of a favourable trait in their character, as indicative of a

high

spirit,

which

which can resent

injustice

and oppression, and

will not crouch before the aggresssor, has been the

occasion of

much

ill

will towards

them

they have been,

;

probably without cause, charged with many offences which

they did not commit.

we

If

can place any dependence

upon the character given to them by Carver, we should consider them as no worse than other Indians indeed his ;

acquaintance with them appears to have

believed to be Otchagras

is

favourable im-

Their appellation in their

pression upon his mind.

language,

left a

;

own

whence the term

Winnebago has been derived we have not been able to ascertain, not having met with it in any author prior to Carver. By the French they were called Puants or Stinkers, which name principally

is

attributed

upon

fish.

"

by Charlevoix, I

to their feeding

judge," says he, "it was there.

SOURCE OP

ST.

Peter's river.

(on the borders of a lake^) that living on

217

fish,

which they

got in the lake in great plenty, they gave them the

PuantSj because built,

all

name of

along the shore where their cabins are

one saw nothing but stinking

fish

which infected the

air."

In a manuscript narrative of a journey from Bellefontaine

on the Missouri

Anthony, and to

to the Falls of St.

the Wisconsan portage, performed in 1817,

we have

by Major Long,

mode

observed the following account of their

of

conveying information by a sort of hieroglyphic writing. " When we stopped," says Major Long, " to dine,

White Thunder,

Winnebago

(the

chief that accompanied

me,) suspecting that the rest of his party were in the

neighbourhood, requested a piece of paper, pen and ink, to

them the

communicate

to

up with me.

He

figures,

which

at

come

then seated himself and drew three rude

my

my

represented

intelligence of his having

request he explained to me.

with a mast and

boat

flag,

The

first

with three

show that we were Americans, our heads were represented by a rude cross, The representation of himindicating that we wore hats. benches of oars and a helmsman

self

was

;

to

a rude figure of a bear over a kind of cypher re-

The second

presenting a hunting ground.

figure

signed to show that his wife was with him

was

a boat with a

were drawn the wife of

squaw seated

;

in it; over her

was de-

the device

head lines

in a zigzag direction, indicating that she

White Thunder.

The

third

was

was a boat with a

bear sitting at the helm, showing that an Indian of that

name had been seen on intelligence, at the

mouth

gone on *

his

way up

the river, and had given

where the party were. of Kickapoo creek, up

This paper he

up

a hunting trip."*

Major Long's MS. Journal of a voyage, &c. 1817, No.

Vol.

set

which the party had

I.

28

1, folio

27.

UXPEDITION TO 'IHE

315

While

da Chien, we endeavoured

at Prairie

as

much

and

this,

from Wennebea ing his nation

;

from him and Le

information as

we

to obtain

could concern-

together with the notices collected

Sellier during the journey, constitutes

the basis of the following account of the manners of the

As they

Sauks.

are evidently of

Algonquin

therefore connected with the Potawatomis,

origin,

we have

and only

retained such parts of the information as had not been

mentioned before, or in which a

diflference

was observed

between the two nations.

The Sauks call themselves in their own language, S^a-keThey are a brave, warlike, and, as far as we The great reduction in could learn, a generous people.

w^e.

their

numbers arose from against the Indians

such as the Pawnees, the &c.

French and

and also to the wars which they formerly

their allies,

Waged

their hostility to the

Owing

to the rapid

on the Missouri and Mississippi,

Omawhaws,

the Sioux, the lowas,

advance of the white population,

and the increasing influence of our government over them, they are becoming more peaceable, and from this circumstance their

numbers are probably on the

historical recollections

increase.

Their

do not extend far back ; but they have

been told that about sixty years

since,

when

the French

occupied the country, one of the Sauk chiefs by the

name

of Me-ne-to-met, found himself surrounded with about sixty

of his nation to

by

a party of

French and Indians, belonging

other tribes, amounting altogether to two thousand.

Menetomet then addressed fear, for

his

men, bidding them not

to

he had been favoured with a vision from the Great

Spirit that informed

him

that

if

they

all

fought bravely, not

one of them should perish. Encouraged by

this assertion,

they fought with such desperation as to break the ranks of their assailants,

and escape without the

loss of a single

man.

;

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

219

They were afterwards led by their chiefs towards the Butte de Mort on Fox river, and were on the point of being cut off by their enemies, when a peace was effected by the intervention of a French officer. Wennebea informed us that his grandfather

was

in this party

had

;

it

been cut

off the

nation would, as he thinks, have been totally annihilated for these

composed the whole force of the Sauks.

numbers have since considerably increased,

now

to his estimate, the nation

thousand warriors tive, able-bodied,

;

upwards of a

consists of

number

in this

Their

as according

are included

all

the ac-

and middle aged part of the nation. This

great accession to their numbers, results principally from

The

their system of adopting their prisoners of war.

real

number of warriors of pure Sauk extraction does not, in his opinion, exceed two hundred. The Fox nation, which appears to be very closely united with the Sauk, was at that time likewise

much reduced

it

;

there were but three lodges of ports are probably in

is

Fox

stated that at one time

Indians

left

;

these re-

some respects exaggerated. The system

of adoption seems to be carried to a great extent, and the duties

seems

which to

have

it

involves are of a peculiar character ;

in a great

measure

attachment to their kin.

nor from village to village

do

so, for in case

;

to

wander from

neither

is it

men, reputed tribe to tribe,

prudent for them

of hostilities breaking out, the

comers would always be the

it

patriotism and

It is true, that

good among them, ought not

to

stifled all

first sacrificed.

If a

new man

should marry in a different nation from his own, he conti-

nues to live with his wife's nation as long as they remain at peace, but should a

war be declared he must leave

wife and return to his tribe.

ply to one

who

has been

his

This does not, however, ap-

made

prisoner;

if

a captive

bo iuloptcd OS one of the nation of his captors, he must

for-

EXPEDITION TO THE

220 former

he

sake

all

him,

forfeits all allegiance to his native tribe,

new

obligations. It

his

new

with his

ties

is

;

settles in the nation that

his duty, in case of hostilities, to side

friends against his old ones

proper for him to do

all in

his

he can

own

;

he

may even, (and

it

;

becomes even

power to promote the views

of his adopted nation, by killing as as

adopts

and contracts

it is

many

his

of their enemies

duty to do

it,)

kill his

father, and, as our guide added, " nay even his grand-

In so doing he

father."

is

not thought to violate any of

the obligations of nature, for his adoption has altogether cancelled his former bonds. bea, "

The

Wenne-

expression of

nay even his grandfather/' cannot surprise those

who have

visited the Sauks, or studied to

make themselves

acquainted with their peculiarities, as one of their most striking precepts

parent

line, a

fection

;

common

is,

is

that the

the

more

is

more

distant, in the

he entitled

ascending

to respect

and

af-

hence the killing of a grandfather would, under circumstances, be considered as far

more atrocious

than the murder of a father.

To

this

high opinion of the duties incumbent upon

adopted citizens, and to the general humanity which

safely attribute the great accession of

numbers which

nation has undergone within the last century.

have not always resided where they are Their recollection

is

at

in-

we may

duces them to spare the lives of their prisoners,

their

The Sauks

present found.

that they formerly lived

upon Sa-

ganaw Bay of Lake Huron, and that about fifty years since they removed, by the way of Greenbay, from the lake shore to their present abode.

der the

name

They seem

to

consi-

of their nation to be connected with that

of Saganaw Bay, and probably derived from

it.

They

have no account of any former migration, but entertain the opinion that the Great Spirit created them in that vicinity.

;

SOURCE OF

With

view

a

excellence, stituted

to ascertain

PETEr's RIVER.

what were

221

their ideas of moral

we asked Wennebea what, in their good

a

ST.

He

rnan.

opinion, con-

immediately replied, that in

order to be entitled to this appellation, an Indian ought to be mild in his manners, affable to

all,

and particularly so to

His hospitality ought to be boundless his cabin,

his squaw.

;

as well as all that

who

of any one

he can procure, should be

visits

at the disposal

him. Should he receive presents, he

ought to divide them among the young

men

of his tribe,

But what he chiefly conof a good man, was to be mild and

reserving no share for himself. sidered as characteristic

when

not quarrelsome

keep as many wives

him

intoxicated.

A

good man should

he can support, for

as

this will enable

extend his hospitality more freely than

to

if

he have

but one wife. Being asked whether by this he meant that

an Indian should

by the Missouri

squaw

offer his

he replied that no man of any he thought there was no

nations,

feeling could do such a thing

man

;

so base as to be guilty of this.

prohibited; sexes.

for

to strangers, as is practised

No

so

;

Adultery

not

but there

strictly-

it,

or partake in

it

made like dogs for promiscuous interare some women, whose passions are not

controlled by reason, and these will always find to share in their shame so.

is

an indiscriminate intercourse of

is

good man would encourage

men were

course

also

;

men disposed

no good man would however do man always put away his

Neither would a virtuous

wife for adultery; he ought to admonish and reprove

Should she continue in her

her.

he

will be justifiable

There will

are

among

in

evil

practices,

then

discarding,

or punishing her.

some men

so base that they

the Sauks

throw off their male garments, assume those of females,

and perform

becoming

all

the drudgery allotted to the latter sex,

real cinsedi.

They

are always held in contempt,

;

233

EXPEDITION TO THE

though by some they are

pitied, as labouring

under an un-

fortunate destiny which they cannot avoid, being supposed to

be impelled to this course by a vision from the female

Upon Wennebea spoke with much

spirit that resides in the

toxication,

moon.

the subject of infeeling and philo-

"Intoxication," said he, "is a bad thing; the In-

sophy.

dian has been seduced to

were

forefathers

they had seen

first

its

it

by

;

when our

offered liquor they declined

evil effects

two old men were bribed took more

man

the white

upon white men.

to taste

they liked

it;

they were then affected by

for

it;

At it

last

and

it,

their language

became more voluble; they were merry

in their wine.

Pleased with the experiment they repeated

it,

two others ally.

To

it.

them

to join

drink a

toxication

do

;

is

;

little is

and induced

thus did the evil spread gi-adu-

not improper, but to drink to in-

not right; our ancestors have forbidden us to

You, white men, can take a

little

and refrain from

more; while the red man follows but the impulse of his feelings; if he takes a

have

it if

he can get at

in this practice;

withholding

have had a

it,

little

it

little,

he requires more, and wuU

any way.

in

your agents, your

offer it to us,

we

make us

You encourage

us

traders, instead of

take

it,

and when

lose all control over ourselves.

We

we had

no intoxicating draughts before the white man came among us, all

and we were better

men

;

spring from intoxica-

our broils and our quarrels

tion;

been the ruin of us

this has

some of our women take

shame, and become common."

to liquor;

of the truth contained in these words

they lose

melancholy

It is ;

all

to think

not only do our tra-

ders, in violation of all law, sell or give liquor to the In-

dians,

but even the agents frequently give them

when they visit the larity among them,

forts, either to

keep up a

some

sort of popu-

or to rid themselves of their impor

;

SOURCE OP

encouraging

timities, thus

checking wiser

altogether.

it

not more

if

ST.

this fatal propensity, instead of

In this respect the Jesuits were

humane than our countrymen,

since they

chief, " to

by Grangula, an Iroquois

are reported

22 3"

Peter's river.

stave all

the barrels of brandy that are brought to our cantons, lest

knock them

getting drunk, should

the 'people

in the

head."* It is the

duty of a good Indian

sions, sacrifices to the feasts frequently,

Master of Life

he ought

;

to give

and expose the skins of white deer upon

an offering

trees, as

on many occa-

to offer,

to the

Great

In such cases he

Spirit.

never partakes of the entertainment himself but his friends ;

eat

it all

thrown

up, with the exception of a small part

into the

The

fire.

business of

which

is

men consists in hunt-

ing, fighting, building their lodges, digging their canoes,

taking care of their horses, making wooden spoons, &c.

while

it is

to plant

the duty of women to

and

hew wood, to

carry water,

raise corn, to take care of their families, and, in

the absence of the men, they must attend to their horses, build their lodges, &c.

Man's chief and best occupation is hunting;

he will never fight unless aggrieved by his enemies, in which case

it

becomes

his

duty to resent the injury.

held in high esteem and will obtain as

is

chooses, because they

the good warrior

A woman, in

is

know

A good hunter

many wives

as

he

that he can support them, but

esteemed the

first

man

in the nation.

order to deserve the appellation of good,

ought to be endued with most of the qualities which constitute virtue

among

affectionate to her all

*

civilized females.

husband

her

is

her children, partial to none

;

To

first

affable

be obedient and duty.

Kind

to

and courteous to

" Lahontan's new Voyages to North America, done into English,

London, 1703." Vol.

1, p.

40.

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

224

men, avoiding, however, the appearance of

all

Her

with any.

she ought to be industrious, in order that

risk of death

;

her husband

may

pitality widely.

be wealthy, and able to extend his hos-

When asked

which were most sought and

what were the

they cared but

little for

ing to get a good one,

a

qualifications

after in the selection of a wife,

Wennebea

beauty had any influence,

if

familiarity

chastity should be inviolate, even at the

handsome

who

replied, that

wife, their object be-

could attend to

all

their

work,

and behave herself as became a good woman. "

We are not

absolutely regardless of beauty," said he, "but

we

a trifling acquirement fore

pay but

little

attention to

and attend to

foolish

think

it

compared with goodness, and there-

it,

it

;

some young men are

but these are few, and they soon

learn to take good wives, without minding their charms."

Being asked what constituted female beauty, he laughed and said, a light

complexion, large hazel eyes, a well-formed

nose, red lips, and a figure rather small and well propor-

tioned

When

;

they seem to have a dislike to very

fat

women.

questioned as to other points of beauty, he seemed

not to have

made a study of them

;

their faces,

he said, might

be more or less handsome, but in other respects

women

were

all

Feeling a

little

encouraged, he conti-

nued

in a strain so obscene, as

even

to put to the blush our

the same.

old interpreter,

Le

Sellier

might be supposed not

;

which, for a Canadian trader,

to be an easy thing.

It was impossible not to observe in the general tenour

of Wennebea's conversation that he admitted a superiority

on the part of white men over Indians, at least in foresight, judgment, and capacity thought that

when

to acquire information.

the Master of Life

made

Wennebea

the white man,

he gave him the power to improve in knowledge and the ai'ts he taught him

how

to

manufacture

all

the articles that h^

SOURCE OF

ST.

To

wanted, such as cloth, guns, &c. nothing but his for

ed

bow and

his

225

PETER's RIVER.

dog

man he gave

the red

intending him therefore

;

no other occupation than that of hunting. This appearto be a favourite

dwelt upon

Wennebea

idea with

this partition of the

which the poor Indian had received but faithful dog.

It

he frequently-

;

good things of the

was not alluded

earth, in

bwv and

his

the spirit of

to in

his

com-

plaint or as a hardship, but .merely in support of a deep

conviction on his part, that, while the white

capable of improvement in the arts, the red destined to remain stationary, and to live

man was made man was pre-

by hunting,

for

which alone he had received, from the All-ruling Spirit, natural

advantages.

other Indians, that, in the

We related to him the belief entertained by who

origin,

God

divided

animals equally be-

all

tween the red and the white man latter

by saying

justify their hunting life

and that while the

;

took great care of his share, the former merely

wrapped

his up, loosely, in his blanket,

and having

a while, he found on his return that

all

left it for

the animals be-

longing to him had escaped into the woods

it

:

was there-

fore to recover his lost property that he had addicted himself to hunting.

Wennebea observed

this belief before

;

had never heard of

that he

but he thought,

were

if it

wise decree of the Master of Life,

for,

true, it

he added,

if

was

a

the In-

dian had not suffered his share to escape into the woods,

he would have destroyed and wasted

and been ever

after left to starve,

dent care of the white

man

;

as

but as

it

in a

short time,

he wants the provi-

it is

at present, the In-

dian can only use his property gradually and according as his wants require

Wennebea

it.

declined entering upon any particulars relife,

being apprehensive that

that subject

would disturb the quiet

lating to their belief in after

any conversation on Vol.

I.

29

226

EXPEDITION TO THE

of his departed relations. According to

Le

Sellier,he

between the soul and the spirit

a difference

makes

the former

;

being probably in his opinion nothing else but the principle of vitality

;

seat

is

in the heart

(hat the soul alone goes to the other

We

after death.

whom we met lief

;

they are endowed with

souls, as

'witli

its

animals are gifted

all

He believes

vitality.

world

;

the

observed in him, and in

body decays the Indians

all

with, that they entertained not the least be-

of the resurrection of the body, as has been asserted of

them by some authors

;

while they generally appeared to

be convinced of the immortality of the soul or

spirit,

and

of an after existence.

The

Indians are particular in their demonstrations of

grief for departed friends.

These

consist in darkening

their faces with charcoal, fasting,'abstaining

from the use

They

of vermilion and other ornaments in dress, &c.

make

incisions in their arms, legs,

body these ;

are not

made

for the purposes of mortification,

or to create a pain, which shall,

by dividing their

efface the recollection of their loss, but entirely lief that their grief is

dispelling

it is

also

and other parts of the

internal,

to give it a

attention,

from a be-

and that the only way of

vent through which to escape.

Their outward signs of grief are not merely of a temporary kind

;

they are more lasting than

consider themselves as higher in

ment than the red man.

the

among

those

scale

Wennebea observed

that he

abstained, for the last fifteen years, fi'om the use of lion

on account of the

loss of a

who

of refine-

had

vermi-

valued friend, and he meant

to persist in this practice for ten years longer

ceased was no relation, merely a friend.

;

the de-

Public opi-

nion requires of them some mourning for departed relations, but the

Indian graduates his expressions of grief ac-

cording to the value in which he held the deceased, uot

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

227

according to the mere relation in which nature or accident placed him in

life;

warm, and

deep,

for his friend

he entertains a feeling

Their friendship

unalterable.

seldom

is

divided between two objects, hence they have not those

bands of brothers which are stated by Lewis and Clarke to exist

among some

of the tribes they visited

adoption of a brother is

common with them

very

is

always founded upon sincere friendship

posed and wandering

life

but the

;

;

and

;

it

in the ex-

of the Indian, opportunities are

An

In-

dian will willingly endanger his existence to save the

life

not wanting to display the extent of this feeling.

of his adopted brother

and should one of the two be

;

killed,

there is no duty more strongly enjoined upon the survivor, or

which he more willingly discharges, even at the

risk of much

personal danger, than that of avenging his friend's death.

Against the charge of cannibalism, Wennebea defended his nation with considerable zeal.

mitted, existed cotas,

among

This practice, he ad-

the Winnebagoes, Chippewas, Da-

and other Indians, but he denied

among

its

ever occurring

the Sauks, except in a few instances, in which per-

sons that were very lean and thin would eat a small piece

of the

human

heart, together

der to fatten themselves.

with other medicines, in or-

When

asked whether this must

not be considered as offensive to the Deity, he replied that

he

knew

Spirit

;

visions,

not,

he had never held converse with the Great

he had heard other

men

and conversations of

say that they had enjoyed

this kind, but, for his part,

he

never credited them. Suicide

is,

according to Wennebea,

Sauks, more so with

women

common among

the

than men. Grief and jealousy

appear to be the predisposing causes with women, and

envy, .tivc

at the

power or consequence of

which impels men

to this deed.

others,

Our

is

the

guide,

mo-

whose

EXPEDITION TO THE

22S simple system of

man

than

improper

agrees better with that ot the white

ctliics

generally admitted, considers suicide as an

is

act;

does notappear to him to accord with the

it

wishes of the Great Spirit; he that gave us

Wennebea, has alone the power of taking Music seemed

have a powerful

to

particularly martial music siastic

terms on the

su])ject;

answer was, that

upon him, and

effect

while

When

Fort Crawford he

at

why

asked

in enthu-

The bugle was

reveille.

must reach the ear of the Great

Spirit himself;

it,

his

whenever

the sound of the bugle was heard, his attention was it

his fa-

he preferred

notes were so fme, he fancied they

its

diately directed to

says

life,

away.

he expressed himself

;

seemed delighted with the vourite instrument.

it

;

imme-

and his language

his eyes sparkled

became more animated.

The

principal disease of the Sauks

which we could not well

ascertain

one, the nature of

is

from

from dysentery, (being

it; it is different

tended by bloody discharges;) neither

his description of at all times unat-

is it

the hemorrhoids

or hernia. It appears to be a mortification of the intestinal canal or duct,

unripe

among men plied,

ease

is

which

fruits

it

tlian

proves

brought on by the use of green corn,

women. fatal

If timely

common appear

Intermittents

has

who

is

been'

;

it is

more common

is

remedies be not ap-

He

days

;

the dis-

declined mentioning

superstition

be very

to

known

at

on

as

this subject.

The

prevalent.

different

periods

;

our

about thirty-live years of age, recollects two

periods, but does not

happened

it

which have been successfully applied,

he entertains the

small-pox

;

in the course of four

unaccompanied by pain.

the remedies

guide,

is

and vegetables, &c.

know

at

what interval of time they

thought that it will shortly recur among them.

Of parturition and

gestation, his account agreed with that

SOURCE OP

ST.

229

PETER's RIVER.

obtained at Chicago; being asked

how long the pains

of la-

bour endured among women, he said they varied, sometimes four days, at other times two days or less, and in scarcely long

We

enough

man time

to give a

shall close this protracted

some cases

smoke a pipe. account of Wennebea's to

information, with an anecdote which appears to us to con-

nect itself with a point of some interest in our history

was

related to us spontaneously

been written down ideas, of

own words, shows

in his

which he was

;

it

by Wennebea, and having the strain of

susceptible.

" You know," said he, " that

we always carry medicine we place the highest confidence that we take them when we go to war that wc administer of their contents to our relations when sick, &c. The great veneration in which wc hold them, arises bags about us, and that in

tliese

;

;

from our deeming them indispensable

to

obtain success

They have been transmitted who received them at the hands

against our enemies.

by our

forefathers,

Great Master of Life himself.

We

to us

of the

never venture upon a

warlike undertaking unless, by their means, our chiefs should have previously had visions, advising them to do

When we

so.

are near to our enemies, they impart to us the

faculty of beholding, in the heavens, great fires passing

one cloud to another.

If these fires be

continued, and extensive, part of the heavens

it is

from

numerous, long-

a sure sign to us that in the

where we behold them, there

are ene-

mies that they are powerful and numerous, and that ;

must avoid them.

If,

and not frequent, then

on the contrary, they be few, it is

we

faint

a token that our enemies are

weak, and that we may attack them with a certainty of success.

dream

These are not

that

we

see these

we do not we actually behold them

visions, but realities fires,

but

;

in the heavens ; for this reason do w^e value our medicine bags

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

230 SO highly that

we would

not part with them while

True, some of us did,

dures.

at

one time,

life

en-

at the instigation

of the Shawanese prophet, (Tecumseh's brother,) throw

them away, but heavy

proved

this

calamities,

us the source of

to

brought on the death of

it

all

many who

To this cause do we attribute the which we experienced, during the late war

parted with their bags. great mortality

He,

against the Americans.

came

to us,

and by

medicine, a circumstance which to regret.

His

artifice

was

Shawanese prophet,)

(the

induced us to throw away our

artifice

this

;

we have

since had cause

he convened

our chiefs,

all

and told them that he had been favoured with an

view with the Great

Spirit,

who had imparted

to

tensive powers ; that he could recall the dead to

perform store

many

inter-

him ex-

life,

and

such astonishing deeds; that he could re-

youth to the aged,

which had been good

Sz.c.

that the medicine in our bags,

in its time,

had

lost its efficacy

that it had become vitiated through age he added that if we would throw away our medicines, he would execute, in our ;

presence, the miracles which he had spoken

we

of,

and that

if

followed him, he would ensure us a victory over our

enemies.

Induced by these promises and

flattering expec-

many of our chiefs cast away their bags, a circummuch to be regretted. It is true, that some who were then assembled, challenged the Prophet to work the

tations,

stance

miracles which he had announced. the bodies of

them

many who have

to life, as thou say est that

their challenge

There, said they, are

been killed in

battle, restore

thou canst do. But he evaded

by sayingto them, I cannot achieve these won*

ders for you, unless you previously comply with to

throw away your medicine bags

so will,

on your return,

find

;

my request

such of you as shall do

your children or your friends,

that have long since been dead, restored to

life.

Many

;

SOURCE OF

were

satisfied

and did

as

he bid them but not one of them ;

ever returned to his liome, to see fulfilled

;

for

they

231

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

in battle,

all fell

if his

promises were

on account,

we have

as

always believed, of their having parted with their medi-

I told

Wennebea, " spoke

I," added

cine bags.

him he wished

had not

lost their virtue

;

to

impose upon us

to

that

still

in the

him

plainly

that our bags

;

them

we

in our villages,

applied

to

we we kept

hour of need

applied to them, and generally with success; that

and that when our friends were sick,

them

for

relief;

not successful in all cases, at least

and that

we were

if

so in

we were most

in-

But he was very angry at me, and his brother Tecumseh who was near to us, laid his hand upon me and offered to strike me, which he would have done had he

stances.

not been prevented."

Thus spoke Wennebea Namoeta, tribe of Pa-c6-ha-m6-a,

(which

a

Sauk Indian of the

signifies

Trout;)

his bro-

was

ther had succeeded to the dignity of chief, although he

man

younger, being considered a so

Wennebea himself admitted him

of

more

to be.

and

talent;

We

regretted

we should have liked to see what his abilities are; he may be a better warrior or a more impressive orator, but we question much whether he surpasses our guide in genuine phitliat

we

losophy.

did not meet with this chief,

We have

with regret shortened the communica-

tion of the observations

made by

tliis

man we They breathe

interesting

should have wished to give them entire.

;

throughout a wisdom which would have done honour to the philosophers of old,

and a morality of which no

Christian need have blushed.

Indeed they speak strongly

in favour of the doctrine, that

the spontaneous growth of the

wisdom and human heart,

morality are the seeds of

which have been implanted by the great Creator himself;

EXPEDITION TO THE

232

that civilization does not produce nefit,

which

results

from

it, is

them

that, in

that the real he-

;

some instances, it may

curb the passions which would otherwise impede their

The

growth.

Indian appears to us to possess ideas of

virtue and morality, that are supposed

appanage of

which are

as valuable as those

full

by some philosophers

to be the exclusive

True, they are, perhaps but too

civilization.

frequently checked in their growth by the uncontrolled

sway which

his evil propensities exercise over

pensities which, as

we

him

pro-

;

believe, have been unfortunately

by an indiscriminate intercourse with the most worthless of white men who, to serve their own selfish ends, have not been ashamed to stimulate the Indian to deeds, which his own good sense would have prevented him increased,

from perpetrating.

On

the route from Chicago to Fort Crawford

which, however,

one deer,

at

shooting.

We likewise

was of the kind

we had no

we saw

observed but a single wolf, which If to these

called Prairie wolf.

the badger, which was killed on the 17th of June,

have the

list

but

opportunity of

we add we shall

of the only quadrupeds seen upon upwards of

two hundred miles of prairie land. The extreme scarcity of game in a country so remote from a white population as this

is,

must be striking

comes the more dance of other

fine grass

we

to

it

every observer

;

and

it

be-

take into consideration the abun-

which grows upon

manner of accounting

tributing tliese

so if

We

it.

know of no

for this scarcity, than

by

to the pacific state of the Indian tribes that

hunting grounds. Being free from

all

at-

own

apprehensions

of enemies, they hunt without reserve, and destroy the

game more

rapidly than

it

can be reproduced.

since their intercourse with white

gacious foresight which

men

to

They appear

have

lost the sa-

previously distinguished them.

; ;

SOURCE OP

was usual with them, formerly,

It

during the rutting season

233

Peter's river,

ST.

to avoid killing the deer

the does, that were with young,

;

manner always spared, except in cases of urgency and the young fawns were not wantonly destroyed were

in like ;

but at present the Indian seems to consider himself as a stranger in the land

he sees

which

his property daily

his fathers held as their

own

exposed to the encroachments

down

of white men, and

therefore

nately every animal

that he meets with, being doubtful

whether he will be permitted fruits

may

hunts

lest

he

not be suffered to hunt, undisturbed, upon his proper-

To

this cause,

their

numbers produced by

must

attribute the scarcity of

their population

game

wonder

of the

means

we know to

if

they

game

will eventually

of subsistence.

We are

not to

exist here, should be comparatively

large for the country to

bear in

subject, "

mind

which

it is

You whites contrive to

a field, a for

restricted in

its

hunts, if

the observations of Little Turtle on the collect

a sure and plentiful supply of food.

upon

few times bigger than

a whole year.

If

and clothes he wants, and

do what he pleases

;

to live upon.

all

a small space

A white man gathers

he adds

this

room, bread

to this a small field

of grass, he maintains beasts, which give

ground

we

at present observed

that an Indian population, apparently so small as

that which

enough

to the increase in

to agricultural pursuits, as the ra-

pid diminution in the quantity of

deprive them

and

a long continued peace,

must however soon cease to increase

do not betake themselves

from

ensuing year the

to reap the

of his foresight during the present and fearing

ty, for another season.

we

indiscrimi-

him

the

meat

the rest of his time he

may

all

while we must have a great deal of

A

deer will serve us but a couple of

days, and a single deer must have a great deal of ground to

put him in good condition.

VoL.

I.

30

If

we

kill

two or three him-

EXPEDITION TO THE

234

(Ired a year, 'tis the

same

as to cat all the

of the land they live on, and that

Among gle

the bir^s observed,

is

wood and

grass

a great deal."^

Mr. Say has recorded

Rcd-headcd Woodpecker,! together with

tiic

a sin-

Ferrugi-

nous Thrush,jTov/heeBimting,§ Song Sparrow,l| Chipping

Sparrow,** Bartram's Sandpiper,tt Raven,tJ Reedbirdy

and a Crow§§ which was 'first heard near the Wisconsan. In the vegetable kingdom, the same gentleman observ-

ed that the Gerardria was found, about the 15th, with petals nearly of full

found

much

shorter.

elytra

were of

a fine green colour tinged

likewise seen

;

with golden

and the exterior margins were pale.

;

its

•

Volney, ut supra, p. 384.

4:

Turdus

II

rufus.

Fringilla melodia.

If Tringa Bartramla. §§ Corvus corone.

its

length, but that afterwards they were A beautiful specimen of Cassida was

f Picus erythrocepliahis. § Emberiza erythropthalma. ** Fringilla socialis.

^ Corvus corax.

SOURCE OF

CHAPTER Prairie du Chien.

Mississippi.

thony.

Falls.

OUR

Dacota

River

1

we

du Chien,

its

extent, the

at a late

;

hour in the

but early the next morn-

number and

the importance of the country

known

bear a comparison with any

new

St. ^dn^

hastened to take a view of this important river

which, from ries,

Fort

9th of June, prevented us from obtain-

ing a sight of the Mississippi ing

Division of the

villages.

St. Peter.

arrival at Prairie

evening of the

VI.

Indian remains.

party.

235

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

continent.

It is

size of its tributa-

which

it

drains, will

stream of the old or

one of those grand natural objects,

the sight of which forms an era in one's

life.

man, who viewed the we conceive, by no means an undesirable distinction. And however diflicult it may be, at this distant epocha, to ascertain who that man may have

To have been

the

civilized

first

mighty Mississippi, was,

been, the inquiry the history of

is

human

as

not the less interesting or useful in

beza de Vaca.

Santo (Tampa)

He

So

discoveries.

extends at present, injustice

is

done

far as

our reading

Alvar Nuiiez Ca-

to

America from Espiritu Galicia, between the years

traversed North

Bay

to

New

1528 and 1537, and consequently must have seen

this river,

having ci'ossed it above or at its mouth though in his " Naufragios" he has given neither name nor description by ;

which

it

can be identified

5

his curiosity

was repressed by

hope he entertained of

extreme suffering and the

little

again seeing his country.

Hernando de Soto arrived

its

banks below the Arkansaw

called "

Chucagua

;" his

in 1541,

and found

body was thrown

into

it

it

at

there

the next

EXPEDITION TO THE

23t>

mouth of Red

year, nea^ the

two

entered

mouth about

its

Sieur Joliet, to

whom

If

river.

command

vessels under the

163"6.*

of

we

mistake not,

Wood, an Englishman,

Father Marquette and the

the discovery has been generally at-

They

tributed, did not see the Mississippi before 1673.

entered from the Wisconsan and descended to the Arkan-

Coxe

saw. half

its

us,t that,

tells

course

it

was

among

cagua, Sassagoula and

the savages, for about

Meschacebe, afterwards Chu-

called

Malabanchia.

It is

said that

at

Guachoya, (probably an old place on the Mississippi above

Red

river,) it

was "

called Tamaliseu

Mlco;

Nilco, Tapatu; and in Coga,

The French first The Spaniards had

Ri."t river.

called

it

;

in the country of

in the port or

mouth,

Colbert, then St. Louis

previously called

it

Rio Grande,

Spirito Santo.

At

Prairie du Chien the breadth of the river

at one-half of a mile, including a long

compared with

current, though rapid

streams,

is

is

and narrow that of

estimated island.

many

Its

other

gentle when contrasted with that of the same river

lower down

;

it is

only

when

souri and the Ohio, that

which characterizes

it

it

The

it.

has been swollen by the Mis-

acquires the extreme rapidity village of Prairie

du Chien

is

mouth of the Wis-

situated four or five miles above the

consan, on a beautiful prairie, which extends along the eastern bank of the river for about ten miles in length, and

which

limited to the east

is

to a height of about four *

hundred and

AVe have endeavoured, but

statement

;

but

it

by a range of steep

thirty-five feet,

in vain, to find

and

our authority for this

has entirely escaped our recollection.

This

is

not,

whom Coxe

mentions

as having discovered several branches of the great rivers

Ohio and

however, the same Colonel

Meschacebe.

Wood

hills rising

of Virginia,

— (Coxe's Carolana, p. 120.)

f Description of the English province of Carolana, by Daniel Cose. London, 1741, p. 4. +

Narrative of de Soto's Invasion, ut supra, p. 122.

Peter's river.

237

running parallel with the course of the river

at a distance

SOURCE OP

ST.

of about a mile and a half: on the western bank, the bluffs

which

rise to the

same elevation are washed

the river. Pike's mountain, which

at-

by

their base

on the west bank, im-

is

mediately opposite to the mouth of the Wisconsan, is about five hundred and fifty feet high. " It has received its name

from having been recommended by the

General Pike,

late

in his journal, as a position well calculated for the construc-

tion of a military post to

The

consan. tent,

hill

command

the Mississippi and

has no particular limits in regard to

being merely

which

a part of the river bluffs

Wisex-

its

stretch

along the margin of the river on the west, for several miles, and retain pretty nearly the

The

the water.

side fronting

same elevation above

upon the river

is

so abrupt

as to render the summit completely inaccessible even to

a footman except in a very

few

places,

where he may

as-

cend by taking hold of the bushes and rocks that cover the In general the acclivity

slope.

is

made up

of precipices,

arranged one above another, some of which are one hun-

dred and one hundred and

we had

a fine

fifty feet

view of the two

From

high.

rivers,

The

waters at the foot of this majestic hill."* retained

its

Prairie has

old French appellation, derived from an In-

dian

who formerly

The

village consists, exclusive of stores, of about

resided there, and was called the Dog.

dwelling houses, chiefly old, and of decay;

and

the top

which mingled their

its

fifty souls.

population It is

many

may amount

of

them

to

twenty

in a state

one hundred

not in as thriving a situation as

it

for-

Carver tells us, that when he visited it, in was " a large town containing about three hun-

merly was. 1766,

it

dred families; the houses," he adds, " are well built after the Indian manner, and pleasantly situated on a very rich

•

Major Long's MS. 1817, No.

I, p. 37.

EXPEDITION TO THE

238

from which they

soil,

abundance.

every necessary of

raise

This town

the great mart

is

who

jacent tribes, and even those

great

life in

where

the ad-

all

inhabit the most remote

branches of the Mississippi, annually assemble about the latter

end of May, bringing with them their

furs to dis-

pose of to the traders."* " I should have remarked," says the same author, " that whatever Indians happen to

La

Chien, the great mart to which

meet

at

who

inhabit the adjacent country resort, though the na-

Prairie

le

which they belong are

tions to

war with each

at

all

other,

yet they are obliged to restrain their enmity, and to forbear

all

among them

tion has long been estalilislied tual

This regula-

hostile acts dur.ing their stay there.

convenience, as without

it

mu-

for their

no trade could be carried

on."t

The

fort,

able that

and

fifty

which

is

we have

one of the rudest and

seen,

bank

is

here so low and

flat,

water rose upon the it

by

all

the officers' and

The

it.

river

a swell which took

before

we visited it, the

and entered the parade, which

covered to the depth of three or four feet

into it

that

summer

prairie,

low and un-

Its site is

pleasant, as a slough extends to the south of

comfort-

one hundred

situated about

is

yards from the river.

place in the Mississippi the

least

;

it

penetrated

soldiers' quarters, so as to render

necessary for the garrison to remove from the fort and

encamp upon the neighbouring about a month.

heights,

The waters having

where they spent

subsided, at the end of

that time, they returned to their quarters; the old

about the village say that such an inundation pected every seven years.

The

may

village also suffered

from the inundation, though the ground being higher, the injury done to

•

it

was not

so great.

Carver's Travels, Philadelphia, 1796, p. 31.

men

be ex-

much

somewhat

The

fort

was

f Idem, p. 62.

SOURCE OF

orig;inally erected for the protection of the

at the village

means

.

its

nor Wisconsan

construction

by no

houses of the fort

becoming

less urgent, this

abandoned

situated

is

neither the Mis-

but as the necessity which led to

;

daily

is

commands

it

tion will doubtless soon be

appears to be

white population

as a military post, its situation is

;

a judicious one, for

sissippi

239

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

upon

mound, which

a large

mound work at this

This

artificial.

supported the whole of the

posi-

one of the block-

;

so large, that

is

it

place, previous to

the capture of the fort

by the British and Indians ^during

the late war.

been excavated, but

It has

we

have not

heard that any bones or other remains were found in

This

by no means the only

is

cinity of the Prairie.

mound found

it.

in the vi-

There are very numerous remains

works on the Wisconsan, near the Petit cap au

of Indian

Gres ; Messrs. Say, Keating, and Seymour, went to examine them.

They found the bluffs which border upon the Wiscon-

san, about four miles

above

its

mouth, covered with mounds,

parapets, &c. but no plan or system could be observed

among

them, neither could they trace any such thing as a regular enclosui'e.

Among

these works, they saw an

embankment

about eighty-five yards long, divided towards

by

a sort of gateway, about four yards

was elevated from three the edge of the

bluff, as

to four feet

to consider

it

them

;

its

middle

this parapet

stood very near to the other

em-

this circumstance,

they

did also almost

bankments which they saw. From

were led

;

wide

all

as raised for the protection of

a party placed there, either for the defence of the bluff, or to

command

objects,

position

it

the passage of the river.

must be acknowledged

For

either of these

that the selection of the

would be very advantageous.

No

connexion

whatever was observed between the parapets and the

mounds, except

in

one case, where a parapet was cut

ofl^

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

240

mound was

a sort of gateway or sally-port, and a

by

placed in front of

it,

as

it

were, to

command

the gateway

but instead of being inside, in the manner of a traverse,

was

outside,

they could think

of,

proceed a few steps

enemy

noitre the

the

it

and could have served no other purpose, that

;

but to allow some of the party to jfti

advance of the works and recon-

though

it

must be acknowledged that

enemy might, under cover

of this

mound, have ap-

proached, perhaps, without being perceived, or at least with the advantage of a breast- work. In one instance the works

or parapets seemed to form a cross of which three parts

could be distinctly traced, but these were short ; this was

upon a projecting point of the highland. The mounds, which the party observed, were scattered, without any apparent symmetry, over the whole of the ridge of highland,

which borders upon the

They were very

river.

nu-

merous, and generally from six to eight feet high, and

from eight of these,

seen

all

bluff,

to

twelve or

to

fifteen,

were

arranged in one line, parallel to the edge of the

but at some distance from

These are not the only works that

In one case a number

twelve in diameter.

amounting perhaps

it.

in this vicinity;

it

appears

the mounds and parapets extend not only along

Wisconsan, but upon the

which run

bluffs

parallel to the

Mississippi and limit the Prairie to the east. description

which Mr. Say and

Major Long, of what they had

his

seen,

From

companions gave it

the

the to

appeared that these

could not have been the same as those he observed in 1817.

According to his MS. Journal of 1817, (No. 2, fol. 22,) " the remains of ancient works, constructed probably for military purposes,

were found more numerous and of

greater extent, on the highlands, just above the

the Wisconsan, than any of

which

mouth of

a description has been

;

SOURCE OP

made

Peter's river.

ST.

241

public, or that have as yet been discovered in the

There the parapets and mounds were

western country.

Ibund connected in one series of works; whenever there

was an angle

in the principal lines, a

size was erected at the angle

ed by mounds

at

mound

;

each extremity, and also

of the largest

were terminat-

the parapets

at the

gateways

no ditch was observed on either side of the parapet.

many

places the lines

mounds

In

were composed of parapets and

in conjunction, the

mounds being arranged along

ihe parapets at their usual distance from each other, and

operating as flank defences to the lines."

" The remains were observed in the interior of the coun-

Kickapoo creek; they were

try in a direction towards situated for the

most part on the ridges, but a few

also in

Those on the ridges had the appearance of

the valleys.

having been intended

to resist an attack

on both

sides, be-

ing for the most part a single parapet of considerable extent, crossed at right angles

by

traverses at the distance of

twenty or thirty yards from each other ditch

upon either

have been constructed ticular valleys in

Those

side.

to

;

and having no

in the valleys appeared to

command

which they were

the passage of the parsituated.

We

saw no

works which exhibited signs of having been complete enclosures, but the

The

whole were

in detached parts,

&c."

following account of the nature of the country, back

of the prairie, extending towards Kickapoo creek, (a tribu-

tary of the Wisconsan, which empties itself on the north

bank about twenty miles above the same

" The country

is

mouth,)

is

divided into numerous

ridges, of various shapes

of an equal altitude, by

which have Vol.

its

extracted from

MS.

I.

valleys and ravines,

fine streams of spring

31

hills or rather

and dimensions, but generally

some of

water running through

EXPEDITION TO THE

242 them. The

hills are

to four or five

generally elevated from three hundred

hundred

feet

somely rounded upon on their

sides,

above the valleys they are hand;

their top, but abrupt

and almost inaccessible except through the

numerous ravines by which they are

many

cut.

The

;

hills

The country

generally prairie land,

is

and valleys are in some places covered with a fine timber, consisting of white, red,

growth of

scattering

and post oak, hickory, white walnut,* sugar white and blue ash, American box,

tree,

maple,

&z:c."

probable that Prairie du Chien was formerly the

The beauty

seat of a large Indian population.

characters for hunting,

try, its favourable

on the banks of the

jsituation

pleasant abode for Indians

;

river,

it

the family of the

Dog

family has become of

its

Indians,

of the coun-

its

delightful

must have made

it

doubtful, or at least

is

have not been able to ascertain,

fate

to tillage

the highlands are also well calculated for the

raising of grain.

It is

valleys are

them broad, and appear well adapted

of

and pasture

but the

and precipitous

a

we

what nation belonged

to

whose name

it

This

bears.

extinct; the traditions concerning the

members

are very indistinct;

it

is

said that a

came down the Wisconsan from having massacred nearly the whole of

large party of Indians

Greenbay, and

after

them, returned again

who had

to the

Bay

that a

;

few of the Dogs,

succeeded in making their escape to the woods,

returned after their enemies had evacuated the prairie, and reestablished themselves in their former residence that these

French

were the Indians found

at that place

;

by the

and first

settlers.

This spot, like many of those early with traditions, which,

if

settled, has

they contribute but

been graced little

to the

history of our north-west Indians, adorn at least with the *

Jiiglans cinerea.

SOURCE OF

charm of romance and

Among

scenery.

some of

fable

these, that,

243

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

which

is

most

its

beautiful

related of one of the

caverns on the banks of Kickapoo creek, appears to us to

deserve notice. cesses

It is said that, in

one of the niches or

formed by the precipice, there

stone presenting the appearance of a

is

a gigantic

human

re-

mass of

figure. It is so

by the over-hanging rocks, and by the sides of the recess in which it stands, as to assume a dark and gloomy chasheltered,

racter.

They

on

relate,

this subject, that

long since, a battle

was fought on the banks of the Mississippi between the inhabitants of the prairie and their enemies; in flict

the latter

were

which con-

and succeeded in killing

victorious,

a

number of the former who was a very good woman, having received several wounds during the engagement, effected her escape and withdrew to the hills, where she was near perishing srreat

:

that an inhabitant of the

prairie,

with hunger; that while wandering along the banks of this stream, a

kind

spirit

monument

into this

to

took pity of her, and converted her

which

he, moreover, imparted the

power of suddenly killing any Indian that approached near This power was exercised until the spirit, tired of the it. havoc which he had committed, ceased

vengeance any longer.

they hold

it

display

approach the statue with impunity

fore, at present,

it

to

in fear

without paying

it

his

Although the natives may therestill

and veneration, and none passes near the

homage

of a sacrifice of tobacco,

&c.

There

are at present but

vicinity of the

foi't,

works which are try.

They

few Indians

in the

immediate

and none can give an account of the

so abundantly scattered over the coun-

say that the only means by which they can ac-

count for them

is

to

suppose that the country was probably

inhabited, at a period anterior to the most remote traditions,

by

a race of white

men, similar

to those of

European origin,

EXPEDITION TO THE

*;44

and that they were cut sition

is

off

grounded upon

by tlie

found'human bones buried depth than

that, at

circumstance of their having

in the earth at a

much

which they are accustomed

dead; and in graves which as

This suppo

their forefathers.

from

differ

greater

to inter their

inasmuch

theirs,

they are unaccompanied by instruments of any kind,

whereas they never omit depositing the arms, the corpse of the deceased. It

is

also said that

&:c.

with

tomahawks of

and other implements differing from those in

b?'ass (?)

common use among the present Indians, have likewise been found under the surface of the ground. appear to them

The

fortifications

likewise to be a proof of the correctness of

their opinion, as none of the Indians are in the habit of con-

structing

works of

a similar character, and as indeed they

are unacquainted with the utility of them. " Mr. Brisbois, who has been for a long time a resident

of Prairie du Chien, informed

me

that he

saw the

skele-

tons of eight persons, that were found, in digging a cellar

They were

near his house, lying side by side. tic size,

measuring about eight

feet

of a gigan-

from head

to

foot.

added that he took a leg bone of one of them and placed it by the side of his own leg, in order to compare

He

the length of the two six inches

the bone of the skeleton extended

;

above his knee.

None

of these bones could be

preserved as they crumbled to dust soon after they were

exposed

to the

We

a

as

saw

atmosphere."*

number

of Indian graves on the prairie, but

they were modern they offered nothing peculiar.

resemble the graves of white men, but the sod over covered with

They

them

is

boards or bark, secured to stakes driven into

the ground, so as to form a sort of roof over the grave

;

at

the head, poles were erected for the purpose of supporting flags; a

few

tatters of •

one of these

Major Long's MS. No.

still

waved over

2, folio 25.

the

SOURCE OF

An

grave.

upon

245

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

upright post was also fixed near the head, and

this the

deeds of the deceased, whether in the

way

of

hunting or fighting, were inscribed with red or black paint.

The

graves were placed upon mounds in the prairie, this

having doubtless been selected as being the high-

situation est

and

least likely to

From

be overflowed.

a series of observations, taken at this place,

sults, that

Fort Crawford

is

situated in latitude 43°

north, and longitude 90° 52' 30" west. riation

to 8° 48'

amounts here

52"

Bemis

under the protection of

The magnetic

va-

Long provided

to his garrison,

IVIr.

31"

east.

Previous to leaving the prairie. Major for the safe return of

re-

it

3'

by placing him

Rolette, a gentleman of the

American Fur Company, who was on the point of travelling to Greenbay by the Wisconsan and Fox rivers. Between the forts at the

Bay and Chicago

isted at that time

by means of an express

times, with despatches.

We

ascertaining that this man, to the

a regular intercourse ex-

most unqualified

sent, at stated

have had great pleasure

whose conduct had

entitled

praise, returned to his

in

him

regiment

without accident.

Our party was here reinforced by an escort, consisting men, under the command of first

of a corporal, and nine

Lieutenant Martin Scott of the 5th regt. United States*

who was selected to command the guard. MaLong secured the services of a half-breed interpreter, by name Augustin Roque. The object in taking this man,

Infantry, jor

was

to afford to the gentlemen, charged with the collecting

of the Indian information, an opportunity of acquiring

from him an insight

into the

Dacota Indians, previous their country.

manners and customs of the

to the party's travelling

through

They were, however, very much

pointed in the character of this man,

who

disap-

enjoys, in the

;

KXI'EDITION TO TUfc

246 country, a

much higher

servation, than they

reputation for intelligence and ob-

were led

him, and as the

to ascribe to

information which he contributed was but

been thought proper to embody

it

trifling, it

has

with that resulting from

personal observations, and from conversations with the interpreters

With

a

Fort

St.

who

view

subsequently accompanied the expedition.

to proceed,

with

Anthony, where the

as

much speed as

last

possible, to

preparations were to be

made, Major Long divided the party here, and travelled

by land with Mr. Colhoun while the other gentlemen ascended the Mississippi in a boat. The land party was ;

accompanied by George Bunker, (a

boy of the garrison, who

(a soldier,)

and Andrew, (the black boy.)

Tommo,

Indian, acted as guide to the party Indian,

probably about

John Wade,

acted as Sioux interpreter,)

fifty

;

a Dacota (Sioux)

he was a

years

tall,

gaunt

After having

old.

crossed the river in the boat, the two parties separated

and Major Long continued his journey on horseback, along the right

The

bank of the Mississippi.

route from Prairie du Chien to Fort St. Anthony,

was attended with greater difficulties than had been anticipated. It was extremely rough and hilly thei'e being no ;

beaten track, the party were frequently led to the edge of a precipice, a

and compelled

more gradual view

most

part, at a distance

to shorten the road

had attempted

and seek

descent. These difficulties arose from their

travelling, for the

with a

to retrace their steps

to

;

from the

river,

the highlands, which they

keep, were frequently cut by trans-

verse valleys, opened by streams, tributary to the Mississippi.

In the crossing of these streams,

much

difficulty

was

experienced from the swampy nature of the ground, in

which the horses were frequently mired. The distance at which they travelled from the Mississippi seldom exceeded

SOURCE OP

The guide

ftve or six miles.

said

would be

it

distance, although

a greater

travel at

247

Peter's river.

ST.

difficult to

might shorten

it

the route, because the country was too thickly wooded, and

water very scarce

:

this last circumstance can

only be ac-

counted for upon the supposition, that the water escapes

through the numerous sinks observed in the ground. The forests, traversed

by the party, consisted principally of oak,

basswood, ash, elm, white walnut, sugar aspen,

with a

undergrowth

thick

maple, birch,

tree,

of

hazel,

hickory,

In the bottoms the wild rice, horsetail, may-apple,

&c.

&c. were found.

The eye

is

charmed by the abundance of

wild roses which are strewed over the country, and the palate

is

not less delighted with the excellence of the

strawberry, which

which

A

is

remarkable for

fragrance, and

its fine

was, just at that time, in a state of perfect maturity.

small Indian village, of five lodges, was passed on the

26th; Iowa.

it is

situated

on a stream, supposed

upper

to be the

women

Judging from the number of

and children

which the party saw, the population must be dense there ;

were but two or three men probably hunting, especially seen in the morning

in the village as a large

;

the rest

were

herd of Elk were

by the boys of the

party, while in

search of the horses, that had strayed during the night

time to a distance of eight miles from the camp.

whole population of the culture than about

without order

village

seemed

to

The

have no other

two acres of maize, which was planted

in hills

and which had

at that

time risen but

about eight inches above the ground.

At ken

the

encampment

of the 27th, observations

were

ta-

A. M. (of the 28th,) by which the place was determined to be 43°47' 57" north.

at three o'clock,

latitude of this

About one mile north of called, in the

this, the

party crossed a river,

Dacota language, H6-ka, (Root.) which

is

EXPEDITION TO THK

.v'48

supposed to be the Riviere Longue* or Riviere Morteof Lahontan, and the Mitschaoywa of Coxe

stream which Coxe afterwards

calls

this

;t

is

same

the

Meschaouay4 But

it is

impossible to read the Baron Lahontan's account of this

without being convinced that the greater part,

river,

the whole, of

a deception.

it is

By his own account

if

not

he must

have ascended it upwards of one hundred and eighty leagues,

have met on

its

banks three distinct nations, the Eokoros,

the Essanapes, and the Gnacsitares, the

names of which

are

not recorded by any later traveller ; have seen a population considerably greater than that which could have existed there

:

in a

word, his description bears such evident marks

of fiction, that

we

can credit no part of

it.

Major Long's party passed on the 28th down a valley, bounded on both sides by high bluffs and precipices their ;

ride was

a picturesque one

the green sward of the ravine

;

contrasted richly with the grayish hue of the lime and

sandstone of them.

bluffs,

At

last

which rose

like high walls

on either side

the valley widened, and they found them-

selves almost instantaneously in sight of the majestic IMississippi, in

whose broadly extended valley nature displayed

herself with gigantic features. in the world, rolling

its

The

river,

one of the largest

waters wdth an undiminished ra-

pidity, in a bed checkered with islands,

was

a spectacle,

which, however often observed, always filled the mind with

awe and with

delight.

great devastation

It

was impossible

in the earth's surface,

to behold the

whether consi-

dered as caused by the Mississippi or as pre-existing to

• •}•

Lahontan, ut supra, Let. 16,

vol. 1, p. 112.

Description of the English province of Carolana, by the Spaniards

called Florida, and by the French

London, 1741, t

Idem,

p. 19.

ibid. p. 63.

la

Louisiane

;

by Danief Coxe, Esq,

SOURCE OP it,

Peter's river.

ST.

249

without being induced to look back to the causes which

may

have produced

this

phenomenon. But here man

finds

himself baffled in every attempt to dive into the abyss of past times

;

may

he

contemplate the scenery, but can-

not unravel the mysteries of

its

Deep

creation.

strata

of

sandstone and limestone are disclosed ; they have preserved, as yet, the elevation of the hills undiminished, but have

"

not protected their sides from waste.

on the

When we

Colhoun, from whose notes this description tracted,

"a

entered

towards the close of the day," says Mr.

prairie,

is

chiefly ex-

landscape was presented, that combined grander

beauties than

any

eye could

fol-

low were traced two gigantic walls of the most regular

out-

line,

formed, as

I

it

ever beheld

Python

far as the

were, by successive faces of pyramids.

Between them, extended of the

;

a level verdant prairie, the scene

were prolonged by the

reflection that I

of the noblest rivers in the world

when

I

My sensations

flexures of the Mississippi.

saw the evidences of

as is the Mississippi, there

along, a stream,

a

me

had before

one

they were enhanced

;

grand catastrophe. Majestic

was a time when

more than one hundred

fold

it

swept present

its

volume."

Whatever might be the

reveries in

which the party were

indulging, they were soon recalled to the dull realities of travelling,

that

by the howling and barking of

a

band of dogs,

announced their approach to an Indian village

ing of twenty fixed lodges and cabins.

consist-

It is controlled

W^-pa-sh&, an Indian chief of considerable distinction. his language, (Dacota,) his

number of young men and variously coloured

name

signifies the

fantastically decorated

feathers,

red

and their faces

painted, advanced to greet the party.

leaf.

with as

by In

A

many oddly

One of them, the son

of the chief, was remarkable for the gaudiness and display

Vol.

I.

2^2

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

250

of his dress, which from

him

its

showy appearance imparted to In his hair he wore two

a character of foppishness.

or three soldiers' plumes

;

his moccasins of stained

buck-

skin were tastefully puckered at the toes, and his breechcloth

The

was quite tawdry.

age, but appears older

;

his

chief

about

is

fifty

years of

prominent features are good

and indicative of great acuteness and of a prying disposition his stature tial

is

low

;

he has long been one of the most influen-

of the Dacota Indians,

more perhaps from

the counsel than his achievements in the

field.

his talents in

He is repre-

sented as being a wise and prudent man, a forcible and im-

His disposition

pressive orator.

Americans has ge-

to the

nerally been a friendly one, and his course of policy

well spoken

is

The major's party having no other inWade, who proved less serviceable than had

of.

terpreter than

been expected, could hold but a short conversation with him, and therefore proceeded on their journey, and en-

camped two miles above the

village.

Near this place a num-

ber of mounds were seen, arranged in nearly a right line along the margin of the river

;

they were of inconsidera-

ble height, but covered a large surface.

were observed,

in great plenty, for the

Indian remains

ensuing two days,

extending along the banks of the Mississippi, and especially near the shores of

Lake Pepin, along which

the land

party travelled on the 30th. These mounds and remains test,

at-

of course, theformer existence of a very dense popula-

tion along the lake. It

must have been

a stationary one, for

these works could not have been executed in a short space of time.

erected cations

We

are, likewise, led to believe that

by the same nation described by Carver

the Mississippi a

little

they were

that constructed the fortifias existing

on the bank of

below Lake Pepin. The

latitude of

the encampment, near the lower extremity of the lake,

was

SOURCE OF found,

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

251

by observations made on the evening of the 29th of

June, to be 44° 18' 37" north.

Having shore,

travelled twenty-two miles along

an Indian village, which

(the

its

western

Major Long arrived on the evening of the 30th

man

that paints himself red;) the village has re-

tained the appellation of Redwing, (aile rouge,) this chief

at

under the direction of Shakea,

is

was formerly distinguished.

The

by which

provisions of

the party being almost consumed, and the boat having been

seen the preceding day at a short distance below the land party,

Major Long thought

it

more prudent

to wait here

the arrival of the other division, in order to get a fresh sup-

About

ply of provisions. the

first

ten o'clock, on the

morning of

of July, the boat appeared in sight of the village,

and signals having been made, the gentlemen landed. The

whole party being again united, the chief invited them his lodge,

with a view

to

have a formal conversation with

to

them.

Shakea

is

one of the most distinguished of the present

leaders of the Dacotas.

he

is

entitled

which he has

by

It

does not appear, however, that

birth to rank as a chief; but the influence,

attained, is founded altogether

military attainments

;

said that

is

it

defeated, although he has shared in

upon

his great

he has never been

more

actions than al-

most any other Indian. The respect with which he is treated,

which

far

has induced

exceeds that usually paid to a partisan chief,

him

to

assume an importance and a formality,

seldom to be met with among the Indians of the present day.

As

a compliment to the party, the United States' flag

hoisted over his cabin, and a deputation of

warriors waited at our lodge.

We

encampment

were received

in

his son, Tatiunkamane, (the

some of

was his

to invite us to his

due ceremony the chief and

walking

;

buffalo,)

were seated

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

3o2

next to the entrance.

We took

our stations near them, on

the same bed-frame, while his warriors seated themselves on the frame opposite to us

;

as

we entered,

soon as

And his son rose, and shook hands with each of

the chief

The

us.

calumet of peace was placed in the centre of the cabin the bowl resting on the ground, and the stem supported in

an inclined position by a forked

The

for the purpose.

stick, planted in the

ground

chief then rose, shook hands with

the party a second time, raised the pipe from the ground,

and holding the bowl towards himself with the stem elevated,

he commenced a speech which was delivered with

much vehemence ment

the purport of

;

it

was an acknowledg-

of satisfaction, at seeing a party sent

by

Great

his

Father, (the President,) and a general expression of good will and respect towards the

American government; he

inquired as to the nature of the expedition and

Very

often during his speech, the

its

object.

commencement

of a

sentence was in the concluding terms of the preceding one; the warriors, at each sentence, testified their approbation

of his sentiments, in deep-toned responses, sounding like the syllables ah-hah^ pronounced strongly, and in a nasal

and guttural manner. Major Long

stated, in reply, the na-

ture and object of the expedition, the views of the govern-

ment

in sending

it

among

sition of the President

With

all this

the Indians, the friendly dispo-

towards

all

his red children, &c.

the chief appeared well pleased, as also with

the presents of tobacco, powder, shot, &c. which were

given to him

much

;

but he stated that his warriors had been

distressed of late,

relatives,

by the

loss of

numerous friends and

on which account their faces were painted black,

that they had not a single drop of spirits to comfort in their afflictions,

thejn

them

and " hoped that their Father would give

some of their Great Father's milk

to gladden their

;

SOURCE OF

unprovided with

253

PETEr's RIVER.

But they were informed

hearts." totally

ST.

that the expedition

this article, as

it

was

was

their Great

Father's wish, that the Indians should not receive, from

white men, liquor, the their

effect of

which was

to drive

make them quarrelsome and

senses,

kea assented to the truth of

this,

away

sick.

Sha-

and acknowledged that

the use of liquor was very injurious to them, but seemed,

however,

to regret that

he could not make himself merry

on the occasion of the glad tidings which he had received

from

Both he and his son made speeches

his Great Father.

which were not remarkable of the ideas

these

;

for the beauty or originality

may, however, have

lost their force

through our interpreter's inelegant and unanimated translation.

But the

gestures,

which accompanied the words of

the orator, were more remarkable for force, than for grace

A

or significance.

young Indian who acted

as pipe-bearer

to the chief, (an office of dignity,) then lighted the pipe,

passed

it

round

to all,

commencing with Major Long,

pro-

ceeding with our party, and concluding with the warriors

The

and interpreter.

pipe-bearer supported

the bowl,

while each person present drew two or three whiffs. then smoked of presented

it

to

it

He

himself, and, drawing out the stem,

Major Long

in

token of respect. The bowl,

which he kept, was of the red stone found on the St Peter ; the stem was of wood, and made in the usual manner of the Dacota pipe. flattened, being about

of an inch thick.

tremity

;

a hole

the pipe stem

is

is

Its

length

is

about three

feet, it is

two inches wide, and three-eighths

It tapers a little

towards the upper ex-

perforated through

it,

with a hot iron

painted with a blue clay, which,

by long ex-

posure to the air assumes a green colour ; the upper extremity, to about one-third of its length, is

ornamented with por-

cupine quills variously dyed, so as to present beautiful de-

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

254 signs

it

;

also

is

adorned with the small feathers of birds,

pigeons, &c. and with the hair of the deer, stained red.

Some

of these pipes are very elegant, and require a great

deal of time in their preparation

males.

The

Chippewa

they are made by the

;

pipe,

is,

that the latter

is

cylindrical and about

an inch in diameter; while the former

which

is

as

is,

we have

just

Both nations use bowls of the same

mentioned, flattened. stone,

fe-

chief distinction, between the Dacota and

generally red, sometimes, however, black

they are often curiously carved, &c.

The

conversation concluded w^ith another general shak-

ing of the hand.

The frequency of this ceremony, during we had with the Redwing chief, who

the interview which is

considered as pertinaciously adhering to

all

their old

customs, led us to inquire whether the practice of shak-

among

ing hands originally existed

the Indians, or

quaintance with

many

if it

An

was not introduced among them by Europeans. nations has proved, that the

ac-

modes

of salutation varied, according to the diversity which exists in their

manners, languages, &c.

It

would, therefore,

be singular, that the same practice, which prevails us,

and which

we

among

received from our British ancestors,

we

had existed among the Indians, whose neighbours

With a view to clear number of authorities, reNorth American Indians, from

have, in the course of ages, become. this point,

we have

collected a

lating exclusively to the

which we have been

led to believe, that the practice of

shaking hands, was acquired by their intercourse with

white men.

We

find that

among many

Indians a difierent

salutation formerly prevailed.

usual methods, for an Indian to to pat his

own

breast, arms,

and

mode

of

Probably one of the most

welcome legs,

a stranger,

was

and then those of the

SOURCE OP stranger.

We

ST.

Peter's rivek.

255

are told that the Indians on the

by "

coast received Jacques Cartier

feeling

Canada

him and rub-

bing his arms and breast, with their hands, according to And again a chief " desired their custom of caressing."* the captain to give

touch them, as

The

land."t

him

arms that he might

practice of rubbing

stranger was, probably, relieving

his

their practice of

is

him from his

first

rians,

Pipe

who had

who seem'd to

to

down

kiss

and

in the said

the limbs of the

introduced for the purpose of

fatigue, at least

words of Father Hennepin, who Captain's Cabin,

welcoming

we

says, "

infer

it

from the

At the entry

of the

adopted me, one of the Barba-

be very old, presented

smoak, and weeping over

me

all

me

with a great

the while with

my Arms and my Head. how concern'd he was to see me so harass'd and fatigu'd And indeed I had often need enough of two Men to support me when I was up, or raise me when abundance of Tears, rubb'd both This was to show

:

I

was down.

There was

a

Bears-Skin before the Fire,

upon which the youngest Boy of the Cabin caus'd down, and then with the Grease of

lie

my

Thighs, Legs, and Soles of

Wild

my Feet." J

me

to

Cats anointed

This treatment

was among the Dacotas. Alvar Nunez

was

a

mode

also observes, that the

of salutation with

rubbing of the body

many

nations, about

west of the mouth of the Mississippi, and indeed distance in-land.

In the account of the

first

and

at a great

expedition to

Virginia in 1584, the narrator expresses himself thus; Gran-

*

Lescarbot, Histoire de la Nouvelle France, a Paris, 1618. p. 254.

t Idem, ibid, p. 302. i;

A New

Discovery of a Vast Country

London, 1698,

p. 210.

in

America, by L. Hennepin.

EXPEDITION TO THE

256

ganimeo, an Indian on the coast of what was then called "

Virginia,

made

his head,

and his breast, and afterwards on ours, to shewe

that

we were

all

signes of joy and welcome, striking on

one."*

all

When

they reached the north

end of the island of Roanoak, they were eatertained by Granganimeo's wife, in a house feet

were washed

the feet

is

also

in

mentioned by Joutel,

it

rooms

in his

;

was wild

their

Account of de

la

came towards us we were conducted

;

file

;

of armed

women

of a dark complexion, but very

wooden

well formed and half naked, washed our feet in

troughs."! tions.

;

of washing

young men, to very neat the remainder of our entertainment was as grotesque

through a double

as

five

Expedition; and the Chevalier de Tonti says, "the

Salle's

chiefs of the Nation

cabins

had

that

warm water.t The practice

Different practices prevailed

The Clamcoets

near the

Bay

among

other na-

of St. Bernard some-

times saluted a stranger by rubbing his breast and arms

with their hands, sometimes by blowing in his ear

different usage.

who

;§

limit,

had a

Twelve old men, with the right hand

raised

while the Cenis,

reside

on their northern

to the head, ran up with loud cries and

embraced the French.j|

In Carolina the practice of scratching the shoulder probably prevailed. " At noon," says Lawson, " we stay'd and refresh'd ourselves at a Cabin,

•

where we met with one of their

Account of a " Voyage of Captains Amadas and Barlowe to part of

the countrey

now

called Virginia," (in Hackluyt's collection.)

London,

1589, p. 729.

f Idem, :(:

ibid, p. 731.

Relations de la Louisianne et

1720, being Vol.

5,

§ Journal historique Paris, 1713, p. 74. 84. 11

Idem,

du fleuve

Mississipi.

Amsterdam,

of a " Recueil de Voyages," &c.

ibid. p. 220.

du dernier Voyage de M. de

la Salle,

par Joutel.

SOURCE OP War-Captains, a

ST.

257

Peter's river.

Man of great Esteem among them. At his Man of the House scratch'd

Departure from the Cabin, the this

War-Captain on the Shoulder, which

is

look'd upon as

a very great Compliment among them ;"* and again, " They are free from

all

manner of Compliments, except Shaking of

Hands, and Scratching on the Shoulder, which two are the greatest

Marks

shew'd one

of Sincerity and Friendship, that can be

to another."!

Of the Esquimaux we

following related, in the account of Davis's

1585

;

first

find the

voyage

in

''At length one of them, poynting up to the Sunne

with his hande, would presently strike his brest so hard that

we might

here the bloAve."J

When

John

Ellis imi-

Esquimaux approached with

tated their action the

confi-

In a tribe of Esquimaux discovered by Captain

dence.

Ross, the practice of pulling noses

is

" Sac-

said to exist.

heuse called to us to pull our noses, as he had discovered be the

this to

mode

of friendly salutation with them."§

This was in latitude 75° 55' N. and longitude 65° 32'

The

practice of shaking hands

several Indians

Natchez in

;

Du

particular,

Pratz states

is,

it

W.

however, related of to

exist

among

and Indian nations generally,

ring however to those on the Mississippi.

||

the

refer-

Miantonimo, a

Narraganset chief, after a conference with the Governor,

gave him his hand for the absent Magistrates ;** but

was subsequent ing *

is

alluded to

A new

Voyage

The

to 1637.

more

frequently.

to Carolina,

this

habit of embracing or kiss-

At

Ilochelaga,

now

by John Lawson, Gent. London, 1709,

p. 42.

j-Idem, ibid, p. 201. ±

Ilackluyt's Collection, p. 778.

§ Ross' Voyage, II

London, 1819,

Histoire de la Louisianne, par

p. 86.

Du

Pratz, a Paris, 1758.

Tome

2,

p. 237.

•» Hubbard's Narrative of Indian Wars, Braltleborough, 1814, p. 54

Vol.

I.

33

EXPEDITION TO THE

258

Montreal, the French were welcomed by the kissed their faces.* ginia in 1587,

it

is

In the fourth voyage

women who

made

to Vir-

said that the Indians of the island of

Croatoan, (on the coast of North Carolina,) " threwe their

bowes and arrowes, and some

away

them came unto

of

us,

So also of the voyage in 1586 ; " they came

embracing and entertaining us friendly."t

Esquimaux running

to

in Davis's second

mec and

the rest, and embraced us with

signes of hartie welcome. "| are consulted,

we

Wherever

many

the Spanish authors

find that, in addition to the

ceremony of

embracing generally, they mention the kissing of hands and prostrating themselves; thus, although

it

is

stated,

that the chief Muscogo welcomed Juan Ortiz who fled to him for protection by embracing him and kissing his face,§ yet we find, that when the same chief went to the

De

Spanish camp, he kissed

Soto's hands.

of Casqui, (on the Mississippi,) trated himself before

mode

tions, as a

the hands

;

De

is

also stated to

have pros-

Soto.** Garcilaso de la Vega

men-

but these were probably to superiors, and in

The

following practice, observed at

Kecoughtan, (near Chesapeake Bay,)

whether used tell.

The Cacique

of salutation, prostration and kissing of

token of veneration.

to

||

as a

" Landing

mode at

we

are unable

Kecoughtan, the Savages entertained

them," (the voyagers,) " with faces to the

a curious one, but

is

of salutation or not,

a doleful

noyse, laying their

ground and scratching the earth with their

nayles."tt * •j-

Lescarbot, ut supra, p. 327.

Hackluyl's Collection, ut supra, p. 767.

i

Idem,

§

La Florida

11

Idem,

ibid, p. 781.

del Inca, en Madrid, 1722. p. 28.

ibid, p. 33.

•* Narrative of

De

Soto's Invasion, written by a gentleman of Elvas,

and translated by Ilackluyt.

London, 1609,

ffPurchas his Pilgrimage, London, 1614,

p. 96.

p. 768.

SOURCE OP

From

ST.

PETEP/S RIVER.

259

we have cited, and we might many more, we are led to believe that, wher-

the instances which

have adduced

ever the practice of shaking hands has been observed,

it

had

probably been received from the English ; for the only three instances

bard,

Du

states

it

which we have mentioned are those from HubLawson. The first of these authors

Pratz, and

of the

New

modern

paratively a

ed as late as 1 758

very good,

England Indians writer, his

is combook having been publish-

the second

;

and Lawson's authority, though generally

;

decisive in this instance, because, being

is less

himself an Englishman, he might be more ready to ascribe this practice to the Indians, than

any

other, and because

he

who had already some acquaintance with English besides we find that he describes twice the

speaks of Indians the

;

practice of scratching the shoulder, as a

that this

The

mark of

from which circumstance, we are led

spect,

was the

to

great rebelieve,

original practice of the Carolina Indians.

practice of kissing hands

and of prostration, being

only mentioned by Spanish writers, was probably the con-

sequence of an intercourse with Spaniards. That of embracing appears more general, but

it is

also restricted chiefly to

French authors, or to those who treat of Indians that had been in habits of intercourse with the French.

sents itself, however, to our recollection,

One exception preit is

in the first recep-

tion of Captain Lewis by the Shoshonees. "

The

three

men

leaped from their horses, came up to Captain Lewis, and em-

braced him with great cordiality, putting their left arm over his right shoulder

and clasping his back, applying

at

the

same time their left cheek to his, and frequently vociferating ah-hie I am much pleased, I am much rejoiced.' The whole body of warriors now came forward, and our men received the caresses, and no small share of the grease

ah-hie

!

!

*

EXPEDITION TO THE

260

and paint of their new friends."* instance,

we

Notwithstanding

this

consider the practice of embracing as not ori-

most

ginal with the Indians in general, but probably in

cases derived from the French.

Indeed

we have

ourselves

heard the Indians ridicule the frequent kissing, which

they observed among the Canadians, and consider

it

as

unworthy of men.

The Redwing nuated, but he

chief

is still

is,

at present,

very much superan-

respected on account of his former

distinguished achievements.

When

Major

Taliaferro, the

Indian agent, visited him, not long since, with the principal

kamane

war chief of the Sauks, the

to his face,

Morga n

latter told

Tatun-

when shaking hands with him, that he

him as a very unimportant personage, and that he only took him by the hand, out of respect to his father, considered

who had been, to them, so brave and active an enemy. The Sauks will long remember the injury this chief did them. Some of the warriors, whom we saw in the chief's cabin, were very fine looking men. One of them, whose face

was covered over with charcoal, bore so strong

semblance to the portraits of Napoleon, that

were struck with

it.

It

was rather

to

Bonaparte as

consul, than as emperor, that the resemblance for he had not the corpulence

acquired.

Not only

a re-

our party

all

was

first

great,

which the ex-emperor had

his features, but

even the conforma-

tion of his head, shared in the general resemblance.

could not learn that he was a distinguished

man

We

in the na-

tion.

Among the many Indians whom we saw at the village, one * History of the Expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clarke, Philadelphia, 1814, vol. 1, p. 363.

SOURCE OF

ST.

261

PETEr's RIVER.

of those, who frequented our company most, was an old man,

by the name of Wa-ze-ko-ta, (Shooter from the

who was

an intolerable beggar.

He

professed

pine-top,)

much friend-

ship for us, was very fond of showing his knowledge

of

our language by the frequent repetition of the English-

monosyllable of Indian John in the Spy.

with a few of the most

common

This, together

expressions, such as

how

d'ye do, good bye, &c. completed his whole stock of English

words.

This man's name bears a striking analogy to

that of the principal chief of the Issati or Nadouessis

Hennepin met on the " Ouasicoude, (that

Mississippi,

and

Pine,")*

to say the Pierc'd

is

companied Major Long on part of

his

whom

whom

he

calls

He

ac-

journey in 1817,

but scarcely recollected the circumstance, being at present

very

old.

These Indians were much pleased with the sight

of our travelling

map they ;

the occasion, understanding rivers with their fingers to the portages, &c.

of

St.

;

displayed great intelligence on it

immediately tracing several ;

Wazekota

Anthony, which he

;

mentioning their names pointing laid his finger

upon the Falls

called Halmwotepa.

They appear-

ed quite suprized to find that so large a district of country could be represented on so small a compass, and at the

same time be so

distinct.

The magnetic

mercury, likewise attracted their notice

much

;

needle and the

they expressed

surprize on observing that iron floated upon this fluid,

with the same buoyancy that cork would upon water.

They

considered

all

these things as mysterious.

Three Menomone Indians were here on a visit, havino* just returned from the St, Peter, where they had been hunting.

•

It is

supposed that sixty or seventy warriors of

Father Hennepin's Works, ut supra, London 1698, p, 217, and

Relations de

la

Louisianne, &c. p. 292.

262

EXPEDITION TO THE

their nation will unite with

Redwing's band, although the

principal of the three, a fine looking stout

man, thought

proper to apologize for this band, saying to us, that the

Sioux were hogs and beggars, destitute of food, and ignorant of the duties of hospitality

among

the Chippewas,

should be

;

but that

we would

The complexion

than that of any Indians

them spoke French

wampum ries,

;

Chippew^as over the Da-

Menomones was lighter we saw on the journey one of of these

;

the principal one had abundance of

Indian agent at leader, and that,

St.

We

Anthony,

when

afterwards learned from the that this

his party unite

is

an eminent war

with Redwing's, he

war

will be recognised as the principal

lage

Cow-

about his neck, together with a necklace of

(Cypraea moneta.)

nomone

arrive

by no means satis-

a subsequent experience has

;

fied us of the superiority of the

cotas.

when we should

be received as strangers

chief.

This

Me-

told us, that the tumuli observed back of the vil-

were

the Sioux,

artificial,

and ancient cemeteries.

whom we

Tommo, and

consulted on the subject,

As they do

dered them as natural elevations. their dead, but dispose of

them on

scafiblds,

all

consi-

not bury

they seem to

be unacquainted with the ancient practice of interring. After a very interesting

men

visit to this village, the gentle-

again separated. Major Long's party, being provided

with a proportion of the boat's provisions, which were

becoming scanty, continued

journey by land that afAnthony the next evening without meeting with any accident. The route from the Intheir

ternoon, and reached Fort St.

dian village was off from the river,

it

was

rolling", less hilly

than had been previously travelled the tumuli increased in ;

number, exceeding in abundance any that the party had ever seen before, at times upwards of one hundred of them wei'e in view.

A

stream about thirteen yards wide, which they

;

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER

S

263

RIVER.

crossed a short time after leaving the village,

is

called

by the

Indians E&mozind^ta, (High rock,) from a white pyramidal

rock which rises to a considerable height near this stream, a

few miles above the place where they crossed aware of

knowing

existence, and

its

that

Being

it.

would not

it

lengthen the journey much, they were anxious to pass near

whether from superstitious motives or not,

but,

it;

seemed unwilling

man was

to guide

them

Tommo This

in that direction.

not one of the pleasantest that the party could have

had to accompany them

;

although he was selected as one

of the best in the vicinity of Prairie du Chien, he was not

He was

agreeable.

incessant

smoker

tomahawk, was

a listless, indifferent kind of

his pipe,

;

man

;

an

which was connected with

his

in constant use

;

it

was made

in the

form

The part which corresponded with hammer was hollowed out for the bowl, and the

of a shingling hatchet. the

handle was perforated so as to serve as the stem of the

He

pipe.

adverted to the pipe as the Indian's only so-

lace in hunger.

well

;

it

was

This

man had

a curious specific

when un-

to climb a tree, cut the top so that

it

would

down from

it

to the

bend, and then

let

himself drop

ground.

The river,

first

boulders which had been seen from

were observed by Mr. Colhoun

miles from Fort

A very great was

visible.

St.

Anthony

;

Rock

about seven

at

they consisted of granite.

change in the country above Lake Pepin

The

bluffs

were not

so high, they

were more

frequently interrupted, and gave a neAV character to the

scenery of the river.

du Chien it

was

The

to the St. Peter,

is

distance,

by

land,

an average of

travelled in eight days, hence at

twenty-six and a half miles per day.

dered as the

first

from Prairie

two hundred and eleven miles This

section of our journey

;

may

be consi-

the whole dis-

EXPEDITION TO THE

264

tance from Philadelphia to this place, was near thirteen

hundred miles, which were travelled

in sixty-four days,

This affords an average of twenty

stoppages included. miles per day.

Having followed Major Long's

we

to this place,

tions

made by

division from the Prairie

shall take a hasty glance at the observa-

the other division, during their progress

up

the river.

This division consisted of Messrs. Say, Keating, and

Seymour, with Roque, (the interpreter.) The boat was manned by the corporal and eight soldiers, under the They were provided command of Lieutenant Scott. with an eight oar barge with a

which was used

sail,

or rather their tent

as a substitute for one.

After parting

with Major Long, on the west bank of the

river, the barge

fly,

proceeded up the Mississippi, but had not been long on

symptoms

course before the

men and Mr.

of misconduct broke out

its

among

Scott then discovered that, while the

;

whole party were conversing with Major Long, on the river bank, the

men had

themselves to

its

broached the keg of liquor and helped

contents so bountifully as to be soon affected

by it. As soon as they were heated by the exercise of rowing, They the effects of the whiskey became but too evident. lost all respect for their officer,

and but for the firm stand

which he took upon the occasion

a

mutiny would

bly have broken out; but having called

loaded them in their first

man who

his life

;

presence, he assured them

attempted a mutiny must do

the crew being, however, too

inevita-

for his pistols

it

and

that the

at the risk of

much

affected

by

the liquor to be able to stem the strong current of the Mississippi, the boat

lay

by

for a

was

orderetl to the shore,

and the party

few hours.

In the' evening the

men

being a

little

sobered, they re-

SOURCE OP

sumcd

ST.

Peter's river.

and encamped

their journey,

265 above the

at night

Painted Rock river, on the west bank of the Mississippi.

The The

distance travelled that day did not exceed nine miles. bluffs,

which appear

to

be limestone, (but

we were

at

too great a distance to determine the fact with certainty,)

continue on both sides of the river, and rise to a considera-

In one place the rock

ble height.

parently inaccessible

;

is

very steep and ap-

the difficulty of the undertaking was

probably the motive which induced the Indians to attempt

and having succeeded, they wished

to climb it;

tuate the recollection of their success

with red colours, a few grotesque

when these

are effaced

to perpe-

by painting upon

figures.

by time or washed away by the

they are soon replaced by other sketches

it,

It is said that,

left

there

rain,

by the

who are constantly passing up and down the river. The Painted Rock, like every frail attempt to distinguish, Indians

by

means, those things which nature, in her wild

artificial

more

designing, has clothed with an uniform garb, seizes

powerfully upon the imagination of the trading voyager

on our western streams, than the their splendid scenery

a landmark

which

;

it

finest natural features of

has become, therefore, as

gress through these desert regions.

and

warm

was not sippi

;

hoisted.

was

scapes which gions,

its

This

differ

we

first

fair

day's voyage on the Missis-

who had never been on

so widely

is

that

such,

from those of the land-

are accustomed to behold in our

tame

re-

features are so bold, so wild, so majestic, that

they impart

new

sensations to the

of the stream, although it

pro-

The weather was

the magnificence of the scenery

;

characters

were,

slight but adverse, so that the sail

delightful to those

river before its

wind

the

it

assists the traveller in tracing his

it

mind the very ;

rapidity

opposes our ascent, delights us

:

conveys such an idea of the extensive volume of water

Vol.

I.

34

;

266

EXPEDITION TO THE

which

of islands

which

it

tributes to the variety of the scenery

stantly under a

On

new

by presenting

it

con-

wind was

fair,

and starting

scenery presenting pretty nearly the

its

as

also con-

up with considerable speed

early, the party proceeded

same characters

imbosoms,

aspect.

the 26th of June the

the country and

The

towards the ocean.

this river ceaselessly rolls

immense number

on the preceding day.

In the course

of the morning, they saw the appearance of a cavern in the rocks, and landed to explore

it,

but found

it

to be

mere-

however gave Mr. Keating an opportunity of observing that the bluff consisted of limestone, which in the upper parts became ly a small excavation of no account; this

very

and assumed the characters of the asche

loose,

mentioned

in the

tiful oolite

were observed below

preceding chapter. Fragments of a beau-

some of them of

angular,

exist that they

as

were

it

;

they were loose and

No

a large size.

in the

doubt could

immediate vicinity of their

original sites, but the necessity of taking advantage of the fair

wind, did not permit a search after the rock

On

the left bank of the river, a small stream

ed

to put in

situated

;

;

at its

mouth two Menomone lodges were

but they were closed, the inhabitants having

doubtless gone on their

beyond

itself.

was observ-

this

summer

hunts.

At some

distance

they passed, on the right bank, the mouth of

the lawa, a river celebrated in Indian warfare as the spot

of a bloody rencounter between the Sioux and Sauks.

At

forty-five miles

from Fort Crawford there

is

a

Winne-

it was surrounded by handsome cornfields. At the mouth of Bad-Axe river, a little beyond this, the party exchanged a few words with two

bago village of a few huts

Menomone

Indians

;

who were

descending in a canoe.

Two

remarkable capes or points were observed on the right

bank of the Mississippi below lawa river

;

the lower one

;

SOURCE OF

S67

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

by the name of Cape Puant, because at a when the Sioux and Winnebagoes, (Puants,) were about to commence hostilities, a party of the latter set out on is

designated

time

an expedition to invade the territory of the Sioux and take

them

b)f* surprise;

but these being informed of the de-

sign, collected a superior force,

and lay

in

ambush near this

As soon

place, expecting the arrival of their enemies.

Winnebagoes had landed, the Sioux

as the

upon them

their hiding places, pressed

lected in a small

them

gularity of

by

above

its

about four hundred

its

appearance has made

is

by the

sin-

represents a cone

it

The

feet.

a celebrated

peculiarity of

landmark on the

in sketching the beautiful features of the Missis-

took a hasty view of this as the boat passed near

valley

is,

in this part, almost

which laves the base of the

river spreads in

miles

it

Mr. Seymour, whose pencil was frequently

Mississippi.

engaged

river

the voyager

In shape

Gar-

a vertical plane passing through its apex and base

height

The

between the two capes, drove

this, strikes

appearance.

its

sippi,

from

sallied

they lay col-

into the river, and massacred the whole party.

lic cape, just

cut

recess

as

;

its

some

bluffs

on both

much

The

sides.

interrupted

which render the navigation

bluffs are generally

it.

by the

places to the width of three or four

channel being very

berless islands,

entirely filled

from four hundred

by num-

The

difficult.

to five

hundred

feet

high, intersected with numerous ravines, and exhibiting signs of being the

commencement

of a hilly and broken

inland country.

One apotu.

of the soldiers was this day very sick of

At times he was

mania

perfectly insane, probably

from

having suddenly given up the use of strong liquor, in

which he had previously indulged himself very

He

freely.

continued sick during the rest of the voyage up

EXPEDITION TO THE

268

It was a horrid sight, in a small more than thirty feet long, in which the party were much cramped for want of room, to behold a

the Mississippi. boat, not

man the

with occasional

affected

most distressing kind

fits

throw himself overboard, which have him secured

of raving, and these of

he made frequent attempts to

;

at last

induced Mr. Scott

to the

mast; he was very loquacious

in his insanity, replying as

he thought to the voice of his

to

officers at Prairie

him

calling

;

at

whom

du Chien,

he fancied he heard

times he became ironical, bursting into

a wild and convulsive laughter, then launching out into

profane and abusive language

;

in

fine,

the workings of a disordered imagination.

exhibiting

At one

all

of the

encampments, he broke his bonds and wandered near a

swamp men were sent after him who were out a long time ;

before they overtook for lost,

was a

and

it

;

;

he was for a while given up

was by the most fortunate chance

at last discovered

swamp

him

that

he

by one of the men wading through

had he proceeded much further he must have

perished in this fen.

Mr. Say having administered

to

him

the proper remedies, he gradually recovered, but finding

it

agreeable to abstain from work, feigned sickness, and his

was observed apparently increasing while the other symptoms indicated a general improvement in his health suspecting that he was playing the old soldier, Mr. insanity

;

Say prescribed the use of an oar

by which

as a sudorific,

he soon recovered the use of his lost senses.

The

party had encamped for the night on a prairie, be-

tween Raccoon and Bad-Axe

rivers, but the mosquitoes,

which had hitherto proved very tormenting, becoming still

to

more

resume

spent,

it

so,

they determined, at eleven o'clock

their journey.

was

better to pass

If a sleepless night it

at night,

was

to

be

in the boat, in the middle of

SOURCE or

ST.

269

Peter's river.

the stream, where at least they would be relieved from

The

the torment of the mosquitoes.

breeze,

which was

fa-

vourable, allowed the barge to proceed with considerable rapidity for three hours, when the

wind increased into a gale,

which rendered the navigation dangerous. After having

at-

tempted, for a time, to continue, in despite of the violence of

A very

the storm, they were obliged to draw near the shore.

heavy

rain fell for several hours, to in the boat,

them by

their blankets.

situation in

which they remained

having no protection but that afforded

exposed

Notwithstanding the comfortless

which they found themselves, there was an

irresistible interest in the scene.

A storm

one of the most splendid phenomena

is at all

in nature

;

but

times

when

experienced in the gloomy forests of the Mississippi, in the midst of a solitude, with no companions but a few

low

sufferers, standing in a shivering attitude

boat,

it

receives an additional

interest;

fel-

in a small

every

of

flash

lightning displays a scene which the painter would wish to fix

upon the canvass. The loud peals of thunder resound

more

forcibly

when

which border upon the

reverberated river,

by the rocky

bluffs,

and they contrast sublimely

with the low but uninterrupted muttering of the rolling waters.

About

sunrise the storm ceased, the weather clear-

ed up, the party resumed their journey, and continued until breakfast time,

make

when they were

gratified to stop

a fire to dry their clothes and repair the

casioned by the storm.

While

at their

damage

it

and oc-

encampment of the

preceding evening, the attention of the party was sud-

denly roused by the

faint

and indistinct sounds of a human

was soon evident

voice, singing at a distance.

It

words were English, and the

air a familiar

party

;

one to

that the all

the

after a

while the noise of a paddle was distinctly

by

hailing they brought to the shore a canoe

heard, and

EXPEDITION TO THK

270 that

was

from Fort

diers

down

gliding;

the river, with

upon the river ahounds

sol-

l)orders

in rattlesnakes, the party killed

several during their journey to it

two discharged

Anthony. The country which

St.

Lake Pepin, ahove which

has been said that they are never seen.

In examining

the head of this serpent, Mr. Say's thumb was punctured several of the small acute teeth, while

it

mouth and on laying open the

roof of the

;

vesicle of poi-

son, a portion of the fluid flowed under the

found

its

way

into

quantity must have been very small,

The

little

it

it

gave

rise to

much

however soon subsided,

swelling.

travelling on the 27th

a head wind, but

thumb and

one of the punctures, and although the

pain and numbness in the part ;

producing but

by

pressed upon the

was not very rapid owing

to

no time having been spent on shore, the

party reached the Prairie de la Crosse in time to encamp there

this has

;

been incorrectly called the Cross, (crux,)

The name of this very much in favour among prairie.

a ball, and

is

spot

derived from a

is

the Indians

;

it is

probably not very unlike some of the games

of white men.

This prairie being very level and

admirably well calculated for

this

purpose

merly much frequented by the Indians.

;

which the party took possession,

it,

Within

encampment they discovered

flags

for-

a

of one of

for the purpose of shel-

tering themselves during the night.

which

fine, is

and was

There were

few remains of Indian encampments upon

of their

game

played with

were hanging, indicating

a

few yards

several graves, over that the deceased

had

The

party proceeded,

early the next morning, and passed the

mouth of Black

been

men

of some consequence.

river, one of the most important tributaries of the Missis-

sippi

;

it is

much

resorted to for the purpose of obtaining

timber, as the forests, which

grow upon

its

banks, are

SOURCE OF

much it

finer than those

ST.

271

PETEr's RIVER.

Not only does

on the Mississippi.

at Prairie du Chien, but even, as we are much of the " pine timber, used at St. Louis, is here."* The voyagers have remarked that the number

supply the fort

informed, cut

of islands, in this part of the Mississippi, there are but few spots

be seen

at the

so great, that

is

where both banks of the

same time

;

short distance, above the

mile above this place the

this

however, the

is,

mouth of Black

river can case, at a

river

;

and one

on both sides of the

river,

approach within eight hundred yards of each other.

The

wind being ahead, and

was

On

slow.

bluffs,

strong, the progress of the boat

the evening of the 28th, the party reached the

spot which has been described,

by

natural curiosity, though, in fact,

ordinary.

It is

it

all travellers, as

termed, by the voyagers, the

qui trempe dans Veau.

a great

presents nothing extra-

Montagne

we

This, which

understand to be but the translation of the Indian name for it, means " the

mountain that soaks

in the water."

It is a

rocky island

corresponding with the adjoining bluffs, and separated from the

left

bank of the river by a narrow

lated portion of highland appears,

This insu-

sluice.

when

seen from a dis-

tance, to stand in the middle of the stream, and

its

washed by the water; but on approaching towards found to be very near the east bank of the river

;

base it,

is

it is

and

as

well as the party could judge from the opposite bank, along

which they were bank.

Pike

two hundred of

coasting, there

was

at that

time but

lit-

or no water between the " mountain" and the left

tle

it,

five

made

has, in his journal, stated feet

;

in 1817,

hundred

•

feet

;

its

height

at

about

from a trigonometrical admeasurement

Major Long estimates

its

elevation at

although his instruments did' not allow

Major Long's MS. 1817, No.

2, folio 4.

EXPEDITION TO THE

272

him

measurements with the greatest accuracy,

to take his

yet this must be very near the true height; since the elevated as the adjoining bluffs, which are

island

is as

among

the highest that are to be seen above the Wisconsan.

Mr. Schoolcraft has been of

it,

when he

led into error, in his account

represents the island, on which

it

stands, as

being four or five miles in circumference. Mr. Scott, travelled

down

measured

it,

cumference.

when he

it,

the Mississippi a

and found

it

to

week

after

we

who

ascended

be only about a mile

in cir-

Neither can we agree with the same author it " divides the river into two equal

states that

halves, and gives an

immense width

to

the river."* Per-

haps the most remarkable feature about this mountain is that " it is the third island of the Mississippi from the

Gulf of Mexico to

this place that has a

rocky foundation

similar to that of the neighbouring bluffs, and that rises

nearly to the same height as these."t in this river are

are chiefly sandy;

by the stream, and covered with a

The

other islands

merely formed by the alluvion collected

many

of

them are

fine vegetation.

Early on the 29th, the boat reached Wapasha's village ; the gentlemen landed, and were disappointed on being in-

formed that they had failed in seeing Major Long's party by Being anxious to become better acquaintabout an hour. ed with an Indian,

who is held in such

high esteem

among

the powerful and extensive nation of the Dacotas, as

pasha

is,

Wa-

they gave the old chief an invitation to enter in-

which he readily accepted, but declined accompanying them up to Fort St. Anthony, as his band

to their boat,

had heard, that morning, of the approach of their enemies,

•

Narrative Journal of Travels, &c. by H. R. Schoolcraft, p. 335.

j Major Long's MS. No.

2, folio 5.

SOURCE OF

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

name

the Chippewas, on the river of the same sent out

some of

cumbent on him

to

he had

;

and thought

his warriors to scout,

it

remain and watch over his band

was ascending

as our party

273

but

;

which

in the direction in

in-

his

warriors had gone, he said he would proceed with us

The gentlemen were

that far.

by the apparent

interested

calmness with which he spoke of the approach of his enemies.

No

were,

it is

consternation prevailed in the village; the true, all painted, as

them were absent but the ;

the greatest unconcern

old chief

was lying down with

preparations for departure

his

;

men

and a number of

for war,

were, however, soon made, and he accompanied the party in the boat

;

Wapasha spoke

of the arts and agriculture

troduced

and another Indian paddling

his son-in-law

his canoe in the rear.

of the advantages

of his wish to see them

;

in-

he expressed his desire to accept the invitation,

;

given him by the Indian agent, to accompany him to the seat of

government,

as

to see

among white men.

thing was managed jects of

he was anxious

how every

One

of the ob-

which he spoke with the greatest rapture was the

steam-boat, which had ascended the river in the spring,

and which he considered

were

told that

when

wonderful invention.

as a

this boat

had come up, he was taken

on board, and the machine was exhibited

to

him

peared to take great interest in the explanations of

were given

to

him.

sha's village in IS 17,

We

During Major Long's

he ap-

;

which

it,

visit to

Wapa-

he witnessed part of a very interest-

known by the name of the bear dance. " It perform it when a young man is anxious to

ing ceremony is

usual to

bring himself into notice initiation into the state of it

;

and

was performed, there was

flag,

made

Vol..

I.

it is

considered as a sort of

manhood. On the ground, where a pole supporting a kind of

of a fawn's skin dressed with the hair on

35

;

upon

EXPEDITION TO THE

274 the flesh side of

were drawn

it,

certain figures indicative

of the dream which the candidate had enjoyed

who

can go through this ceremony,

To

with dreams. crifice

;

;

none

for

has not been favoured

the flag a pipe was suspended as a sa-

two arrows were stuck up

at the foot of the pole

;

and painted feathers, &c. were strewed upon the ground near

These articles aj^pertained to the religious rites, accompany the ceremony, and which consist in be-

it.

whicii

wailing and self mortifications the Great Spirit

them

may

which

is

that

is

assist

or three hundred yards

an excavation which they

flag there is

bear's hole, and

the object of these

At two

in the undertaking.

from the

;

be induced to pity them and

call

prepared for the occasion

the it is

;

about two feet in depth, and has two ditches, each one foot deep, leading across

it

The

at right angles.

young men,

of the

dressed in their best

The

style.

all

whom, on

of

attire,

this

candi-

by the

date places himself in this hole to be hunted

rest

occasion, are

and painted in their neatest

hunters approach the hole, in the direction

of one of the ditches, and discharge their guns, which

were previously loaded with blank youth,

who

from

his den,

lance

;

cartridges,

at

whereupon he

acts the part of the bear;

the

leaps

having a hoop in each hand, and a wooden

him in charachim from his as-

the hoops serving as forefeet to aid

terizing his part, and his lance to defend sailants.

Thus accoutred, he dances round the

plain, exhi-

biting various feats of activity, while the other Indians

pursue him and endeavour to trap him, as he attempts to return to his den

to efiect

;

which, he

is

permitted to use,

with impunity, any violence that he pleases against his sailants,

even

to taking the life of

of the ceremony

is

may escape from

his

any of them.

as-

This part

performed three times, that the bear

den and return

to

it

again, through

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER's RIVER-

three of the avenues communicating with

hunted from the fourth, or

last

275

On

it.

his escape through all his pursuers, if possible,

the woods, where he

however,

men

is

is

to

being

avenue, the bear must

and

make fly to

remain through the day.

seldom or never accomplished,

as all the

This,

young

exert themselves, to the utmost, in order to trap him.

When caught, he must retire to a lodge prepared in the field for his reception

there he

;

is

to

be secluded from

all so-

ciety during the day, except that of one of his particular

whom

friends,

tendant.

which cred

;

he

is

allowed to take with him, as an

There he smokes and performs various other

ceremony

after this

The

community.

any

is

ended, the youth

part, as an efficient

Indian

who

his escape to the

for preferment,

and

is,

woods,

on the

is

considered

member

of the

has had the good fortune to

catch the bear and overcome him, is

when endeavouring

a further

to

considered a candidate

first

suitable occasion, ap-

pointed a leader of a small war party, in order that he

have

rites

superstition has led the Indian to consider as sa-

as qualified to act

make

at-

may

opportunity of testing his powers, and of

performing some essential service in behalf of his nation. It is

accordingly expected that he will kill some of their

enemies, and return with their scalps."*

Wapasha informed the gentlemen in the boat, that the Chippewa Indians had been very troublesome, frequently descending the river that bears their name, and cutting small parties of the Dacotas that were hunting. also of the advantages of

having a mill built

;

finally, after a

spoke

at the rapids

of Chippewa river, as had been promised to the American government

He

off

them by

few hours' con-

versation, he left the boat, and crossed over in his canoe to the spot

where •

his out-posts

were supposed

Major Long's MS. 1817, No.

2, folio 6.

to be.

The

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

276

party encamped that evening on a sandbar in the Mississippi, opposite to the

mouth of Buffalo

river.

The next

morning, a head wind detained the boat a long while, but afterwards shifted, and the party ascended so rapidly,

it

that early in the afternoon they found themselves within

a few

Lake Pepin;

miles of the lower extremity of

they were very desirous of visiting the fortifications described

by Carver

being on the Mississippi,

as

below Lake Pepin."

Mr. Hart,

thority of a

bank of the ver.

Mr. Schoolcraft a trader, that

upon the au-

they are on the west

river, a circumstance not

We spoke

states,

"some miles

mentioned by Car-

with the oldest traders in the country

with those

who had been

encamping

in that vicinity, but

all

their lifetime in the habit of

met with none who had

ever seen them or heard of them.

Mr.

Rolette, a part-

ner in the American Fur Company, mentioned that he

supposed the most probable place was at a well-known spot on the river, called the " Grand Encampment," situated a few miles south of

who had encamped

Lake Pepin.

This gentleman,

there very frequently, had, however,

never observed any thing like

fortifications.

On drawing

near to the bank at this place, a regular elevation of the

ground, parallel to the water's edge, struck us as an cial

embankment; but on

landing, and inspecting

artifiit,

the

gentlemen of the party unanimously agreed, that there

was here no appearance of ancient works, but that the The next question was, features observed were natural. whether

this

was the place

visited

and described by Car-

ver, and whether he had seen artificial works, or mistaken for

them the

this point there

natural peculiarities of the surface;

was a

difference of opinion. Messrs.

upon

Say and

Scott thought that the description of the locality, given

Carver, was sufficient to identify it

was impossible

it

by

with this spot, and that as

that they should not have observed fortifi-

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER

S

cations covering near a mile of ground,

277

RIVER.

upon a prairie

not more than two and a half miles wide,

it

that is

was probable

that this traveller had mistaken a natural for an artificial

embankment. tificial

Agreeing

in the fact that there

works here, Mr. Keating considered

that the

were no

this as

Grand Encampment was not the spot alluded

by Carver;

ar-

proof to

for although the general description agrees

with that given by the traveller, yet the same might be said of

tion

many

other spots

;

the minuteness of the descrip-

which Carver gives of these remains, precludes,

as

he

thought, the opinion that he had mistaken a natural era^

Although no gentleman of the party would

bankment.

be willing to ascribe to Carver a scrupulous adherence to truth, (personal observation

the

many

the description of these entitled to

the it

having convinced them

more

mounds appeared

credit, because, as it is

which was given by

first

all

of

misrepresentations contained in his work,) yet to

one of them

believed to be

travellers

in

America,

cannot be supposed to have been copied from others;

because the authority of Mr. Hart's testimony seems to

be on that side of the question, as well as that of General

we

who

probably saw the spot mentioned by Carver, as find in his journal this observation: " Stopt at a prairie

Pike,

on the right bank descending, about nine miles below Lake Pepin ; went out

to

view some

hills,

which had the ap-

pearance of the old fortifications spoken

more lar

to

Prairie de la Crosse,t

But the *

of,

but I will speak

them hereafter."* Whether these were simithose which he describes as having seen oh the

fully of

An account

by Major t Idem,

we have

not been able to ascertain.

strongest argument in favour of the existence of

Z.

of Expeditions to the Sources of the Mississippi, &c.

M.

p. 18.

Pike, Phihick-lphia, 1810, p. 98.

278

EXPEDITION TO THE

the fortifications described

by Carver,

many mounds and remains

of the

is

the circumstance

observed by Major

Long and Mr. Colhoun, between Wapasha's village and the St. Peter, many of which were seen near the southern extremity of Lake Pepin. that they

Although

met with any parapets, yet

it

does not appear

as these

were found

near the Wisconsan, in connection with the mounds, there is

may likewise have been erected

reason to believe that they

in this vicinity.

Taking all these

facts into consideration,

Mr.

Keating was led to the conclusion, that Carver had really seen the works which he has described, but that they pro-

bably were not landed

Grand Encampment.*

at the

another place above

at

this,

respond with the description of the

locality,

search here was likewise unsuccessful.

At

afternoon they reached the southern

the

The party

which appeared

to cor-

but their

a late

hour

in

extremity of

Lake Pepin, and proceeded until sunset, when the weather appearing stormy, they encamped upon a sandy point that projects about six

They had therly their

not been there

wind began as

many

to blow,

encamping there

presented

Le

miles above

its

southern extremity.

hours before a high nor-

which proved the propriety of

for the navigation of this lake is re-

;

very dangerous whenever the wind blows fresh.

lac est 'petit,

mais

it est

malin, was the reply of the

interpreter to a question as to the propriety of continuing

our course during the night.

The next morning

the wea-

we resumed our journey through we came within about three miles of its upper extremity, when the wind increased; we were soon satisfied, by our own observation, that ther

was

fair

and calm,

the lake, with great ease, until

"

vide Three years Travels through the Interior parts of North

America,

8

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

317

of the same substance. After removing a black burnt crust as hard as rock, the

copper could be scraped with a knife.

Several reasons, but particularly the want of pecuniary

means, prevented

le

Sueur from following up the disco-

very. This account corresponds in part with that contain-

Ame-

ed in a very interesting manuscript belonging to the rican Philosophical Society, and

which appears

have

to

We

been written with considerable care and accuracy. find it therein stated, that the said " le Sueur arrived the

mouth of the

Mississippi with

M.

at

d' Iberville in Dec.

1699; that he brought over with him thirty workmen. He had been," says the author of the MS. " a famous traveller

from Canada, and was sent by M. L'Huillier, a principal contractor, (fermier general,) under government, in order to form an establishment near the source of the Mississippi.

The

object of this enterprise

was

to obtain

from that

place,

an ore of green earth which that gentleman had discovered

;

the following was the origin of this undertaking, in

1695.

M.

le

Sueur, by order of the Count de Frontenac

Governor General of Canada, caused

a fort to

be erected

on an island on the Mississippi, upvvards of two hundred miles above the Illinois lations

;

keep up peaceful

in order to

re-

between the Sioux and Chippewa nations, which

reside on the shores of a lake upwards of five hundred

leagues in circumference, which lake lies one hundred leagues east of the river; the Sioux reside upon the upper Mississippi. In the

same year, according

to his orders,

descended to Montreal with a chief of the Chippewa, Chingouabe, and a Sioux, called Tioscat^, first

of his nation that ever

was in Canada

expected to draw from his country in trade, the liere,

many

;

who was and

he

named

as

the

they

articles valuable

Count de Frontenac, the Chevalier de

la Cail-

and de Champigny, received him very amicably.

EXPEDITION TO THE

318

Two

days after their arrival, they presented to the Count

de Frontenac,

many arrows

as

and they informed him that

all

a public assembly, as

in

there were Sioux

villages,

those villages entreated children, as he had

him

done

to

them among

to

receive

all

the other nations which

his

they named one after the other; which favour was granted to them. M. le Sueur was to have reascended the " Mississipi" as early as 1696, with that Sioux chief

who had

only

come down upon an express promise that he should be taken back

to his country

and died

;

but the latter

fell

sick in Montreal,

days disease.

after thirty-three

M.

le

Sueur,

finding himself thus released from his pledge to return into the Sioux country, lead, copper,

where he had discovered mines of

and earth, both blue and green, resolved upon

going over to France, and asking leave of the court to open those mines; a permission to this effect was granted to

him

in 1697.

About the

year, he embarked

at la

latter

end of June in the same

Rochelle for Canada

by

crossing Newfoundland banks he "was captured

and by them taken

tish fleet of sixteen ships,

mouth

;

a Bri-

to Ports-

but peace having been soon after concluded, he

returned to Paris to obtain a

thrown

he was

as

:

new commission,

his overboard, lest the

quainted with his scheme.

new commission went over

to

to Canada,

where he met to return to

interval of time, part of the

he had

English should become ac-

The French

court directed a

be issued to him in 1698.

which compelled him

as

He

then

with various obstacles

Europe.

During

men whom he had

this

left in

charge of the forts which he had erected in 1695, being

without intelligence from him, abandoned them, and proceeded • "

down

to

Montreal."*

Journal historlque concernant I'etablissement des Francais a

Louisianue, tir6 des menaoires de Messrs. d'lberville

& de

Vi

Bienville

"

•SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river.

Thus

it

319

appears from this manuscript, that le Sueur's

made

discoveries of blue earth were

in 1695, but that all

further operations were interrupted until

we

1700;

find

in the same manuscript, under the date of the 10th of Fe-

bruary, 1702, that le Sueur arrived at the

mouth of the

Mississippi that day with two thousand cwt. (quintaux,)

An

of blue and green earth.

voyage

his

is

from

extract

a narrrative

then given from the time that he

left

of the

Island of Tamarois, (12th July,) unto the 13th December,

From

1700. as

the

it is

river

is

which

this extract,

first

account

mentioned,

we

we

fraught with interest,

is

can find, in which

St.

Peter's

gather that he reached the

mouth mouth

of the Missouri on the 13th of July, 1700, and the

of the Wisconsan on the

of September ; and that, on

first

the 14th, he passed Chippewa river, on one of the branches of which, he had, during his

first

visit to the

He

found a piece of copper weighing sixty pounds. commandans pour

le

Roi au

cherches de M. Benard de la

Baye

St.

dit pays,

la

Harpe,

et

Bernard par M. Benard de ;

siir

nomme la

country,

next

decouvertes et re-

les

au command ement de

Harpe," MS.

This

is

stated

to be a copy of the original, which was, in the year 1805, In the possession of Dr. Sibley, as appears from a note,

annexed to

it,

certifying

be a true copy, and dated Natchitoches, October 29th, 1805. From the manuscript it appears that M. de la Harpe was on the lower it

to

and that he

Mississippi, in the early part of the 18th century,

ment to

He

conti-

commencement of the year 1723. His appointthe command of St. Bernard's Bay, was made in the year 1721.

nued there

until the

appears to have proceeded to

it

at that

time

;

but owing to the

weakness of his garrison, he found himself unable to continue his post there. His journal throws considerable light upon the history of the discoveries of the French on the lower Mississippi, and

a

memoir upon the importance

is

closed with

of the colony of Louisiana, and

the situation of that colony in 1724

;

upon the best passage to the Western Ocean, and upon the the Indians of Aniericai

upon

together with some observations origin of

EXPEDITION TO THE

320

Lake Pepin, which

entered

is

by

designated

that

name

the manuscript, although Hennepin had, in 1680, called

in it

the Lake of Tears, and notwithstanding the appellation of Lac de Bon Secours, which Charlevoix applies to it. On the 16th he passed the St. Croix, so called from the name

of a Frenchman,

who was wrecked

on the 19th of September, he

left

at its

mouth.

Finally,

the Mississippi, and en-

tered the St. Peter's river, which comes in from the west

By

bank.

the

first

of October, he had ascended this river

forty -four and a quarter leagues, river, the

found on

name its

of which

At

banks.

is

He met

that this river had

the Blue

derived from the blue earth

mouth of this

the

an establishment, situated, as

44° 13' north.

when he entered

la

Harpe

made

river he

states, in

latitude

with nine Sioux, who informed him

its

course through the lands of the

Sioux of the west, the Jiyavois, (lawas,) and the Otoetata,

who

We infer that these were the same

lived further back.

streams which he had ascended in 1695, from the circumstance that they are mentioned as well

recently discovered

;

known, and not

as

and more especially from the obser-

vation of la Harpe, that the eastern Sioux having complain-

ed of the situation of the

wished to see sissippi,

"

He

M.

le

at the

fort,

which they would have

confluence of the St. Peter and Mis-

Sueur endeavoured

had foreseen," says

la

to reconcile

on the Blue river would not be agreeable Sioux,

who

are the rulers of

the other nations which

were the

first

with

all

we have

whom

them

to

it.

Harpe, " that an establishment to the eastern

the other Sioux, and of

mentioned, because they

the French traded, and

whom

they provided with guns; nevertheless, as this undertaking had not been

commenced with the sole view of trading become thoroughly acquainted of the various mines which he had pre^

for beavers, but in order to

with the quality

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

321

viously discovered there, he replied to the natives that he

was sorry

made sooner acquainted

that he had not been

with their wishes, &c. but that the advanced

No

mention

made, in

is

state of the

mouth of the river."

season prevented his returning to the

this narrative, of the

stream being

obstructed with ice, a circumstance, which, had

we

occurred, would,

who

Harpe,

appears to have been a

On

the 26th,

canoes,

le

really

it

by de

la

and a curious

Sueur's original

the 14th of October the works were com-

pleted and were

On

cai-eful

who undoubtedly saw

observer, and narrative.

think, have been recorded

named Fort

M.

L'Huillier.

Sueur went

le

mine with three

to the

which he loaded with green and blue earth

it

;

was

taken from mountains near which are very abundant mines

made

of copper, of which an assay was

This

L'Huillier in the year 1696. fact of

any

journal.

le

la

Harpe observes, " la

by M.

in Paris

the last historical

interest contained in the extract

M. de

de Monsieur to

is

from

suite des

Sueur's

le

memoires

Sueur n'a point paru," which would seem

imply that the former part had been published ; yet

find

no notice taken of

the catalogues of

had

access. It

is

this traveller's

works on America,

memoirs to

in

which we have

not mentioned in the " Bibliothecae

ricanse Primordia," published

for the propagation of the

by

a

we

any of

member

Ame-

of the Society

Gospel in foreign

parts,

Lon-

don, 1713; nor in the " Bibliotheca Americana, or Chronological Catalogue of curious script

London, 1789; nor

Books on America,

we

Books

in print or

manu-

on the subject of North and South America," in in the

"Catalogue of Mr. Warden's

Paris, 1820,"

are induced to doubt whether

from which circumstance it

was ever made

public.

We even find no account of de la Harpe's manuscript, whence we

suppose that

Vol.

I.

it

has not yet been brought into notice.

41

EXPEDITION TO THE

322

The maps

river St. Peter

of Louisiana

is

found traced on some of the old

for instance,

;

on that which accompa-

nies the Rectieil de Voyages, published in

1720, upon which Fort L'Huillier

map

mine

a coal

is

Amsterdam

marked.

Upon

in

this

also designated, as existing about ten

is

leagues up tbe St. Peter.

If this

must have resulted from mistaking

be not purely

ideal, it

lignite for that mineral,

as this is not a coal country.

Coxe, whose general accuracy ble praise, and

who

collect information

in Louisiana, has, ter's river,

the

the

he seems

was twenty years St.

Peter

to considera-

a strange oversight, left out St.

Pe-

and introduced on his map, the Riviere Longue,

much

This

confidence.

is

as the Carolana, published in 1741,

Amsterdam

later than the

mentioned

is

the fables of Lahontan,

all

to place

more remarkable,

I'oix in his

him

on the subject of the discoveries made

by

Lake of Thoyago, and

whom

in

entitles

appears to have taken great pains to

in an incidental

Recueil.

The

manner by Charle-

Journal Historique, but he attempts no descrip-

tion of it*

We

name; we can

have sought

find

in vain for the origin of the

no notice of

sent not unlikely, that the

it; it

appears to us at pre-

name may have been given by M. St. Pierre de Repan-

Sueur, in 1795, in honour of

le

tigni, to

Canada panied

whom

Lahontan incidentally

in the year 1789.t le

alludes, as being in

may have accomhas been, we know

This person

Sueur on his expedition.

It

not upon what authority, suggested that the French of this river,

St.

Pierre,

pierres, (without stones,) said to

because no stones occur along distance from

•

its

mouth.

name

was a corruption of the term Sans

It is

its

have been given to

it,

banks for a considerable

very strange, that notwith-

Ut supra, pages 110, 295, and 296.

f Laliontan, vol.

I.

p. 136.

SOURCE OP ST Peter's river.

323

>tanding the great importance which seems to have been

France

attached in

to

le

Sueur's

discoveries,

so

little

should have been said by other authors, concerning

this

explorer and the regions which he discovered.

Carver

the only traveller

is

who

states that

merely from motives of curiosity

river,

;

he visited this

but a close perusal

of his book, has satisfied us that he professes too much. asserts that he "

He

proceeded upon the river about two hun-

dred miles, to the country of the Naudowessies of the plains,

which

lies a little

above the forks formed by the Verd and

Red Marble rivers." He states that he among the Naudowessies, and that he guage perfectly.

resided five months

acquired their lan-

We are inclined to doubt this

;

we

believe

that he ascended the Mississippi to the Falls of St.

thony, that he saw the

perhaps have entered

it

is

applied to

An-

may even

but had he resided five months their lan-

not probable that he would have uniformly

them the term of Naudowessies, and omitted

them the Dacota

calling

;

Peter, and that he

become acquainted with

in the country, and

guage,

it

St.

It is probable that

Indians, as they style themselves.

Carver derived his name from the source

from which the other

travellers received that of

Nadiou-

sioux, from which Sioux has been derived by abbrevia-

This

tion.

is

the term given to strangers

the North American Indians, (the Iroquois, as

and with them term Dacota, fies

is

synonymous with

by which the Sioux

in their language the

whole nation

that of call

united or

St.

we

believe,)

The

enemy.

themselves, signiallied, because the

consists of several allied tribes.

count of the river

by some of

In his ac-

Peter, Carver attributes to

it

a

breadth of nearly one hundred yards for two hundred miles, whereas at the distance of one hundred and thirty

miles

it

was but seventy yards wide, and was found

to be

EXPEDITION TO THE

324

rapidly diminishing in size. great depth," which its

He

also

ascribes to

"a

it

not the case at any distance above

is

mouth.

We

saw no branch of the

river

coming

in

from the

north but a few small tributaries not entitled to notice. Carver's river, which had been inserted on most of the

maps made

since the publication of his book, has therefore

been omitted on that which accompanies scarcely possible that

two hundred

if

miles, he

this

work.

Carver had ascended the

St.

It is

Peter

would have reported without con-

tradicting them, the exaggerated accounts of the great ex-

tent of this river, or attributed to (Rock)'",)

Mountains

of which

may

it

a rise near the Shining,

but besides these inaccuracies,

;

some

perhaps be partly accounted for by his hav-

ing seen the river

at a

time

and when a mere brook

when

it

may have

was unusually high,

much

been so

swollen

we many

as to be mistaken for a small branch of the river, yet

cannot place any confidence in him on account of the misrepresentations contained in his work.

Almost

he

is

relates as peculiar to the

Naudowessies,

all

found

ply to the Sauks, or some other nation of Algonquin gin.

Thus on reading

that

to apori-

to Renville, Dickson, (the son of

the late Colonel Dickson,) and to several other of the half-

Indian interpreters

whom we

saw on the

St.

Peter, that

part of chapter 12th of his work, in which he relates that

" the Naudowessies have a singular method of celebrating their marriages which seems to bear no resemblance to those

made use

through," these

of

men

by any other nations all

exclaimed that

that such a practice had never prevailed

Dacotas, though they believed

of the Algonquin tribes.

The

it

that he passed

it

was fabulous,

among any

to be in use

of the

with some

practice of having a totem

or family distinction, exists, as

we have

already stated,

SOURCE OP

among the to

whom

ST.

Sauks, &c. but

it is

attributed

Peter's river.

825

unknown

to the Sioux,

it is

by

quite

this writer.

It is,

clearly proved at present, that the land

by virtue of to

believe,

from the Indians, was never conveyed

a grant

him by them.

we

which he claimed

Attempts were made in 1817, by two

of his grandsons, to have the claim recognized by some of

now

the Indians

same time

An

that

living ; they ascended the river at the

Major Long

did, but

were not

successful.

instrument purporting to be the original treaty was

af-

terwards sent to Canada, and placed in Renville's hands by those to

who had

show

deavour

it

an interest in the claim

and explain

its

who had

us,

he could

he was requested

nature to the Indians, and to en-

to obtain a confirmation of

he informed

;

find

it

from them

;

but, as

no individual among them,

the least recollection or tradition of this convey-

ance, or even of the

names which

been affixed to the deed

;

are purported to

have

the Indians have no hesitation

were among them any Dacota

in asserting that there never chiefs of the name.

When

was read

and the oLher men, they denied the

truth of

to Renville

its

chapter 5th of Carver's

contents ; but immediately recollected the de-

signs of a snake and a tortoise, treaty,

work

no doubt

to

make

it

which were

affixed to the

with the account of their

tally

family distinctions contained in that chapter of his travels.

His vocabulary appears certainly the Dacota language

;

it

to

have been taken from

may have been

obtained from the

Indians along the banks of the Mississippi, but was

more

probably copied from some former traveller, for a refer-

ence to old works will prove that Carver derived his information from them, though no credit their authors for

it.

A

that he

was

much

of

given to

comparison of his account of the

manners of the Indians with

shows

is

that given

by Lahontan,

familiar with that author.

His

state-

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

326

merit of the division of the year

moons, with the addition

what they term the

by the Indians

at the

end of the

moon, &c.

lost

is

into twelve

of

thirtieth,

extracted, and in

places copied almost verbatim, from Lahontan's

some

his account of the qualifications of

drawn from the same author

;

men

is

undoubtedly

and a comparison of chapter

12th of Carver's Description of the Indians, with Lahontan's

"Account of

the amours and marriages of the Sa-

vages," will show too close a coincidence to consider

merely the

accidental.

work

Yet no reference

We

of his predecessor.

observations upon the

work

is

it

as

made by Carver

to

have introduced these

of Carver, because as he

was

the only traveller that published an account of the Peter, he has been frequently quoted as an authority.

might have enlarged the

which

have said enough

show

lied

upon

to

of errors, whether wilful or

list

unintentional, into

St.

We we

this author has fallen, but

that his statements cannot be re-

as correct.

Major Long's party ascended the river five and a half miles, and stopped for a few moments at a village called ^Oainoska.,

(which

signifies the great

avenue or

stretch,) situ-

ated on the right bank ; they then proceeded about one mile

higher up, where they lay by in a deserted cabin on the bank. secure

The it

left

cabin having been carefully closed in order to

against injury from wild animals

the skins which hung

comfortable in

it.

at

the door, and

While

they took down made themselves ;

supper, they received a visit

at

from an old squaw, who came from the village below, see what they were doing.

them, was her's, but she had removed

observed a

fire

as the

down

to

The lodge, as she informed men had all gone out hunting,

to live

with her daughter. Having

near her cabin she was apprehensive that

some injury would be done

to

it

;

they however

satisfied

;

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

her that their intentions were friendly

;

327,

and Renville

in-

formed the gentlemen that no offence could be taken their intrusion in the house, as they official

capacity, but that

if

were travelling

at

in an

other Indians, or voyagers that

were not known, had taken been held highly improper.

that liberty,

it

would have

There was something

fying and yet melancholy in the recollection that

grati-

we had

thus for awhile bid adieu to civilization, and that before us

we had none but a wide and men resided except such

untravelled land, where no

white

had forsworn their coun-

as

try and the friends of their youth

;

who

either out of aver-

sion from society or for the sake of lucre had

from

its

social circle, to dwell in the

vilized tenants of the forest. It reflections,

this

by the

unexpected

light of a

withdrawn

midst of the unci-

was while indulging

in these

few embers, that we received

Her

from the owner of the lodge.

visit

wrinkled brow, her decrepid mien, her slovenly appearance,

gave her a somewhat terrifying aspect, certain light that played shrill

this

ed

by the un-

as seen

upon her haggard

features

;

her

voice contributed also to heighten the awfulness of

untimely visitor

;

to us the object of

her companions, these were as

;

her

handsome and

their

we had

visit,

who were two

males can probably be sixteen

but our interpreter having explain-

;

as

leisure to observe

of her grand-daughters

good looking

as

they were young, about

complexion was so light that

Indian

we

scarcely credit the assertion of our guide that they full-blooded Indians; their features

fe-

fifteen or

could

were

were regular; the large

dark eye which distinguished the elder would have been

deemed

beautiful

any where

good, were perhaps

taller

found among Indian women. their charms,

;

their forms,

than those which

which were

we

usually

But what added most

to

was the gay, good-humoured appearance

EXPEDITION TO TH£

328

which brightened their eye and animated their features. While the old hag was muttering her discontent, they were smiling, and

extended her bony hand to

as she

re-

ceive the present offered her, the damsels burst out into

laughter which displayed servations

upon our party seemed

we

gratification as

to afford

it

After a

visit of

we

for conversation until

This

visit offered us

retired to enjoy,

food

what had been

two months the object of our anxious

tions, a night's rest

about

withdrew, leaving us to the undis-

all

turbed occupancy of the lodge.

We

much

as

occasioned them was display-

ed in the most unreserved manner. half an hour they

Peter.

them

derived from the examination of theirs,

and the merriment which

for the last

'9.

a beautiful set of teeth. Their ob-

anticipa-

upon the secluded banks of the

St.

day met Major Taliaferro going doAvn

this

In order to afford us an opportunity

the river in a canoe.

of studying the manners of the Indians in council, he had

kindly undertaken to ascend to the village of the Sisiton

band of the Sioux, for the purpose of holding

a council

with them in our presence, and with this view had fort that

morning

they had

all

;

left

the

but being informed on the river thai

dispersed on their

summer

hunts, he return-

ed the same evening.*

The next day we travelled

about thirty-five miles; at six

we passed the small village men were absent on their hunts.

miles from the night's camp, of Tetankatane

*

Swarms of an

;

all

the

insect of the Linnean genus

ed by the party, along the banks of the

Ephemera, were observ-

river.

by Mr. Say under the name of Baetis bihncata, mology.)

The

surface of the river was in

It

has been described

S.

(Appendix

many

I.

Ento-

places absolutely co-

vered with the remains of these insects, who, having gone through their short-lived existence, fell

stream.

upon the water and were

carried dov-'n tbe

SOURCE OP

We proceeded

Peter's river.

ST.

river, and, at a distance of about

up the

Mr. Say was spoken

twenty miles,

were sent through him

tions

Major Long,

329

at a village

tO

on shore.

Instruc-

to the land party, to

two miles higher,

meet

in order to take

advantage of the canoes, for the transportation of the bag-

gage across the river, as the right bank becomes here better for travelling than the

The

left.

village about twelve o'clock,

reached this

flotilla

and waited

five hours,

during

which the land party did not join them; men were sent out in various directions and guns fired, but no answer be-

ing returned,

up the

a small wood, lage at called

we concluded

We

river.

that they had proceeded higher

re-embarked and ascended ten miles

where we encamped

which we had expected

Tao^pa

;

it

to

The ground

scaffolds

maize, &c.

;

near

it

were observed

annexed

is

consists of fifteen large bark lodges, in

good order; they were arranged along the

fine corn-fields

to

vil-

meet the other party,

is

Some

river.

them were large enough to hold from thirty sons, accommodated as the Indians usually lodges.

The

for the night.

are in their

neatly laid out, and

in the vicinity.

to the houses, for the

of

to fifty per-

some

There were

purpose of drying

upon these we were told that the Indians sleep

during very hot nights.

The with

river banks had thus far been low, and covered

a fine rich vegetation

;

the trees attained a large size

near the river, but they were not found far into the interior of the country. Near Fort

St.

Anthony there

is

of bottom, exposed to occasional inundations. of

bluffs,

a fine piece

The

line

which borders upon the Mississippi, does not ex-

tend far from that stream, but gradually sinks in height, until soil

it

finally disappears near the village of

along the river

about thirty miles, the

Vol. L

Oanoska.

The

of the best quality. After ascending

is

bluffs reappear,

42

and

rise to

an ave-

EXPEDITION TO THE

330

rage height of seventy-five feet on the

left

bank.

In the

bottoms, the elm forms the principal growth of the counIn the rear of the village of Taoapa, a

and thrives.

try,

swamp grows

extends, and divides

in

some places

it

from the

The

bluffs.

to the height of six feet, as

grass

was prin-

by some of the party the place where Mr. Say

cipally observed, east of the village,

who undertook

to

had been spoken

walk down

We

to.

to

saw about the

of any kind, but, on the right bank, Major

number of fragments

village

no stones

Long observed

of primitive rock, and also

a

some secon-

dary limestone, which appeared to him to be in situ. There

were some

scaffolds

upon which several corpses were

rais-

In the midst of the corn-fields a dog was found sus-

ed.

pended, his head decorated with feathers, and with horsehair stained red

;

was probably

it

a sacrifice for the protec-

tion of the corn-fields, dui'ing the absence of the Indians.

On

Long observed numerous

the right bank Major

tumuli or size.

mounds, some of which were of

artificial

They

ancient a large

occupy a considerable extent of the prairie

upon which they

are situated.

In one part, they formed a

line of about half a mile, in a direction parallel to the river,

from which they were distant about three hundred yards.

The mounds were fifteen

erected at a distance of from twelve to

when observed from one end

yards asunder, and

of

the line, presented the appearance of a ridge or parapet.

Proceeding early the next morning, the land party was found encamped six miles above the village, on a fine piece of rising ground, which the voyagers have called the Little Prairie.

They had

not been able to reach the village

from the inexperience of their guide, in the rear of the

widen much broad;

its

swamp.

at places;

current,

it

The

who had kept them

river

was observed

to

was here about seventy yards

which had always been inconsiderable.

SOURCE OF

compared with

The

vanced. ter,

ST.

at their

its

is,

Our

that the great

rolls

we

mouth.

This

is

down, backs up the waters

pond

no doubt the cause of the lake

Croix, &c.

St.

the land party in crossing the river,

flotilla assisted

which we again separated

cended a few miles, came

;

and the boat, having

to rapids

The water

of about four feet within twenty yards.

we

time

we

found

fall

in the

ascended, was of an average height,

remarkable neither for this stage

as-

formed by two bars of

sandstone, which extend across the river, producing a

river, at the

ad-

volume of wa-

tributary streams, and produces a real

formed by the

after

331

that of the Mississippi, increased as

cause of this

which the Mississippi

of most of

PETER'S RIVER.

its

abundance nor scarcity

at the falls just

and

;

water enough to

at

float

our boats and canoes, with the baggage and stores in them, the crew and passengers walking alongside and dragging

them up the rapid.

A shoal below, had likewise required that Another rapid about half

our canoes should be lightened.

a mile above, proved more

diflicult to

a sufficient depth of water,

we ascended

canoes

;

one of the

latter

row, and in which there

would be

lost

;

is

safe.

At

is

nar-

fears

were entertained

that

but with considerable labour, and after

aggregate

a short distance

this

boat and

a rapid current; the canoe drift-

about half an hour's detention,

The

in the

missed the channel, which

ed down against the rock, and it

There being

pass.

fall

above

it

was

at

last

of the two rapids this

we

brought up

is

seven

feet.

stopped for an hour j

gave us an opportunity of observing the nature of the

country.

The stream

is

there incased

by

a vertical bank,

about ten or twelve feet high, the base of which

is

washed

by the river. Ascending this bank we find a level Valley, which is about a quarter of a mile wide this is limited by ;

a steep and rugged bank, of about twenty feet in height.

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

332

Having ascended

this

bank, a beautiful prairie, apparently

The

very extensive, displayed itself to our view.

steep

bank, which exposes the disposition of the rock, shows

it

to be a sandstone formation, in a horizontal stratification,

and of a

fine crystalline grain

white to yellow found

lar to that

Fort

at

the colour varying from

;

this sandstone

;

is,

in

every respect, simi-

Anthony. Six miles above the

St.

rapids, there is a small Indian settlement, called It

W6aka6t^.

was deserted, but consisted of two lodges and the ruins

were two

of a third, near which there scaffolds,

which

were deposited

Some

noe.

for a scalp

;

hair

from eight

are in a

On

scaffolds.

these

to ten feet high, corpses

box made from part of a broken

was suspended, which we

at first

ca-

mistook

but our guide informed us that these were locks

of hair torn from their heads by the relations, to testify their In the centre, between the four posts which support-

grief.

ed the

scaffold, a stake

about six feet high, five of

to

which had

was planted

rest,

amounting

and were intended for male headless,

ground ;

it

a design of a petticoat, indicating

be females, the

were

in the

was

and bore an imitation of human figures

to seven,

figures.

Of the

showing that they had been

them

were naked^ latter,

slain

;

four

the three

other male figures were unmutilated, but held a

staff in

their hand, which, as our guide informed us, designated

The

which

that they

were

paniment

to the scaffold that supports a warrior's remains,

slaves.

post,

is

an usual accom-

does not represent the achievements of the deceased, but those of the warriors that assembled near his remains,

danced the dance of the post, and related their martial exploits.

A

number of small bones of animals were observed which were probably left there after a feast

in the vicinity,

The boxes in which that a man could not

celebrated in honour of the dead.

corpses were placed are so short

the lie

;

SOURCE OF in

them extended

ST.

country where

at full length, but in a

boxes and boards are scarce,

333

PETER's RIVER.

this is overlooked.

After the

corpses have remained a certain time exposed, they are

taken

down and

us, that

interred.

Our

guide, Renville, related to

he had been a witness to an interesting, though

An

painful circumstance, that occurred here.

Indian

who

resided on the Mississippi, hearing that his son had died at this spot,

came up

in a canoe, to take charge of the re-

mains, and convey them but,

on his

arrival,

down the river to his place of abode

he found that the corpse had already

made such progress towards decomposition, impossible for

it

to be

removed.

He

a few friends, to clean off the bones;

scraped off

as

rendered

it

then undertook, with all

the

flesh

was

and thrown into the stream; the bones were

carefully collected into his canoe, and subsequently carried

down to his residence. The two parties having exchanged a few words at this place, continued their journey. The boats proceeded but three miles beyond this to an encamping ground. The navigation had been an easy one except at the rapids.

few

places,

In a

however, snags were seen, which partly im-

peded the main channel.

more numerous,

as

were

The next day they were found also the sandbars,

which some-

times rendered the navigation of the river troublesome.

The

skiff,

which had been obtained

the gentlemen's use, as

more

for

Major Long and

pleasant than a canoe,

was

found very inconvenient, being leaky and slow of motion, so that the party gladly

changing her for a

we met

fine

embraced the opportunity of ex-

canoe belonging to a trader

returning to Fort St. Anthony.

The

forests,

whom which

had principally consisted of cotton-wood, birch, &c. were observed to become more luxuriant, and to be replaced by a heavy growth of oak and elm.

The

soil

appeared ex-

EXPEDITION TO TIUE

334 cellent

and deep, the roots extending sometimes three

under ground.

The

feet

sandbars and small islands are cover-

A

ed with groves of willow.

few

hills,

composed

princi-

pally of loose sand, w^ere observed during the journey of the 12th

;

one of which, distant about half a mile

east

from

the encampment, was estimated at about one hundred and fifty feet in height.

The

camp on

latitude of the

the even-

ing of the 12th of July was observed to be 44° 33' 59" N.

which shows

that the general direction of the river thus

We

far is south of west.

forest the next

reached the extremity of the

morning, and found on the prairie a small

party of Indians encamped. cipal of these

Weakaote.

told that the prin-

it is

to

remove from

called

is

their old residence to

considered unhealthy

deemed very healthy, and

name

vourable

fevers.

Prairie land river, the

number of

is

said to be free

it is

a

few

all in

and

chills

was supposed

health fits

of

that he

from the Mississippi. to

islands increased,

tedious.

Peter

At one

border upon the

and the navigation

of the landing places,

observed a block of granite of about eighty pounds

weight; in

it

It

was again observed

became extremely

we

who had

which were soon checked.

had brought the seeds of

St.

Our party continued

except one of the soldiers, fever,

by

in despite of the unfa-

applied to the sandbar,

from intermittent

;

Fever Sandbar.

Notwithstanding these circumstances, the generally

at

has thirty or forty warriors under his com-

this spot, as the other place

men

were

was the old chief who formerly resided

He

mand, who intend white

We

it

was painted red and covered with

which were placed

fice.

a grass

twists of tobacco offered

Feathers were stuck in the ground

all

up

fillet,

in sacri-

round the

stone.

In the afternoon, one of the canoes was unfortunately

SOURCE OP the

;

difficulty,

the articles lost, the most important

tobacco,

335

Peter's river.

men who were in it regained the shore with but much of the cargo was lost or damaged.

upset

some

Among

ST.

which was intended

was a keg of

for presents to the Indians,

and a considerable part of our ammunition, which, getting

much damuch as lay in our accident, when we observed

wet, became either totally unfit for use, or very

We

maged.

had scarcely repaired,

power, the bad

effects of this

as

the heavens overcast with dark clouds portending an ap-

We

proaching storm.

immediately landed with a view to

and our persons against the

shelter our stores

rain.

About

seven in the evening, the storm broke out with more vio-

The

lence than usually happens in our climates. tions

The

which we had taken proved of but stores,

or no avail.

little

which had been carefully packed up

and covered up

much damaged by

Among them was had been pitched

as our

as well

in a

canoe

means permitted, were

the water which half

our biscuit,

precau-

the canoe.

filled

coffee, sugar, &c.

The

tent

with respect to

in as favourable a spot,

the trees, as the ground would admit of, but not sufficiently so to render

it

either safe or comfortable. Several trees,

in the vicinity of the tent,

the

wind blew with such

were struck with lightning, and

force that the crash of falling tim-

The

ber was frequently heard during the night. tinued to

pour down with

when we were

rain con-

great abundance until morning,

pleased to observe the sun rise

fair,

ford us a chance of drying our baggage and stores. spot being inconvenient for the purpose,

;

we remained

there several hours

af-

That

we proceeded

few miles higher up, to an old wintering traders

and

;

a

camp of the

our canoes be-

ing occupied in transporting the baggage of the land party to the

left

horses.

bank of the

river.

During our stay

The

St.

at this

Peter place

is

here fordable for

Major Long found

EXPEDITION TO THE

336

combined

that the

within the

last

effects of the

two

calamities, experienced

twenty-four hours, had required a change in

The navigation of the river had we had advanced but about one hun-

our mode of travelling.

been very slow, since

dred and thirty miles in six days

come

;

and

more tedious on account of

still

it

Our provisions were not

lowness of the water.

to support so large a party

;

from the time that the party

Our guide

ducks.

nued

to

ascend the

Peter in canoes,

precious time, arrive on left it,

and

find

it,

left

Red River

desti-

The only game the fort were two

further informed us, that

St.

sufficient

and the country being

tute of animals, afforded us no supply.

killed

threatened to be-

the increasing shal-

we

we

if

should lose

conti-

much

after the buffalo

had

probably, impossible to reach the head

Lake Superior before the winter season had commenced in which case we should be compelled to winter somewhere west of the lakes. As this comported neither of

;

with Major Long's wishes, nor with the instructions which

he had received from the

War Department, it induced him

to relinquish the plan of ascending in canoes, and to send

back nine

soldiers, retaining but

twelve

men

as a guard,

which

in the present dispersed state of the Indians pro-

mised

sufficient protection.

By

proceeding

all in

one party

on land, much time would necessarily be saved, and the bends of

tlie

river need not be followed

Although

this

plan did not afford us as good a prospect of becoming ac-

quainted with the nature of the country as the

had

mode we

heretofore followed, yet in the present state of our af-

fairs it

was judged

ed with pi'udence

;

to

be the only one that could be adopt-

and

as this modification in

our manner

of travelling required a corresponding change in the ar-

rangement of our baggage, we proceeded a few miles higher up, to a fine prairie, where

we found good

pasture

SOURCE for eur

ST.

05"

The spot, upon which we encamped, name of the Crescent, from a beautiful

horses.

has received the

bend which the river makes ties

337

PETER's RIVER.

The two

at this place.

par-

having united here, a day was spent in drying the

baggage, and separating the damaged provisions from those that

were

still fit

The

for use.

acetous fermentation hav-

ing commenced in our biscuit, such parts of

it

as

were not

much injured were roasted over the fire. As this was the highest spot on the St. Peter which we

too

reached in canoes,

it

may

be well to recapitulate the ge-

neral characters of this stream, as its

mouth

thirty miles

The

we

to the Crescent, a distance of

observed

it

from

one hundred and

by water.

breadth of the river varies from sixty to eightjr

yards, but averages about seventy

depth

its

;

is

such that

cannot be forded for about forty -five miles from

At Fort

its

it

mouth.

Anthony the St. Peter is said to be about sixThe depth diminished rapidly as we proceeded up the river, and in some places our canoes had barely water enough to float them yet the river was not St.

teen feet deep.

;

In times of floods

considered very low at that season.

it

much higher, without inconvenience, by The current, which is almost imperceptible

can be ascended loaded canoes. at

Fort

rapid

;

St.

Anthony,

increases, and in

during the three

last

days

about one mile and a half an hour. chiefly sand, arising

in

which

it is

twelve or

was found

The bed

excavated.

to average

On

is

eighty feet;

it

we saw

a bluff

consists of white

called the white rock;

limestone

is

however, found

in the country in various places.

43

to about

chiefly, if not altogether,

the last day,

sandstone, and

I.

quite

of the river

The banks usually rise

and are

fifteen feet,

rises to sixty or

VoL.

is

from the destruction of the sandstone

composed of sandstone. that

it

some places

The

is,

gra-

EXPEDITION TO THi:

338 nitic boulders,

which appear

to be quite deficient in the

lower part of the river, are found tolerably abundant

after

some cases they assume a one of them was of an elliptical form; it

passing the village of Taoapa. In

very large

size;

was twelve yards

in periphery,

and

five

high

feet

;

it

evidently out of place, and forms a conspicuous object in

The

prairie.

designs

made upon

it

by the Indians, consisting

of thick lines divided by intermediate dots, prove that

was with them an

is

tlie

object of veneration.

There

it

are likewise

amphibolic boulders scattered over the country.

The bed

of the river presents but few islands below the rapids, but

above these islands,

it

checkered with numerous small sandy

is

which change the direction of the channel, and

The

contribute to the rapidity of the current.

largest

of these islands does not exceed three hundred yards in length, and thirty in breadth.

much

dering one

;

ed for

minutes

five

so

The

so, that the

at a

river

is

a

very mean-

canoes were seldom steer-

The

time in the same direction.

courses of the river varied from south-west to north-east,

and

in

Camp

some

cases

The

even were south-east.

situation of

Crescent was estimated, by Mr. Colhoun, from ob-

servations taken under unfavourable circumstances, to be

about latitude 44° 21' 27" north, longitude 94° 15' west; so that, during our progress up the St. Peter, we had made but 65' of westing, and 32' 22" of southing. The river re-

ceives in this extent no tributary of any importance

;

a

few

small rivulets, not exceeding ten or twelve in number, enter it

occasionally from the right or left bank.

which deserve any mention

are.

Those only

Elk, which enters from

the right bank, about twenty miles above the fort ; and the small rivulet which comes in from the forty miles above the fort, and as Carver's river

;

which

is

left

bank about

probably the same

at abovt twenty-five miles

below the

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

339

Crescent, a shallow stream six yards wide enters from the left

bank.

by the party in the canoes, we have included those made upon the nature of the river, &c. by the land party, and it may In our description of the observations recorded

suffice to

mention that the

which they experi-

difficulties

enced were very great, owing

to the nature of the

country

At times it was so marshy, that much danger to themselves

over which they travelled.

they could not proceed without

one or two instances, the ground

and their horses and

in

was

were obliged

;

so soft, that they

to construct

or bridges, to enable their horses to pass over rests

which they traversed, consisted

causeways

it.

The

fo-

chiefly of maple,

white walnut, hickory, oak, elm, ash, linden, (Tilia Ameri-

with grape-vines, &c.

cana,) interspersed

the black walnut on the

St.

The absence of An-

Peter, and near Fort St.

thony, was particularly observed.

The rosin plant was not The yellow raspberry

seen after leaving Prairie du Chien.

was abundant

many

in

party passed through the

was generally and frequently

some

fine

places and ripe at the time the forests.

course of the party

in the valley of the St. Peter, not far from, in sight of, the river,

which

offered

them

water scenery, presenting, however, a great de-

gree of sameness

its

;

principal defect

jects^to animate the scenes prairie,

The

;

is

the

want of ob-

no buffalo ranging across the

no deer starting through the

forests,

no birds

in-

terrupting the solemn stillness which uniformly reigns

over the country

;

to the Mississippi

the St. Peter rolls in silence ;

where game

is

its

waters

scarce, the Indian of

course finds no inducement to hunt, and hence the party

frequently travelled for whole days, without seeing a liv-

ing object of any kind. This appeared, however, to be the track of Indians going out on their hunts, and accordingly

EXPEDITION TO THE

340

traces were occasionally observed

upon

trees.

In such places

the trees were generally barked to a proper height in one in;

stance, four adjoining trees bore the representation of an In-

dian with wings, painted with red earth

;

a

number of

trans-

verse lines were also drawn across the tree. This design was

intended to convey the information that the Redwing chief

had passed in that direction with a party, the strength of

which was designated by the number of transverse

From

streaks.

the numerous tumuli observed along the river, they

were confirmed

in the belief, that this scarcity of

game has

not always prevailed in this part of the country, but that this stream

tion as

was once inhabited by

as

game

can be supported by

extensive a popula-

alone, in the

most

fa-

voured regions.

On

the 15th of July, the party, reduced in

twenty-four,

left

the Crescent.

number

to

They were provided with

twenty-one horses, two of which were disabled. Nine were allotted to the officers

and gentlemen of the party

maining ten being required

as pack-horses to

provisions and baggage, the soldiers were

walk which, however, ;

as the

country was

all

the re-

;

convey the obliged to

fine prairie,

and

the days' march short, was not considered a very hard duty.

We proceeded

across

some

fine rolling prairies, in a

south of west, for about nine miles,

when we saw

mains of Indian habitations; they were deserted. scaffold, raised eighteen feet

course the re-

Upon

above the ground, and

a

situa-

ted upon an elevated part of the prairie, the putrefying carcass of an Indian lay exposed to view.

It

had not been

enclosed in a box, but merely shrouded in a blanket,

which the wind and atmospheric tatters.

influence had reduced to

Fifteen horizontal black marks,

drawn

across one

of the posts that supported the scafibld, designated, as

were informed by Renville,

that as

many

we

scalps had been

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

341

by those who danced

offered in sacrifice to the deceased, at the funeral.

Our guides This

is

mouth

told us, that the

River was about

of the Terre Bleue

six leagues to the south-east of this spot.

the principal tributary of the

St.

Peter, and

much water

to furnish about two-thirds as

branch of the river which retains the name of

as the St.

said

is

main

Peter. It

enters from the right bank, and rises in the " Coteau des Prairies," a highland that stretches in a northerly direction

between the Missouri and the shall

Peter, and of which

St.

By

have occasion to speak hereafter.

is called

Mikito ^OsA Watapa, which

where blue earth

is

and

stances prevented our visiting

knowledge of

its

We

gathered."

this river than at this place,

it

We

character.

we

we

the Dacotas

it

signifies " the river

never were nearer to

regretted that circum-

in order to acquire

were unsuccessful

some in our

attempts to obtain some of the blue earth from the Indians,

an object which appeared der to determine

dent that this

is

its

to us of

some importance,

composition by analysis.

the same thing that was

at the close of the 17th century, for a its

colour,

we

are inclined to consider

a phosphate of iron

taining

its

nature.

;

copper as

le

ore.

Sueur

From

more probably

we have had no means

but

Our guides informed

of ascer-

us, that

had

we

would have required two days reach the mouth of the Blue Earth river, on account of

proceeded in our canoes to

worked by

it

in or-

It is evi-

it

the great bend which the river makes at the Crescent, but

by the route which we pursued we avoided

the bend.

It

has been stated, that the locality of this blue earth, as well as that of the red stone used for pipes,

were considered

as

neutral grounds,

where the

would meet and

collect these substances without appre-

hension of being attacked

;

different nations of Indians

but

we have

not heard this re-

EXPEDITION TO THE

342

port confirmed. Tlie

mouth of the Blue Earth

chief residence of a tribe of the Dacotas,

the Mi&k^cli^k^'s^a, and traders by the

name

powerful band, and

who

who

are generally

They

of Sisitons.

call

river

is

the

themselves

known by

the

are a warlike and

time were considered as un-

at that

friendly to the Americans on account of the government's

having arrested, and sent

to St.

Louis for

trial,

one of their

tribe

who had

them

that hostilities had been apprehended, and the force

man.

killed a wdiite

which we had taken

at

Fort

St.

It

was

chiefly

from

Anthony was intended to them but in order

protect the party against an attack from

;

on the part of our govern-

to evince a friendly disposition

ment, Major Taliaferro had intended to hold a council with

them

at the

same time.

The news

of their being dispersed

on their summer hunts, was the principal reason which duced Major Long the

to desist

in-

from his intention of visiting

mouth of the Terre Bleue, and which determined him

to order

back part of our

escort.

In the evening, the party encamped on the bank of a small pool, which forms one of a group of ponds, dignified

with the appellation of the Swan Lakes, on account of the

abundance of these birds said to exist in their neighbourhood.

The

Indian

name

signifies the lake of the

is Miiilifi

many

were made by Mr. Colhoun this place

;

to

tankaota nienda, wdiich

large birds.

determine the longitude of

although taken at a time

when

the sun was very

low, they served to correct the observations Crescent,

Observations

made

at the

These lakes are more properly marshes, the

quantity of water in them varying according to the seasons.

We had

passed several of them during the day

;

in

one of these marshes our pack-horses were several times exposed to much biscuit

difficulty

;

and the mule that carried the

having stumbled, part of our provisions were wet

;

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER-

ST.

343

Proceeding the next day on our course, we

and damaged.

struck the St. Peter about noon, and found

very rapid, but

which

it

its

size

current

its

reduced to nearly one-half of that

This confirmed the

presented at the Crescent.

report of our guides, that the Terre Bleue almost equals

the

Peter in the quantity of

St.

its

waters.

We

had been

morn-

able to trace the course of the river during the ing,

by the

line of

woods which

which border upon from sixty

skirts

it,

and by the

bluffs

right bank, rising to a height of

its

to eighty feet;

on the

left

bank, the bluffs are

neither so high, nor so abrupt.

The

country, however,

al-

most every where discovers

horizontal stratification

by

the steep acclivities which

its

it

forms even in the prairies

the country presenting rather the appearance of steppes

than of the rounded swells which generally characterize prairie land.

At

a small distance

from our course, we ob-

served horizontal ledges of rock, which

we were

inclined

to consider as the limestone that overlays the sandstone.

Animals of every kind

still

ter-snake was killed near

continued very scarce.

A gar-

Swan Lake, upon which our

guides took occasion to inform us that the rattlesnake had

sometimes been found near these lakes, but never north of them

;

this

to the

appearing to be their northernmost

The botany of the country was by the reappearance of the Gerardria, a plant which we had not seen since leaving Chicago. Near Swan Lake two elevations were observed, which appeared to be

limit in this direction. diversified

artificial

tumuli.

Some

depressions were also seen, and

these were by Renville called forts, but

were scooped inform

out, if indeed

;

artificial,

whom

they

he could not

us.

We crossed the St. ripple

they be

by

Peter, at noon, immediately above a

our horses sank to their girths in the water

;

one

EXPEDITION TO THE

344

we

mile further,

passed a small stream about fifteen yards

wide, and eighteen inches deep, having a white sandy bot-

tom

is

it

;

name

designated by the

aux

of the liiviere

Licn^s, (Cottonwood,*) from the abundance of this tree

on

banks

its

A

tapa.

;

by the Indians

bloody fray

tion of the

Aux

is

it

Liards and

St.

called

is

W^rhoju Wa-

have occurred

stated to

Peter ;

it

at the junc-

arose between

two

The

latter

having furnished them with liquor, the Indians drank

to in-

who met

tribes of Sioux,

toxication, quarrelled

there with traders.

among

themselves, and killed seven

of their number. In travelling through an Indian country,

many

places are pointed out that have acquired a similar to confirm the travel-

melancholy celebrity, and that tend ler in the conviction of the

taches to those

who

heavy responsibility which

have introduced, and

still

at-

persist in

canying, liquor among the Indians.

Our journey during the afternoon was continued along the valley of the St. Peter, which was observed to be from one

one and

to

a half mile wide.

The

adjacent prairie

elevated about eighty feet above the level of the river. feature

which struck us was the abundance of fragments of

They

primitive rocks which were strewed in this valley.

were

for the

most part deeply imbedded

bore but few traces of attrition

For

a

is

A

while

upon the

we

:

in the

their bulk

doubted whether

ground, and

was very

we were

large.

not treading

crest of a formation of primitive rocks,

which

pierced through the superincumbent formations, but a close observation evinced such a confusion and diversity in the

nature of the primitive blocks, as well as such signs of friction, as satisfied us that these

were out of

place,

still

they

appeared to warrant the geologist in his prediction, that

•

Popalus angulata.

;

SOURCE OP the party

Peter's river.

ST.

was approaching

345

to a primitive formation,

and

that certainly the valley of the St. Peter had been one of

the channels through

which the primitive boulders had

been removed from their original

was

covery of the primitive rocks in situ. ble swell ley,

This assertion

site.

two days afterwards by the

fully substantiated

A

disco-

very considera-

between the river and the right bank of the val-

was supposed

to be

formed by the primitive rocks

rising to a greater level than usual.

If

it

be occasion-

ed by an accumulation of fragments and boulders, as the nature of

its

surface

might lead

to believe,

it is

a

very

in-

teresting feature in the valley.

We passed soon after two Indian lodges, in one of which was the chief Wamendetanka, (War Eagle,) generally known by the name of the Black Dog. He rules over the small village of Oanoska, situated near the St.

Peter.

He

is

not a

man

of note, neither

mouth of the he acknow-

is

ledged as an independent chief, but being the head of an extensive family, he separated from his tribe some years

ago

;

he leads about forty warriors.

We

short time at his lodge, to exchange a few

stopped but a

words with him

we admired much the appearance of his sons and daughters, who are tall, graceful, and well-formed. He is about fifty years of age, and has much dignity in his appearance. The journey of the 18th of July, being across the prairie, The monotony

offered but little interest.

try

of a prairie coun-

always impresses the traveller with a melancholy,

which the sight of water, woods, &c. cannot

fail to

remove.

During that day we enjoyed no view of the

river,

and the

wood for cooking, made the ti'avelling uncomfortable to these we must add a temperature of about 94°, exhibited by the thermometer when in the great scarcity of springs, and ;

shade, and protected against

Vol.

I.

44

all

radiation of heat.

But the

EXPEDITION TO THE

346

which we had

greatest annoyance,

to encounter,

mosquetoe, which arose in such swarms, as

more

We never

it.

riod of our journey,

were tormented

more than when

prove a

at

any pe-

travelling in the vi-

The mosquetoes

cinity of the St. Peter.

was the

imagined by those who have

serious evil than can be

not experienced

to

generally rose

all

of a sudden about the setting of the sun. Their appearance

was

so instantaneous, that

selves against

we had no

time to prepare our-

them whenever we had

the good fortune to

;

encamp previous to their sallying from their hiding places, our great object was to complete our evening meal, before they commenced their attack, for this we found ourselves unable to resist; and

we have

much annoyed by these

not unfi-equently been so

be obliged to relin-

insects, as to

quish an unfinished supper, or to throw away a cup of tea,

which we could not enjoy, while stung on countless

When

numbers of mosquetoes.

duced their numbers,

we found some

ing in a dense cloud of smoke

;

all

a high

sides

by

wind

re-

from remain-

relief

but even this proved of no

avail,

when, from the calmness or heat of the atmosphere,

their

numbers were undiminished. In such

alternative

was

cases,

to endure their stings, or to

our only

smother under

we wrapped ourselves To protect our feet and lie with our boots on. The ansometime after sunrise, when the

the weight of a blanket in which up, covering our faces, hands, &c. legs,

we were

obliged to

noyance continued

until

increasing heat of the day, drove

The sleepless cesses. when exposed to this

nights which

were exposed

we

frequently passed,

Our horses

fared even worse,

like us, during the night, to the

sting of the mosquetoe, and during the fly

into their re-

torment, rendered this part of our

journey the most fatiguing. for they

them back

proved equally noxious.

day the big horse-

SOURCE OF

The soil instances

it

347

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

of the prairies is not uniform in quality

was remarkably

fine,

grew

the grass, consequently,

;

in

some

and of an intense black coto a considerable size,

lour

;

was

luxuriant, and of a rich green hue. In other parts the

soil is

ty

sandy, grayish, and appears to be of an inferior quali-

its

;

produce then presents a similar inferiority

;

the

blades of grass are scattered, short, of a yellowish and

The

sickly aspect.

earth appears dry, and scorched with

the heat of the sun.

The

party had frequent opportunities of remarking the

difficulty

which

exists, to

determine with accuracy the

nature or size of objects seen at a distance. Sand-hill cranes,

seen on the prairie, were by some of the company mistaken for elks.

Among the birds observed on the prairie, besides the sandhill crane, are

the reed-bird, black-bird,* yellow-headed

black-bird,t the black-breasted tern ; J the last of which

was

very abundant. Mr. Say shot the female of the Mergus cucullatus,

and a blue-winged

common

the

spots.

II

teal.

Among

A coluber, like

rat

lateral

red

the melanoleucus, but spotted, and

similar to that found on the Missouri, prairies.

the reptiles, besides

garter-snake,§ there was one with

was

killed

on these

In several of the marshes, the huts of the musk-

were found very abundant.

The herbarium was

en-

riched by the addition of a beautiful specimen of the Li-

lium Philadelphicum, which was it

had nearly ceased

of the prairies still

is

to

still

seen flowering, though

Another great ornament

the Lilium Superbum.

occasionally seen.

ed, considered

bloom.

This plant

by the Indians

is,

The Gerardria was as we were inform-

to be a specific against the

• Orlolus, [Zanthornus, Cuvier,] phoeniceus,

f Oriolus, [Zanthornus, Cuvier,] icterocephalus. Coluber parietalis. § Coluber ordinatus. ||

t Sterna.

EXPEDITION TO THE

348

bite of the rattlesnake

recent wound, ders,

;

the root

wound

ings applied to the

it is

;

is

scraped and the scrap-

said that if used

a single application will suffice.

which are

so

common

upon

The

a

boul-

in the valley of the St. Peter,

are but seldom seen on the prairies.

After proceeding another half day on the prairie, the

on the banks of the Ch^nshayape waThis is a tapa, or the stream of the " tree painted red." party found

itself

beautiful rivulet,

which was about eight yards wide where

we

runs in a wide and romantic valley.

crossed

bluffs

it.

which

sandstone.

It

rise

We

on both

sides, are

formed of a

fine

The

white

stopped for a few moments on the edge of

the bank, previous to descending into the valley, to enjoy the beautiful and refreshing scenery which offered

our view, and which formed

burned and blasted appearance of the

prairie.

tion of the valley of the St. Peter with that of tary, about

itself to

a pleasing contrast with the

two miles below the place where we

The

junc-

its

tribu-

stood, oc-

The

casioned an expansion of both valleys at that spot.

beautiful and diversified vegetation, springing luxuriantly

on the banks of both streams, the rapid current of the waters rushing to

one

common

point,

appeared to us as smiling and as beau-

which,

at that time,

tiful as

any we had ever beheld.

much

of

its

formed a landscape,

But

it is

probable that

charms arose from the contrast which

it

pre-

sented, with the wearisome views of the boundless prairies.

Perhaps, the

also,

scener)'^,

we found

ourselves in better spirits to enjoy

from perceiving, near these banks, the

first

trace of the buffalo,

whence we drew prospects of a speedy

change

together with hopes of soon sharing

in

our

fare,

in the sports of an active

and interesting chase.

narrow, the Redwood, whose course

is

sources in the Coteau des Prairies.

Red

Though

a long one, has its

pipestone

is

said

;

SOURCE OF exist

\o

on

ST.

PETER's RIVER.

349

banks, at three days' journey from

its

its

source.

At

the confluence of these

two

of place

;

its

mass was enormous

mispherical form, about forty or it

had been

cleft, as

was blackened, and

we a

;

it

;

was of an

it

by

signs of having been on

The

fire.

fire

could scarcely have been

The rock

trees near

it,

bore

conflagration does not

appear to have spread to a distance ; and from the

irregular he-

circumference

lightning.

few bushes and

interest-

was evidently out

fifty feet in

thought,

very

valleys, a

ing fragment of rock was observed

made by a

its situation,

traveller.

We

searched in vain, during the short time that we stopped near it,

for traces of fusion

upon the rock. This mass

is

granitic,

and presents very distinctly the appearance of a formation in concentric shales.

Rocks were observed

at

some distance

which, from their white colour, were presumed to be sand-

Above

stone.

ter, a rapid

the junction of the rivulet with the St. Pe-

occurs in the river, called Patterson's rapid.

We were too far to see but is not very considerable. We were, from observations made higher up on the river, it

it,

induced to consider the rocks which occasion

as pri-

it,

mitive.

On

the evening of the 18th of July,

the banks of the river.

from the

prairie,

When

we encamped on

descending into the valley

with a view to select a suitable spot for

our evening's camp, our attention was suddenly called to the

new

features

which

rugged aspect arose

it

displayed.

in an insulated

High rocks of

the widened valley, through which the St. Peter winds

way.

We

improved the

rest of the afternoon in

ing them, and experienced no

them

a

manner in the midst of

little

to be primitive rocks in situ.

perienced sprang not from the mere

its

examin-

satisfaction in finding

The

pleasure

we

ex-

associations of home,

EXPEDITION TO THE

350

connected with the view of a primitive formation which

we had but

it

that

not seen since the

first five

resulted also in a great

we had

at last arrived at

We

ing for in vain.

which lay insulated

Muskingum

days of our journey

j

measure from the certainty

what we had long been look-

had traced those scattering boulders,

in the prairies,

We

to this place.

from the banks of the

had seen them gradually

increasing in size and number, and presenting fewer signs

of attrition, as

we advanced

days before, their number,

further on our journey.

size,

and

features,

Two

had induced

the geologist of the party to predict our speedy approach to the primitive formations, and

mation of his opinions

been

it

was

a pleasing confir-

to find that these rocks

had really

seen in situ, within thirty miles, in a straight line, of

the place where he had ter of these rocks

made

The

this assertion.

was examined with

charac-

and found very

care,

curious. It

seemed

spar, mica,

and amphibole, had united here to produce

most

as if four simple minerals, quartz, feldal-

the varieties of combination which can arise from

all

the association of two or more of these minerals ; and these

combinations were in such immediate contact, that the

same fragment might, end of

it,

places granite

we viewed one

mica

;

or the other

while in some

was seen perfectly well characterized, va-

rying from the gneiss,

as

be referred to different rocks

fine to the coarse-grained

slate,

;

in others, a

greisen, (quartz and mica,)

feldspar, (Weisstein of

Werner,)

compact

sienite, greenstone,

and

the sienite with addition of quartz, forming the amphibolic granite of D'Aubuisson,

were equally well characterized.

The only rock composed by the union of two of these principles which we did not observe, but which may perhaps exist there,

is

the graphic granite, (Pegmatite, Haiiy.)

These rocks are not very extensive

;

the circumference

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

351

of the largest probably does not exceed one quarter of a mile; they rise to about thirty-five feet above the level

Their form

of the water.

is

irregular

ged and barren compared with the valley

;

their general colour

to be the

summit or

is

;

their aspect rug-

fertile

bottom of the

of a dark gray

;

they appear

which under-

crest of primitive rocks

lay this valley, and which protrude at this place through the superior

about

As

strata.

fifty feet

the adjoining prairies are elevated

above the level of the river, these primi-

tive rocks are observable only in the valley less constituted at

;

they doubt-

one time a continuous ridge, but have

been divided into insulated masses by the corroding action of the stream, whose very circuitous bed winds between

They extend upon

them.

a distance of about six miles in

the direction of the valley.

After having examined

most every one of these masses, we

feel

al-

unwilling to de-

which of the primitive combinations

cide with certainty,

predominates ; for the passage of the one into the other

is

more constant and more sudden than in any other primitive formation that has ever come under our notice. Indeed it

we know

of none with which to compare

be that which

we

observed

at a

it,

except

subsequent period of the

Lake Winnepeek and the Lake of the Woods but even there the features were somewhat different, for they were on a larger scale. The passages, which

expedition, between ;

we

there observed, were sometimes to be traced only upon

large masses difficult to

;

whereas on the

break

off a

St.

Peter,

it

would have been

fragment of a cubic foot in size pre-

senting an uniform character of composition.

It is,

how-

ever, probable, as far as our observations extended, that granite

is

the predominating rock. These masses bear very evi-

dent signs of a crystalline origin, but the process must have been a confused one.

Tourmaline

is

found disseminated

EXPKDITION TO THE

352

In one

throughout the rock, yet in no great abundance.

or two spots where the mass assumed a more slaty appear-

ance than in other places, a faint tendency to a tion, directed

from north-north-east

stratifica-

to south-south-west,

with a dip towards the south, was observed.

Viewing the

insulated masses from the prairie, they appeared to be di-

rected in a transverse line through the valley, and in a north-easterly course, so that this

may

be the remains of a

dike which existed across the valley, but which was finally

This observation was, however, a

broken.

and

it

When

would be improper

to attach

partial one,

much weight

to

it.

calling the attention of our guide to the difference

between these rocks and those observed below, he appeared to have been aware of similar to these extended

it

himself, and stated that rocks

down

the valley, to about four

miles below Redwood rivulet it was partly from thi: circumstance that we inferred that Patterson's rapids were ;

probably formed by a bar of these rocks rising across the

bed of the

river.

This appeared to us to be the more pro-

bable from the circumstance that a rapid,

known by

the

name of the Little Falls, occurs just above the place of our encampment of the 18th, and that it is occasioned by a ledge of granitic rocks, over which the river passes place.

In the examination of this spot two points appear-

ed to us chiefly to deserve our attention, in order all

source of error

were and

at this

;

really in situ

crystalline, not

the ;

first

was

to avoid

to ascertain that the rocks

the second, that they were primitive

conglomerated or regenerated rocks,

such as are sometimes observed. But upon these two points

we

think that not the least doubt can be entertained.

The

immense mass of these insulated rocks, the uniform height to which they attain, the uniform direction in which they

lie,

prove them to be in place

;

while an attentive in-

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETEU

spection of their nature shows

There

line.

is

a gradual

S

them

RIVER.

to be really crystal-

though rapid passage of the gra-

which proves them

nite into the sienite,

."53

to be of

contem-

poraneous formation, and which precludes the idea that the rock

formed by the union of fragments of granite,

is

cemented together.

sienite, &c.

The

discovery of this granitic formation here appeared

to us the

more

interesting, that

easily have prevented us

brought us to the river

its

small extent might

from observing it, had not chance

at tliat place

;

for if

we had been

travelling on the prairie, within half a mile of the edge of

the bank, the greater height of the bluff would have con-

We

cealed these rocky islands from our view. fore unable to decide

feel there-

whether they do not recur

itself,

some

we avoided yet from we doubt it; for we find

of the other bends of the river, which the character of the stream

at

;

that as soon as these rocks protrude into the valley, they

occasion rapids and

course

we

is

smooth.

falls

Had

them

while otherwise

its

we not seen the " Little rapids," which

passed on the 11th,

sider

in the river,

as resulting

we might have been from the appearance

induced to conat the surface

of

primitive rocks, but having examined with care the sandstone rocks,

by which they

are produced, and having as-

certained that no other rapids are found in the St. Peter,

between these and the Patterson

falls,

the only place

we

arc induced to

where the granite may

believe that this

is

be seen in situ.

In attempting to connect this primitive

formation with those observed elsewhere, lies in a direction

about west-south-west,

we

find that

at a distance

it

pro-

bably not exceeding eighty miles, of the "granitic and horn-

blende rocks," which Mr. Schoolcraft states as having seen, ''

occasionally rising in rugged peaks and beds," on the

Vol.

T.

45

354

EXPEDITION TO

Wc

]\lississippi.*

i'HE

however, disposed

feel,

to consider all

this section of our country as underlaid with this granite,

and

we

entertain but

sienitic granite,

and which

we

doubt of

its

identity with the

struck near Fort Alexander, at the

first

mouth of Winnepeek

The

little

observed at a later period of our journey,

latitude of our

river.

encampment on the banks of the

Peter, that evening,

was determined by observations,

44° 41' 26" north.

The

to

St.

be

variation of the compass at this

place was 12° 21' 20" east.

From ed

the interesting features which the valley display-

at this spot, the

geologist felt desirous that the party

should ascend along the banks of the river, with a view to

examine these

granitic masses, should they recur

;

but this

was deemed impracticable, on account of the length of time which would be consumed in following the bends of the river.

The

reports

which we had previously received

of the abundance of game, had not been confirmed had, on the contrary, found none at

wasting away too

fast to

all,

;

we

and our stores were

permit any delay.

It

was then

proposed to divide the party, and while the main body proceeded with the necessary expedition towards the trading establishments

at the

geologist, with one or

route in the valley.

head of the river, to allow the

two companions,

But

this

to continue his

Major Long did not deem

prudent, for in the present dissatisfied disposition of the Sisitons, the division of the party it

to be cut off

regret which

must necessarily expose

by them, should they

tliis

fall

in

with

it.

The

occasioned was, however, dissipated, on

observing that the primitive rocks did not continue long in the valley

;

for

having been allowed to travel along the

Schoolcraft's Narrative, ut supra, p, 288,

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

355

banks of the river for half a day, Mr. Keating saw the of them, at about four miles above the

was assured by

little

falls

;

last

and he

his guide that they did not recur for a con-

We

siderable distance.

had, nevertheless, an opportunity

of seeing from a distance, in the bed of the river, a rocky island,

which appeared

to us to bear the character of the

primitive rocks near Patterson's rapids. sisted that

them

it

was

a sandstone.

We

Our guides

in-

have generally found

to be such accurate observers of natural objects, that

we wished

to visit the rock,

and see how

far their reports

could be depended upon, but that would have required several hours

;

a

waste of time which

ject did not warrant.

it

In the evening

was thought the ob-

we

again observed

the primitive rocks in the valley, and encamped upon one of these knolls

;

it

was composed of

a

rock partaking

stratified nearly east

appeared

almost vertical.

and west. The

strata

we

This knoll was so small, that

not presume from the direction of

its strata,

to

al-

which

ternately of the characters of micaslate and gneiss

being could

draw con-

clusions as to that of the rock in general.

The occurrence of these

primitive knobs disturbs the cur-

rent of the river, and renders the navigation difficult and hazardous. Five miles below the encampment of the 19th, there is

where the boats and

a place

distance of a mile; from called the

Grand Portage.

their loads are carried for the

which circumstance the place

By

this portage the canoes

is

avoid

thirteen rapids; these with twenty-six other rapids, constitute all the obstructions to the navigation of the river,

from

its

source to

its

mouth. In a good stage of the waters,

there are, however, but two portages, of which this

Among

is

one.

the tributaries passed on that day, only one dc,

serves to be mentioned

;

it is

tapan, the yellow medicine.

called the P^jthita It is

Z^ze

Wa-

about the same size as

KXl'EDITION- TO

S5G the

Red wood, and

rises, in like

the Indians call

;

manner,

Nearly opposite

Coteau des Prairies. falls in

THE at the base of the

to it a small

the Ch^ilba,

it

stream

(that hatches

L\Eau

de Vie. On map we have retained the term Epervier, which, being in use among some of the traders, and intelligible both

fiparrowhuwks,) the traders term

it

our

to

French and English

travellers, appears likely to prevail.

While riding across the prairie that day, we were met by two Indians, who ran towards us with great speed.

They proved very formed

friendly in their disposition, and in-

on the preceding day, they had killed a

us, that

and that the Indians on Lake

buffalo bull in that vicinity,

Travers had already killed many, the buffalo being unusually abundant that season. This

news was the more gra-

tifying to the party, that they had been for the last

days on short allowance. the spot

few Having informed the Indians of

where we proposed

to

encamp, they came

to it in

the evening with their families, and pitched their tents near ours; they then offered us a feast, which cepted, and at

had been cut

which we partook of the

into long

and thin

slices,

we

of course ac-

buffalo meat, that

about one-eighth of

an inch thick, eight inches wide, and eighteen long. These

had been jerked without

salt,

in the sun,

and served out

was tough and

tasteless,

and were subsequently boiled to us in

who had never eaten of who had heard it highly extolled;

of the party

arose,

wooden

this

What remained

disappointment its

being jerked,

of the feast was,

according to the Indian usage, our proper!}', and fore had

it

conveyed

to our tents.

Tlie feast

we

there-

was ushered

in with the usual ceremonies of shaking hands;,

&c.

It

the buffalo meat, and

however, from the circumstance of

instead of fresh meat.

dishes.

and disappointed those gentlemen

smoking,

SOURCE OF

The

ST.

Peter dwindles into a very small stream, pro-

St.

bably not more than

twenty yards wide

fifteen or

part,

above Patterson's rapids.

The

valley presents a fine rich

places,

It is fordable soil,

swampy

rather

in

it

;

is

Wherever the primitive rocks are found, The trees consist principally of cotton wood

they are bare. ash.

any

in

every where.

and covered with high grass and wild rice

often woody.

and

357

PETER's RIVER.

In the prairies, Mr. Say found the spotted frog,

(Rana halecina of Kalm and Daudin,) figured by Catesby. It

was very

plentiful near the marshes.

The young whip-

poorwill was found at that time, nearly strong enough to fly.

as

The mosquetoes

we

increased in abundance and virulence

advanced.

A short day's journey brought the party parte, which

is

Lac qui

to the

an expansion of the river about seven and

a half miles long, and from one quarter to three quarters

The name

of ii mile wide.

of this lake

the Indian appellation, M^-nda e

ceived

it,

we know

but whence

h.,

We have

not.

a translation of

is

ver or to hear of any remarkable echo in

which might have given

uncommon

rise to

river that has a

It is not,

it.

naine for Indians, and

has re-

it

not been able to disco-

we know

somewhat analogous

its

we

vicinity,

believe, an

of at least one

appellation

;

it is

the

Riviere qui appelle, a tributary of the Assiniboin, and

whose Indian name has merely been ders. Previous to reaching

small tributaries of the of which

is

Watapan

intapu,

called

St.

by the

which

Lake

translated

we

qui parle,

Peter, on the right

traders, Beaver,

signifies the

by the

passed two

bank

by the

"river

tra-

at the

;

one

Indians,

head,"

as they consider the lake to be the head of the St. Peter.

Six miles above our encampment of the 19th, a larger stream, called -rotos

by some Chippewa

Me^ Wuhkun

river, but

by the Ba-

watapan, the river of the spirit banks,

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

358

from the

falls in

take it

its rise

side.

left

The Mea Wahkan is said to Red river, with which

near the head waters of

On Beaver

interlocks.

was found

rivulet, the bank,

and

steep,

this

bank there were seven or

which was high

Near

white sand.

to consist of loose

tumuli,

eis^ht artificial

all

placed on a straight line except one, which was in advance of the other.

and thirty kind

On

the

feet in

now much

these the corpse

two

largest,

which were

five feet high,

diameter at the base, recent graves of a

used by the Indians, were observed. is

In

deposited in a very shallow excavation,

or more frequently upon the surface of the ground, and stakes placed over

it,

forming a sort of a

roof.

These stakes

are very necessary to protect the remains of the dead against the rapacity of wolves, interred,

would dig them

who,

if

they were merely

up. In this case, notwithstanding

the great strength of the stakes, the grave had been broken

open, and

its

The

contents scattered over the ground.

wolves appear

to be

very abundant in these

prairies.

We

have frequently heard them barking in the night, and oc-

Two young

wolves were seen near

casionally seen

them

Beaver

and easily caught by the

rivulet,

a reward

was

offered if they

soldiens, to

would carry them

whom

alive to

Mackinaw; but they both made their escape during the night. In the dull monotony of a journey across the prairie, destitute of interest, and uninterrupted by any incident, the capture of these wolves created such a sensation in the

by those, who have man seizes the first opporfrom his own thoughts, when he

party, as will not be readily conceived

not experienced

how

eagerly

tunity of being relieved

has been left to the uninterrupted exercise of

them

for a

certain length of time.

We

spent half a day in the vicinity of

Lake

qui parle

our tents were pitched on an eminence near the lower ex-

SOURCE OF

as

we

359

commanding an extensive prospect, The country,

tremity of the lake,

adorned with

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

this beautiful sheet of water.

advanced, evidently became more elevated, but no

hills of

any magnitude were

The

rivers and rivulets.

visible except the bluffs of

elevation to

which they

attain,

frequently equals, and sometimes exceeds, one hundred

The

which these

precipices, to

bluffs

give

feet.

rise, are

the

boundaries of extensive and undulated plains, destitute of

woods

only seen skirting the banks of the

trees are

;

Above

water-courses.

the lake the bluffs diminish in

height; those along the valley of the St. Peter not exceed-

ing forty feet

;

some

in

cases they disappear, and gentle

slopes blend gradually the prairie and the valley of the river.

At

all its

characters

feet

wide

and wild above Peter

the upper end of the lake, the St. Peter has lost

;

rice

this, a ;

;

its

is

it

;

bed

its

is

a rivulet of

from twenty

to thirty

very much obstructed with high grass

waters are almost stagnant. Five leagues

brook from the right bank joins with the

this is called the

from the name of

St.

Hra WihkS^n, or Spirit Mountain, which it rises. The primitive

a hill near

rocks are again seen in place, scattered here and there across the valley

beauty of

its

;

one of these was remarkable for the

feldspar,

easy cleavage, and

is

most the appearance of the rocks assumed a

which

a graphic granite.

more decided

found to be principally either a nite.

very lamellar

is

;

it

has an

intermixed with quartz, giving

character, and

common

it al-

As we advanced, were

or a sienitic gra-

Besides those in place, vast numbers of fragments of

primitive rocks, presenting

little

or no alteration,

lie scat-

tered in every direction, and attest that this has been the seat of a great destruction.

An

Indian family were met

near the banks of the river,

who

stated that they had de-

scended

it

in order to ascertain the prospects of the ensu-

EXPEDITION TO THE

360

ing harvest of wild

very promising in the

rice,

middle of August

favourable to for the last

and informed us that they were

the grain, they thought, would be ripe

;

;

the weather was, in fact, very

growth, the temperature having kept up

its

few days

at

We

near 90°.

were likewise

in-

formed by them, that an inroad had been made by the lower Sisitons upon the lands of the Sauks on the Des

Moines

river,

and

that, not

meeting with their enemies,

they had attacked the lawas, killed a number, and taken

many It

prisoners. interesting, as

is

devotional spirit which

Many

we proceed, to find that the same we observed below still exists.

rocks are used as consecrated spots, at which the

A

Indian pauses to offer a sacrifice to the ruling Spirits.

very large block, covered with crosses, designed

circles,

and

crescents

with red paint, was considered sacred to

the heavenly bodies, and these marks were held to be designations of the sun,

moon, and

stars.

The party were

like-

wise occasionally gladdened with a view of fresh tracks of the buffalo.

On

the 22d, w^e reached another, and the

of the river. Indians

it is

It is also

last,

west was

this

swell in the prairies,

des Prairies." or thirty miles is

;

by the

termed E'atakek^, which has been interpreted

" Lac des Grosses Roches," Big Stone Lake. to the

expansion

improperly called a lake

day bounded by an extensive ridge or

known by

It is distant ;

its

Our view

the

name

of the " Coteau

from our course about twenty

height above the level of the

probably not short of one thousand

feet.

St.

Peter

According

the best information which

we have

commences about the 49th

parallel of north latitude,

to

obtained, this ridge

and

between the 9Sth and 99th degrees of west longitude, from Greenwich.

It

proceeds in a direction nearly south-south-

SOURCE OP ST Peter's river.

group of small lakes called Devil

east, passes east of tlie

Lake, divides the

361

from those of

tributaries of the St. Peter

the Missouri, and extends southerly as far as the head of the Blue Earth, where the level of

A in

it

gradually widens and sinks to

surrounding country.

second ridge or Coteau des Prairies direction

a

just

tlie

nearly parallel

described.

Mouse

It

commences

river, near the

to at

that

said to run

is

which we have

the southern bend of

4Sth parallel of latitude, and pro-

ceeds, in a course nearly south-east, for about eighty miles,

when

it

turns to the west of south, and continues probably

beyond the 44th, where

it

likewise sinks and disappears.

In the valley between these two ridges, the Riviere de Jacques, or James River, runs and empties itself into the

Missouri about the 43d degree of latitude. teau des Prairies

may

the course of the Missouri, above the

from an easterly it in

Thus the Co-

probably be considered as changing

Mandan

to a southerly direction,

that direction for nearly three

and

villages,

keeping

as

hundred miles, when

the river reassumes a course east of south, which until

it

unites with the Mississippi.

It is to

it

keeps

the vicinity

of the Coteau to the St. Peter, on the one side, and of the Mississippi, on the other, that

we

are to attribute the small

In

size of the tributaries of the St. Peter.

mere brooks conveying the waters on the ridge are

;

fact,

they are

east side of the

but, probably, about the spring of the year, they

much swollen by

on the ridge

;

it is

the thawing of the

in this

manner

that

snow and

we may

ice up-

account for

the water-marks found along the bluffs which enclose their

comparatively large valleys. Its distance

the Coteau,

from our course prevented us from visiting

which we should otherwise have done.

It

was

intended that Mr. Keating should examine this remarka-

VoL,

I.

46

EXPEDITION TO THE

3b.'2

what

ble feature in the countiy, in order to ascertain

geological characters are, but as

ed that no rocks are seen

we were

its

generally inform-

at its surface, that

it

presents an

uniformly smooth prairie-like appearance, the ascent being gradual and easy on both sides, and as

taken three days to go to

summit and

its

it

would have

return, this ex-

cursion was not made.

The Coteau

des Prairies

may

truly be considered as the

dividing ridge between the tributaries of the Mississippi

and those of the Missouri.

It is

probably formed by the

elevation of the granitic or other primitive rocks, above

These may have been

the usual level of the prairies.

co-

vered in a mantle-formed manner by the secondary and alluvial rocks, so as to

and

to be

We

land. gist

made

to

be entirely concealed from view,

assume the general features of

cannot, however, resist the belief, that a geolo-

who would

follow

it,

in its

siniboin to the Blue Earth,

its crest, at least it,

and

whole course from the As-

would be rewarded by the

of the granitic formations, if not along the

covery

in

prairie

in

dis-

whole of

some of the ravines which head near

which perhaps

a superposition of

secondary rocks

might be observed. After having

left

the Big Stone Lake,

brook which retains the name of the

St.

we

cannot be considered as part of that river ; the

may,

in fact,

this to it

was

crossed a

Peter, but which St.

Peter

be said to commence in Big Stone Lake, and

be but a small tributary from the Coteau des Prairies; less

than seven yards wide. This stream soon leaves

the main valley and turns to the west, where a lateral

known by the name of a " Coulee," Had we visited the Coteau, we should

trench in the prairie, gives

it

a passage.

have ascended source.

this

Coulee, to trace the

It divides itself,

as

we

stream to

are informed, into

its

two

branches ; one of which runs in a direction west by south,

SOURCE OB

The

for about twelve miles.

larger branch

is

PETER

ST.

in Polecat

following

all its

by

56.3

source of the northern and

at

which

The

north.

windings,

RIVER.

Lake, about twice that distance,

and bearing from the point valley, about west

S

is

leaves the

it

main

length of the stream,

about forty or

fifty miles.

Polecat Lake, whose dimensions are one and a half mile in length

by

half a mile in breadth,

the stream often conveys but

little

is

frequently dry, and

water to the Big Stone

Lake.

By

the route which

mouth

we

Big Stone Lake,

three hundred and twenty -five miles, of which

one hundred and thirty by water. that the distance, in a direct line

two hundred and

thirty miles

the river, including

dred miles.

The

all its

;

How

entertain no doubt

may

fall

short of

and that the whole length of

whose estimates almost always it

a length of

more than

different these observations are

from the opinions formerly entertained of

is

this

stream,

be judged from the assertion of Breckenridge, that

a thousand miles long. Other authors allow

dred miles. Carver states to take

its rise

in the

is

ascended

bends, does not exceed five hun-

traders,

hundred miles.

We

we

by land, would

exceed the truth, do not ascribe to six

from the

travelled, the distance,

of the St. Peter to the head of

it,

it

it

twelve hun-

on the authority of the Indians,

same neighbourhood

as,

space of a mile of, the source of the Missouri

;

and within the he adds that the

northern branch rises from a number of lakes near the Shin-

But we can place no dependance upon the information which he gives from second hand, when we find ing Mountains.

it

blended with such fictions as are contained in the folextract. " The river St Pierre, which runs through

lowing

the territory of the Naudowessies, flows through a most delightful country, abounding with

all

the necessaries of

EXPEDITION TO THE

364

grow spontaneously, and with a little might be made to produce even the luxuries that

life

grows here

rice

V(^ith trees,

in great

of

life.

abundance, and every part

bending under their loads of fruits, such

The meadows

grapes, and apples.

and many

cultivation

sorts of vegetables,

it

Wild

is filled

as

plums,

are covered with hops

while the ground

is

stored

with useful roots, with angelica, spikenard, and groundnuts as large as hen's eggs." to

We

were not

so fortunate as

meet with those apples, plums, and other good

Avhich

grew spontaneously

sixt)'-

things,

years since in the country.

The St. Peter, in our opinion, probably never can be made a commodious stream for although it flows over ;

gradations, and not

upon

a slant, yet as these gradations

accumulated into the upper third of the distance

are

between Big Stone Lake the expense of rendering

anil it

the

mouth

navigable, by

of the river,

damming and

locking, would far exceed the importance of the object.

The

plan would doubtless be found very practicable, but

the scarcity of water during the greater part of the year Avould render these works unavailing. tions

upon which

it is

From

considera-

unnecessary to dwell, and the accu-

racy of which might be disputed, though they appear tons to lead to correct results,

we have

river, or difference of level

the

mouth

estimated the

fall in

the

between the Lac qui parle and

of the river, at about fifty or sixty feet. Accord-

ing to this estimate, the average

fall

does not exceed two

or three inches per mile.

The

river having taken a bend to the west,

we

con-

tinued our route in what appeared to have been an old water-course, and, within three miles of the

Big Stone

Lake, found ourselves on the banks of Lake Travers,

which discharges

its

v/aters

by means of Swan or Sioux

SOURCE OF river into the ters, as is

Red

ST.

river of

365

Peter's river.

Lake Winnepeek, whose wa-

space between Lakes Travers and Big Stone,

but very-

is

elevated above the level of both these lakes

little

The

well known, flow towards Hudson's Bay.

water has been known, in times of

flood, to rise

and the

;

and cover

the intermediate ground, so as to unite the two lakes.

both these bodies of water are in the same valley; and

fact, it is

now

within the recollection of some persons,

country, that a boat once floated from

the

In

Thus, therefore,

St. Peter.

this spot offers us

those interesting phsenomena, which

luded

to,

in the

Lake Travers

we have

into

one of

already

al-

but which are no where perhaps so apparent as

they are in

this place.

Here we behold the waters of itself into Hud-

two mighty streams, one of which empties son's

Bay

57th parallel of north latitude, and the

at the

other into the Gulf of Mexico, in latitude 29°, rising in the

same valley within three miles of each

some

other, and even in

cases offering a direct natural navigation

into the other.

We

from one

seek in vain for those dividing ridges

which topographers and hydrographers are wont to represent upon their maps in all such cases, and we find a strong confirmation of that beautiful observation of a modern traveller, that "

it is

a false application of the principles of

hydrography, Avhen geographers attempt

to

determine the

chains of mountains, in countries of which they suppose

they

know

the course of rivers.

They suppose

great basins of water can only be separated

that

two

by great

ele-

vations, or that a considerable river can only change direction,

where

a group of mountains opposes

its

its

course;

they forget, that frequently, either on account of the nature of the rocks, or on account of the inclination of the strata, the

most elevated levels give

rise to

no river, while

EXPEDITION TO THE

S66

the sources of the most considerable rivers are distant from

the high chains of mountains."*

The country which extends between

the forty-fifth and

forty-eighth parallels of latitude, and between the ninetythird and ninety-seventh of longitude, presents perhaps an

example of the interlockage of the sources of few,

any other spot on the surface of the

if

Here, no high ridge extends

and many of

tributaries

its

which

to divide the sources of three

The mighty Mis-

of the largest streams that are known. sissippi

rivers,

earth, can equal.

run from the same lakes

or swamps, which supply the waters of Nelson's river and of the

St.

Lawrence. This limited

the head of the Sioux river, and the grand fork of Rainy

of Lake Superior, of

Lake

tract of

Red

country includes

fork of

Red

river, of the St.

river, of

Louis river

Rum river, the Mississippi proper, the

Riviere de Corbeau, and the

St. Peter.

The

Indian and

the trader constantly pass in their canoes, from one to an-

other of these rivulets, and without meeting with half the difficulties

which they experience lower down upon the

same streams, when swelled to the size of mighty rivers, for in fact the whole of that country is an immense swamp. Carver,

who

destroys

same

all

states this

important feature of the country,

the value of his information, by placing in the

district,

the sources of the Oregan, or Great River of

the West.

In tracing the general aspect of the country, of

and streams,

we have

omitted the

attended our progress from

little

Lake qui

its

incidents

parle to

ridges

which

Lake Tra-

vers, and although the trifling adventures, which attend a tra-

velling party, lose

all

their importance,

when compared to

•Introduction to "'Humboldt's Political Essay of the Kingdom of

Kew

Spain, translated by John Black, London, 1811," page Ixxxvi.

;

SOURCE OP

367

Peter's river.

ST.

the constant and invariable features of the natural scenery,

yet as this part of our route was more diversified by incident than any that had preceded it, we

may

be permitted to dwell

upon it for a moment. While travelling over the prairie which borders upon that part of the

St. Peter, that

connects

Lake

qui parle with Big Stone Lake, our attention was aroused

by the

sight of

to

be buffaloes chased across

They, however, soon proved

the prairie. their

what appeared

number,

at first limited to

to be Indians

two, gradually increased to

near one hundred ; they were seen rising from every part of the prairie, and after those in the advance had reconnoitred us, and

made

and

in a

all

we were

friends,

by

came running towards

us,

signals that

discharging their guns, they

few minutes we found ourselves surrounded by a

numerous band.

we might

They had

at first

been apprehensive that

be enemies, and this was the cause of the

ent manoeuvres which they their guns.

The

made previous

effect of these guns, fired

in every direction, and

by

difier-

to discharging

upon the

prairie

each, as soon as he had acquir-

ed the requisite degree of certainty that the strangers werf

As

friends,

was

we had

an opportunity of observing that these Indians

really very beautiful.

they approached,

were good-looking and straight none were large, nor were any remarkable for the symmetry of their forms. They were, ;

for the greater part, destitute of clothing, except the breechcloth,

which most of them wore.

adults,

ble article of dress.

old

We

men among them

to be taken of cularly the tation

;

A few, however, and these

had divested themselves of

it

this almost indispensa-

were indeed surprised

to see

some

quite naked, and no notice appeared

by the

others.

Some

of them, and parti-

young men, were dressed with

care and osten-

they wore looking-glasses suspended to their gar-

ments. Others had papers of pins, purchased from the

tra-

;

EXPEDITION TO THK

o6S

We

ornaments.

(lers, as

to be a

man

hawk on

his

Some

of

appeared

a live sparrow-

man wore

this

on which eight bear tracks were paint-

also a buffalo robe,

ed.

who

observed that one,

some note among them, had head, by way of distinction;

of

them were mounted on horseback, and

were constantly drumming upon the

sides of their horses

wdth their heels, being destitute both of whip and spur.

Many rest

of them came and shook hands with us, while the

were riding

belonged, as

all

round us

we were

told, to the Walikpdtoaii,

one of the

Their chief being absent, the prin-

tribes of the Dacotas. cipal

They

in different directions.

man among them

told us that they

had thirty lodges

of their people at the lower end of the lake, and invited us to visit

them, which invitation was accepted.

These In-

dians demonstrated the greatest friendship and satisfaction at seeing us.

met by a

As we

rode towards their lodges,

a large party of

we were

squaws and children, w4io formed

very motley group.

These squaws had no ornament,

nor did they seem to value themselves upon their personal appearance.

We observed that both they and the men

had very handsome small

feet

and hands. The moccassins,

which they usually wear, prevent ing, as

is

their feet

the case with those w'ho

any kind of shoe.

From

the use of these, as probably also

from the habit of walking with caution, their a beautiful arched form.

from spread-

walk unrestrained by

The

dress of the

feet retained

women

consist-

ed of a long wrapper, with short sleeves, of dark calico this

covered them from the shoulders to the Avaist; a piece

of blue broadcloth waist, and also

its

wound two

end tucked

in,

wore leggings of blue or

were rather clumsy

;

or three times round the

They

extended to the knee. scarlet cloth.

their waists not

exhibited a great breadth of hips.

Their forms

very delicate

;

they

Their motions were not

SOURCE OP

Peter's river.

ST.

369

walk reminded one of the party of the modern Greek, as recorded by

graceful, and theii-

praise in the song of the

Dodwell, "

The

My

love walks about like a goose."

which they directed

village, to

thirty skin lodges, situated

on

a fine

us, consisted

meadow on

of

the bank of

the lake. Their permanent residence, or at least that which

Ihey have occupied

rocky

such for the

as

on a

last five years, is

(Big Island,) in the lake, nearly opposite

island,

to,

and within a quarter of a mile of, their present encampment.

Upon

the island they cultivate their cornfields, secure

They had been much

against the aggressions of their enemies. lately

engaged

in

hunting buffalo, apparently with

The principal man led us to his number of the influential men were

lodge, where-

success. •in

a

women

being excluded

;

we

but

admitted, the

observed that they, with

the children, went about the lodge, peeping through

all

the crevices, and not unfrequently raising the skins to ob-

serve our motions.

wooden

They soon brought

dishes, filled with

pounded

in a couple of large

buffalo

meat boiled,

and covered with the marrow of the same animal ; of

we partook with

great delight;

it

was the

first

several of the party had tasted the fresh buffalo it

was the

since

first

we had

ment, Major

left

Fort

St.

was preparing

to

them the

we were informed

for us in

and

Indian manners, not to

know

just eaten a very hearty meal,

among them

;

We

objects of the

much

gratified.

that another feast

one of the adjoining

invited to partake.

sufficient

;

Anthony. During the entertain-

Long made known

rose to depart,

we were

meat

meal made by any of us upon fresh meat,

expedition, at which they appeared very

As we

this

time that

tents, of which

were too familiar with

that the excuse of having

would not be considered

and so

we

as

readily resigned our-

selves to the necessity of again testifying our friendly dispo-

VoL.

T.

47

KXPLDITION

o70 sition,

TH£

'10

by doing honour to their meal. In order to save time,

we had

brought into the same lodge.

it

It consisted of

a

white root, somewhat similar in appearance to a small turnip;

"

down

t^psin,

by the French, the

blanche or Navet de Prairie."*

mush

into a sort of

or sugar,

It

was boiled

;

had

it

been seasoned with

would have been considered

it

This was held, even by the guides, to be a great

we were

from

rising

cline

it,

this

second meal,

was preparing

that a third one

much

or hominy, and was very

by most of the party

relished salt

by the Dacotas,

called,

it is

Pomme

for us

;

delicious. treat.

As

we were informed we begged to de-

having a considerable distance to travel that

after-

noon ; but we were informed that this would be a great disappointment to him who had prepared the feast, as in order to outdo

all

others he had killed a dog, which

is

con-

sidered not only as the greatest delicacy, but also as a sa-

cred animal, of which they eat only on great occasions.

In order to meet his wishes we deferred our journey for an hour, but the repast not being then prepared,

we were com-

pelled to leave the village, to the great and manifest moriication of

our third host, and to the no small disappoint-

ment of most of our

party,

of the sacred animal. civilities

dians,

who were desirous of make a return

In order to

which we had received

we

informed them that

messenger with

us,

we

if

at

the hands of the In-

they would despatch a

should send them, from a neigh-

bouring trader's house, some tobacco, lost

sent

on the

two

river.

They

all

ours having been

gladly accepted the proposal, and

lads with us for

a .house belonging to the situated about half

tasting for the

it.

In the afternoon,

we

reached

American Fur Company.

It is

way up the lake. Mr. Moore, the super-

• Psoralea Esculenta, Nuttall.

SOURCE OP intendant, as

many

Peter's river.

ST.

showed us every

and supplied us with

attention,

of the articles which

we

371

required, as he could dis-

pose of. In the vicinity of Mr. Moore's house, we saw lamb's quarter,*

was,

which was more than seven

at that time,

This plant

feet high.

almost too old for use, but until then

it

had

proved a very valuable addition, at our meals, to the extremely small ration of biscuit, which at that time was reduced to

about one ounce per day for each man.

we

ate of a

very good

fish, called

At Mr, Moore's

the buffalo

We had

fish.

met, on the bluff which commands his house, two Indian lodges, in one of falo

which was T^t^nkS. Wechadi^ta,

man,) an Indian

Wahkpatoans.

who

claims the

(the buf-

command

We had declined his invitation

of the

to stay at his

lodge in the afternoon, being desirous of reaching Mr.

Moore's house

as early as possible,

but

turn about sunset, and he accordingly

The

rations to receive us.

were

in waiting.

tles,

filled

When

with choicest pieces of

round

;

to

have gathered up

all

buffalo,

little taste,

fire,

were placed.

him

a large

although he

that he could collect in the

Among other things, we comb. He had, since our first

of ornament.

an old and dirty

were

on the

two large iron ket-

the chief took his seat, he had near

seemed

way

all

in the centre of the lodge,

pouch or bag, decorated with but

to re-

due prepa-

the skin lodge, and

seated on fine buffalo robes, spread

which was

all

and his principal men,

chief,

We entered

we promised

made

observed visit,

be-

dawbed his face with white clay. Tatanka Wechacheta is a young man, slender, but well-formed, rather tall, with a wide mouth, large eyes, which, when we saw him, had an unusual expression of fierceness, from being remarkably bloodshot 5 otherwise

*

we

should judge that his appearaiice

Chenopodium album.

EXPEDITIOM TO

•373

Till;

would be prepossessing. Among the many Dacotas with whom we have met, few present any remarkable expression of cunning,

still

less those dreadful

looks which distin-

guished the Potawatomi partizan, Metea. faithful indices to the

Their faces are

equanimity of their souls; yet the

action of the muscles and the bones of the face are not

concealed, as they often are in the white man,

by

a load of

This, together with his deep sunk eye, renders the

flesh.

Indian capable, on great provocation, of assuming and exhibiting the most terrific passion. sate

one

who

is

On

the greatest medicine or magic

man among

cures are considered as miraculous spells as well as

the right of the chief

held in high veneration by his tribe, being

•,

by herbs, with which he

be very conversant. In his countenance to discover a

Soon

after

whom

it

it

is

considered to

was not

mixed expression of knavery and

our arrival

required but

out immediately as a stranger

;

in

his

difficult

h)'pocrisy.

an Indian entered

at the lodge, little skill

His

them.

they are wrought by

physiognomy,

to

complexion was

it,

mark

at least

one shade darker than that of the Dacotas ; his features differed materially

;

his face

was rounder and shorter

;

his

mouth was wider his eyes had more of the European than native American character; he appeared to be very ;

old ; his locks were hoary racter of an old

We were

;

his face bore perhaps the cha-

Frenchman, more than of any other nation.

informed that he was an Assiniboin,

been made a prisoner many years

since.

who had

He seemed

to

be

kindly treated, though a sort of butt for the jokes of the Dacotas, whether men,

women,

or children.

After the

customary preliminaries of shaking of hands, smoking the pipe of peace, &c.

we proceeded

to the feast,

which was

found excellent. The buffalo meat had been selected with Care, the fat

and lean judiciously portioned out, the whole

SOURCE OF

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

373

boiled to a proper degree, and in fine, though our appetites

were not stimulated by

a long fast, this repast appear-

to us

one of the best of which

hosts

were

and

gratified

was sent

and every other instance where

to a feast

by the

Indians,

we

Our

ever partaken.

flattered at the quantity

ate; the residue of the feast this,

we had

which we

to our soldiers.

we have been

In

invited

observed that they never eat

with their guests.

Tatanka Wechacheta siderable

is

the

among

distinction

nephew of a man of conthe Wahkpatoan Dacotas.

Since the death of his uncle, which took place lately, he has attempted to be considered as his successor; but the

former was never duly acknowledged residing in Nunpakea, a

by the influence of

man

as chief, this title

of considerable bravery

his family

and of

that dignity, in preference to his

first

who,

his talents, acquired

cousins, on the death

of their father.

Our host boasted of the many his uncle

in his possession; these,

great magician,

the feast

and medals which

had obtained from our government, and whicli

were then

which he

flags

may

aspires, if

and the influence of his

probably secure to him the dignity to

he has talent enough to uphold

it.

was over, our host rose, shook hands with

After all

the

gentlemen of our party, then resinned his seat, and delivered a speech, which, at the time, appeared to us very pertinent

and

interesting.

It

was delivered with apparent

but not without some hesitation

ment and unmeaning.

satisfaction at the speech,

expressed too

much

;

his gestures

Having expressed

feeling,

were vehe-

to Renville

our

he immediately observed that

adulation, and too

it

much whining had ;

Tatanka Wechacheta been the chief that he professed himself to be, his tone

would have been more imposing, and

—

EXPEDITION TO THE

374 his style

more

We

dignified and decisive.

have preserved

the following very imperfect sketch of this speech

" Brothers, The subject, upon which you,

is

me

grievous to

this grief is the

me

from speaking

my

revered uncle,

has thus far prevented

year, I have been called

am

by your

fied

motive which Since

to you.

who

died last

succeed to him, but as I

know how I

I rejoice at seeing

my

not the season

when we

meet the

followers are

to direct

my-

have received from you, and I

now

am

all

absent.

the Indians are together

In the autumn,

our hunting season. lages to

:

address

to

grati-

visit.

" I regret that

ed,

to

follow the advice which

him, and therefore

is

upon

not endued with experience to

self, I shall

am

and

;

the lamented death of

I

we

;

This this is

collect in our vil-

Had you seen us thus collectme at the head of a large and men at present I am alone still I am

traders.

you would have found

powerful band of

;

;

pleased to see you.

"Brothers, There are two roads which tas first

usually travel led

him

;

my

we

the Daco-

uncle trod both these paths.

The

to the British, far towards the rising sun.

From them he received both kindness and honour; they made him many presents, among which were flags and medals. The other road led him to the Americans at St. Louis this road he subsequently travelled. From them ;

he, in like manner, received flags and medals.

has bequeathed

"

I

all to

These he

me.

should have unfurled

my

flags at

your approach, but

am unacquainted with the customs of your nation, and am new in the duties of my rank. I am ignorant how to act but I am desirous of following the advice of my dying uncle, who bade me remain at peace with the Ame-

I

I

;

;

SOURCE or

ST.

Peter's river.

my

and always consider them as

ricans,

375

friends; and as

such I hold you.

My

*'

my

Friends, I

uncle.

which he

my

over

But

I

am poor and very

have

Since

travelled.

visit St.

powder and

tobacco.

"

I

I

are hunting to the north

flags

I

;

I shall

followers are absent.

have

left

with them

my

They will exhibit to you my flags know them, for they are those of your nation.

send them word of your intention to travel that

coming

if

they see you, treat you with be-

respect, assist you, supply

and with whatever " My Friends, I

have prepared it

my

not whither you are going ; but I presume you

way, and bid them,

and

I

;

with them.

and you will

I

among them, and have not

have already told you, that

may meet

not so was

Louis, in order to obtain presents of

They

know

;

have been called upon to rule

people, I have dwelt

been able to

destitute

as yet followed neither of the roads

else

am

you may

you with provisions,

require.

poor, and could not do

much

;

but

you have partaken of it, am young and inexperienced in

this little feast ;

has gratified me.

I

speaking, but I have done for your flattering visit."

my

best.

Again,

I

thank you

E.M'KDniux TO thl

t37G

CHArTER

VIII.

Account of the Dacotas or Sioux Indians. Their dimsions into tribes. Their numbers, language, manners

and

Notice of TVanatan, principal chief of

customs.

Yanktoanan

the

Fur

tribe.

Description of the Columbia'

Compani/''s establishment on

WE have collected together we have

Lake Travers.

the information which

all

obtained on the subject of the Dacotas. It results,

either froni our OAvn observations, or

communicate

from conversations

with those able

to

Chien, Fort

Anthony, or Lake Travers.

St,

contributed most to

it, is

facts, either at Prairie

Renville

;

we

du

He, who has

are aware that

all

the information which he has given us cannot be depend-

ed upon. entirely

He was

uneducated, not free from prejudices, not

exempt from the

superstitions of his mother's

countrymen. His opportunities of improvement, but more especially his inquiring mind, had

on many points

We

believe

it

still

;

made him

sceptical up-

upon some he appeared credulous.

not impossible, that he

may sometimes have

attempted to give information which he did not possess, or to exaggerate truths into fictions,* fully recorded all that

he told

us,

We,

at the time, care-

and have since made use

of but such parts as appeared to us correct, endeavouring to

omit

lity,

all

that

may have sprung from

ignorance, credu-

or a taste for the marvellous.

The Dacotas distinct in their

are a large and powerful nation of Indians

manners, language, habits, and opinions,

from th^ Chippewas, Sauks, Foxes, and Naheawak or Kil-

—

SOURCE OP listeno, as well as

They are

from

Peter's river.

ST.

377

nations of the Algonquin stock.

all

likewise unlike the Pawnees and the Minnetarees

They

or Gros Ventres.

inhabit a large district of country

which may be comprised within the following limits From Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi by a curved line :

extending east of north, and made to include tributaries of the Mississippi, to the first

wa

river

the

Chippewa Indians

;

the head waters of that stream being claimed

line to the Riviere de

;

Lake

Corbeau

head near Otter-tail Lake River, and

down

by

thence by a line running west of

north to the head of Spirit

Red

the eastern

all

branch of Chippe-

;

thence by a westerly

;

thence up that river to

its

thence by a westerly line to

;

that river to

Pembina thence by a ;

south-westerly line to the east bank of the Missouri near

Mandan

the

villages

thence

;

down

the Missouri* to a point

probably not far from Soldier's River

running east of north

to Prairie

;

thence by a line

du Chien.

This tract in-

cludes about seven degrees of latitude, viz. from the 42° to the 49°, 30'.

and nine of longitude,

These boundaries,

which we

shall state,

degree of latitude.

them

from 90°

30' to 99°

as well as all the subsequent facts

do not apply to the Assiniboins, a

revolted band of the Dacotas,

long time ago, and

viz.

who

separated from

them a

who

reside to the north of the 49th

We

will have occasion to recur to

hereafter.

This immense extent of country

is

by

inhabited

a nation

calling themselves, in their internal relations, the Dicota,

which means the

allied,

but

who

in their external relations

style themselves the Och^nte Shakoaii,

nation of seven, (council,) •

fires.

which

signifies the

This refers

to the fol-

According to Lewis and Clarke, they hunt on both banks of the

Missouri and tude, (vol.

I.

Vol. L

its

tributaries,

from the 43d to the 47th degree f f

p.^1.)

48

lati-

—

EXPEDITION TO THE

378

lowing division which formerly prevailed among them.. viz:

2.

Mende Wahkan loan, or people of the Spirit Wahkpa toan, or people of the Leaves.

3.

Sisi toan, or

4. 5.

Yank Yank

6.

Ti toan, or Braggers.

7.

Wahkpako

1.

Mia Kcchakesa.

toan an, or Fern leaves. toan, or descended

from the Fern

leaves.

toan, or the people that shoot at leaves.

These form two great tinguished

Lake.

by the

divisions,

traders into the

which have been

dis-

names of Gens du Lac,

and Gens du Large. Those that resided about Spirit Lake,

who

and

are

Mississippi

may

;

now

principally found along the banks of the

and those that rove in the prairies

be considered as including

all

;

these

the six last tribes.

All the Dacotas speak the same language

;

yet some dis-

tinctions of the nature of dialects appear to prevail in sonle

words, as spoken by the roving or by the stationary In-

From the circumstance of these difierences being we are led to believe, that the seven tribes were

dians. trifling,

originally one, and that the

name

of Dacota, or allied, must

not be considered as implying an union or amalgamation of different nations.

We

hope we

indulging in a fanciful comparison,

we as

see, in the use of this

it

has with us

;

be accused of

shall not

when we

word by them,

the

observe that

same meaning

probably they sprung from one

common

root, divided into tribes according to their local distribu-

tion

upon the surface of the country, and then, speaking

the same language, and having the

found

it

mutual

same enemies, they

convenient to unite in one confederacy for their

safety.

We

do not, however, profess

sufficient acquaintance

to

have a

with their language, or with philo-

logy in general, to decide the question.

Perhaps one

SOURCE OF

PETER

ST.

S

RIVER.

379

skilled in this science could discover in their language a

combination of several originally distinct tongues. If such ever existed,

all

recollection of

it

among

has been effaced

them.

To

ascertain the

number

of any Indian tribe has alwayg

been considered one of the greatest desiderata, but

at the

same time one of very difficult attainment. The numbers of this nation have been variously stated by different travel-

We

lers.

have had no opportunity of forming any opinion

own on this subject but they have been represented to us by all who knew them as extremely numerous. We have already stated, in another place, that we had seen of our

;

lodges large enough to hold

fifty inhabitants.

We

have

likewise to observe, that they chiefly subsist upon the buffalo,

an animal which exists in herds* of tens of thousands

on the

prairies

between the Missouri and Mississippi, and

which, within a few years east of the Mississippi

the

;

means of subsistence

much

past,

from far

was extremely abundant

this

it

may

be argued, that

exceed the consumption of a

larger population than has ever been ascribed to the

Dacotas.

It

must likewise be remembered,

racteristic of the Indian

consume

in this, differing

;

that

it is

a cha-

never to destroy more than he can

much from

the white hunter,

who

will frequently kill a buffalo for

row

bones, leaving the rest of the animal as a prey to the

wolves.

its

tongue or

its

In the destruction of the buffalo, the white

mar-

man

cannot even plead the inducements of trade, since a great

many are killed whose hides are never turned to use. With these observations we will offer a census of the population of the Dacotas, as furnished to us

*The term

by

Renville, re-

band, as applied to a herd of buffalo, has almost

technical, being the only one in use in the west.

the French term baiide.

It is

become

derived from

EXPEDITION TO THE

3S0

marking, however, that

it

usually considered as ex-

is

aggerated.

Names ofvlllages Gens

dii lac,

or parties of Dacotas. No. of lodges. Warriors. Souls.

or Jlfendewahkantoan.

1.

Keoxa, (Wapasha's, &c.)

-

40

70

400

2.

Eanbosandata, (Red Wing\s,)

-

10

25

100

-

30

70

300

-

30

40

200

-

3.

Kapoja, (Petit Corbeau's,)

4.

Oanoska, (Black Dog's,)

5.

Tetankatane,

10

30

150

6.

Taoapa,

30

60

300

7.

Weakaote

10

10

50

130

260

1000

100

200

800

120

240

900

160

450

1500

-

Geiis dii large, or roving Dacotas.

8.

Miakechakesa, (or

9.

Wahkpakota,

10.

Wahkpatoan,

11. Kahra, (a

Sisitons,)

-

-----

band of the

Sisitons,)

12.

Yanktoanan,

460

1300

5200

13.

Yanktoan,

200

500

2000

900

14. Tetoans,

Adding

for stragglers

-

-

100

-

3600 14,400

200

800

2330

7055 28,100

StrengthoftheHohaor Assiniboins, 3000

7000 28,000

Total force of the Dacota,^^(before ^

,.,...

S-

their division,)

-

_

-

-

^

,

5330

14,055 56,100

Previous to their division the Assiniboins belonged to the Yanktoanan tribe.

The above estimate falls somewhat short of that which Renville made some time before, when he was in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company. He then visited all the Dacota villages, camps, &c. and by a close calculation

Estimated the

number of warriors, exclusive of the

Assini-

SOURCE OP boins, at 7600. at

PETER

ST.

S

381

RIVER.

This band having always been estimated

very nearly the same number

as all the other Dacotas,

will give an aggregate, (according to these data,) of 15,000

Admitting the proportion of one-fourth the na-

warriors.

which

tion able to bear arms, truth,

it

would give

probably very near the

is

60,000 souls;

as a total

who would ocwe allude

cupy about 6000 lodges. In counting the lodges -to

the skin tents which contain from eight to ten indi-

viduals,

young and

old

;

for the

permanent cabins on the

Mississippi contain from three to ten families each, and is

fifteen to

As

it

one cabin has, in some cases, furnished from

said that

twenty warriors.

who

almost every traveller,

has visited the Dacotas,

has given a different enumeration of their divisions ; some

reckoning but seven, while others admit

one

tribes

it

;

may

into fifteen parties facilitate a better

is

of Ochente

twenty-

this distribution

merely introduced with a view to

acquaintance with the nation.

that there are but seven tribes

name

as many as

be well to observe that

among

We believe

the Dacotas, as their

Shakoan implies; the divisions which we

have admitted in the Mende Wahkantoan, are probably not very important, and

among

we know

that similar ones exist

doubt that the Tetoans are divided into as the

we have no many parties, such

the several tribes of roving Dacotas

;

Tetons of the Burnt wood, the Tetons Okandandas,

Tetons Mennakenozzo, Tetons Saone, &c.

Lewis and

Clarke. If

divisions in

we have

most of the other

not

made

as

enumerated by

use of any of these

tribes, it is

because

we

could

not obtain them so accurately and also because they are ;

important; a hunter,

who

less

has no fixed residence, will wil-

lingly pass from one party of Indians to another, belong-

ing to the same tribe as he does, and this he will be ready to do at

any time but he who has ;

his lodge, his cornfields;,

—

EXPEDITION TO THE

3S2 &c.

much more

is

which he

in

inclined to attach himself to the village

we

lives; and, accordingly,

find that the resi-

dences of the Dacotas, on the Mississippi,

&.c.

are

still,

for

the most part, kept up in the same places, where Carver

saw them

The

in 1766.

population of the Dacotas varies, according to the

Carver estimates the Naudowessies of

different travellers.

the plains, (independant of those of Spirit lake,) at up-

wards of two thousand

but as he includes in these the

;

Shiennes and Omawhaws, who,

distinct nations, it is evident that

sions

we

can draw no conclu-

from his statement. Lewis and Clarke

numbers riors,

at about

two thousand

form

at present at least,

five

establish their

hundred and fifty war-

which, upon the data of one warrior to four souls,

admits a population of about ten thousand, but this

doubtedly

far

under the

Pike

truth.

un-

is

states their population

twenty-one thousand six hundred and seventy-five,

at

in-

cluding three thousand eight hundred and thirty-five warriors.

We believe the

aggregate which he gives

is

nearly

Among

such

Indians as have partially acquired habits of civilized

life,

correct, but that

he allows too few warriors.

the proportion of one warrior in five souls

nearly true

;

but

among

the roving bands,

the majority of the Dacotas, to be less than

old

men

is

we would

may

which

be very

constitute

not admit the ratio

one to four; for the number of children and

proportionally

very early age, counted

much

smaller.

as warriors

above the age of sixteen, may, in

;

Youths

are, at a

probably every male,

reality,

be enumerated as

such.*

From

•

these observations

Vide Carver, ut supra,

Pike, appendix to Part

I.

we

p. 50.

p. 66.

are led to admit, that the

—Lewis and Clarke,

vol. 1,

p

60.

;

SOURCE OP

ST.

Peter's river.

383

population of the Sioux nation cannot be under twentyfive

thousand souls, and that

it

includes at least six thou-

sand warriors.

The following

synopsis of the usual residence of the Da-

and of the actual

cotas,

alluded to,

may

state of the villages or parties

above

be of use as a term of comparison for future

travellers.

Keoxa. Their

1.

chief

is

Wapasha they have two ;

on the Mississippi, (one on lawa

lages

Lake Pepin

;)

they hunt on both banks of the Mississippi,

near Chippewa river and his situation

warrior

;

Keoxa

signifies

The

its tributaries.

by hereditary tenure

the present chief

culture.

vil-

river, the other near

is

his father

;

chief holds

was a great

a wise man, addicted to agri-

" relationship overlooked," be-

cause they unite or have connexion between nearer relations than the other Dacotas nieces,

and even brothers and

Eanbosandata means "

2.

;

first

cousins, uncles

and

sisters intermarry.

vertical rock,"

from a rock

who

on Cannon River.

Their chief

been considered

dependent upon Wapasha ; he rose to

his station lages,

by

as

is

Shakea,

has always

They have two

military talents.

small vil-

one on the Mississippi, the other on Cannon river

they hunt on the head waters of that stream. 3.

Kapoja, means "light;" they

are supposed to be

active than the other Dacotas.

Their present chief

more is

a very distinguished man, and belongs to one of the

oldest families of chiefs

among

the Dacotas, he being the

fourth of his family in direct line.

At

a

meeting of

many

Indian nations, which took place at Lake Travers about four or five years ago, there were present, besides

men from boins,

who

all

the tribes of Dacotas,

many from

the Assini-

Mandans, Minnetarees, lawas, and other

all

addressed

him by

the

name

some

nations,

of " Father," acknow-

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

384

ledging thereby not only his superiority over

Dacota

chiefs, but

theirs.

At

all

the other

even that of the Dacota nation over

meeting, they exchanged and renewed

this

The

pledges of friendship, &c.

festivities,

which

lasted

about a fortnight, consisted of dances, songs and repasts the principal feast was celebrated on the 25th of June. Buffaloes were then very abundant in the country, and a great

number were

The

killed.

whom

chief to

tering distinction of Father was thus applied, that

is

by the

generally called Petit Corbeau

tanwakoamane by the Dacotas.* this Indian at the

He

in 1815.

situation in

M'Coy,

time

when he

is

the

flat-

the same

traders,

Che-

Renville interpreted for

visited

Drummonds

island,

reproached the British government for the

which they

left

the Indians.

When told by Col.

the Indian agent for the British, that he acted in

compliance with one of the stipulations in the treaty with the United States, the chief replied, that the British go-

vernment had deceived them Americans hostility

in

at the

;

;

they were

at

peace with the

1812; but they had been excited to acts of time that he spoke, they were

the United States, having been instigated to tish, it

who

then deserted them.

was on account of

to fulfil

When

it

war with

by the Bri-

could not believe that

their stipulations

their promises, or

and cowardice.

He

at

;

he summoned them

he must charge them with fraud

he was invited to

settle in

Canada,

and assured of support and maintenance for himself and his band,

he indignantly replied, that he required none of

their support;

he would

his nation, and they

own

lands.

This

fight,

and himself obtain peace for

would support themselves upon

The Kapoja

chief formed one of the deputation

Waslungton

in July, 1824.

their

Indians have but one village,

who

visited -the City of

;

SOURCE OP

which

is

on the Mississippi, below the

hunt on the

St.

Oanoska

4.

(War

Peter's river.

ST.

St.

3S5 Peter; they

Croix river. signifies

Wamendetanka,

great avenue.

Eagle,) their chief, was formerly a dependant on

Petit Corbeau.

He

has but one village on the

Peter

St.

he hunts on the Mississippi, above the Falls of

St.

An-

thony.

Tetankatane,

5.

(old village.)

At

lage of the Dacotas.

the time

This

is

the oldest vil-

when Wapasha's

father

ruled over the nation, there were four hundred lodges

Wapasha formerly

there.

ing removed from

it

lived in that village, but hav-

with the greater part of his warriors,

a few preferred remaining there, and chose one of their

number

now

His son, Takop^peshen^, (dauntless,)

as a leader.

rules

He

over them.

of the next following chief St. Peter,

;

three miles above

considered a dependant

is

he has but one village on the its

mouth

;

he hunts on

this

river and the Mississippi.

Taoapa.

6.

which means

The

six.

chief of this party

He

is

called Shakpa,

inherited his station, and

is

a dis-

tinguished man, ranking in the nation third only to

pasha and Petit Corbeau.

on the

situated

St.

He

has but one village

P^ter, between

;

Wait

is

which river and the

Mississippi he hunts. 7.

Weakaote.

a small band

which

is

dependant up-

on the preceding.

Meakechakesa

8.

river,

chief

derives

which has been cut is

its

name from

a point in the

and forms an island. Their called Wahkanto, or " blue spirit ;" he rules by off

right of his family. His tribe has no fixed villages, no

or bark cabins like

all

the preceding tribes

;

mud

they reside

all

the year round in skin lodges, which they shift from place to place.

Vol. L

Their chief rendezvous 49

is

on the Blue Earth

feXPEDlTION TO

3SG river; they hunt

Summer

upon

THE

that stream in winter; during the

season they pursue the buffalo as far as the Mis-

souri.

Wahkpakota,

9.

or the " Shooters at leaves," which

Their

they mistake for deer. (white

who

nails,)

to be a lawless set of

is

a regular hereditary

acknowledged

by

gusted

as

approved of in ordinary

which they have, he

withdrew from them and

is

cases, but,

would have been

owing

fixed villages; they inhabit

skin lodges, and rove near the head of

Earth

10.

Cannon and Blue

Their hunting grounds are in that vicinity

rivers.

and west of

it.

Wahkpatoan, means "the

people beyond those

that shoot at leaves," because they live higher river.

One

of the deeds,

up on the

name

of their chief.

by which he has acquired

respect as a

Nunpakea, (twice

warrior,

dis-

bad name

to the

considered as justifiable in desert-

They have no

tribe.

Sha-

talents.

such by the Indian agent, but who, dis-

their misbehaviour,

resides at Wapasha's. This measure

ing his

men.

They chief, Wiahuga, (the raven,) who

keska rose to his station by his military

have

was Shakeska,

1822. This tribe has a very bad

died in

name, being considered

last leader

was achieved

flying,) is the

at the age of

twenty.

He

was, with

a party of Dacotas, on the lands of the Chippewas, and

was encamped on the edge of a lake an island opposite to his camp was occupied by a considerable party of Chippe;

was

;

in the

middle of the night, he

swam over

alone to

the island, killed one of the enemies, scalped him, and re-

turned unobserved to his friends with the scalp of his ene-

my. This tribe hunts near of

Red 11.

Ottertail

Lake, one of the sources

river.

Kahra, (Wild

rice.)

Jarge and fine skin lodges.

These Indians dwell

The

in

very

skins are well prepared

SOURCE OF

Peter's river,

ST.

387

and handsomely painted.

They have no permanent

dence, but frequently visit

Lake Travers.

grounds are on Red Standing Buffalo,)

who

They

river.

who

is

a chief

resi-

Their hunting

follow Tatankanaje, (the

by hereditary

right,

and

has acquired distinction as a warrior.

Yanktoanan,

12.

most important fifth that

(the

Fern

leaves.)

This

They have no

of the whole nation.

one of the

is

amounts

tribes, as its population

to one-

fixed resi-

dence, but dwell in fine skin lodges, well dressed and decorated. Their hunting grounds are very extensive, spread-

ing from

Red

They

river to the Missouri.

frequent, for

purposes of trade. Lake Travers, Big Stone Lake, and the

Shienne

river.

Charger,) of

Their principal chief

whom we

shall

Yanktoan, (descended from

13.

Wanotan,

is

(the

speak hereafter. the Fern leaves,) are

in every respect similar, and probably separated from thg last

mentioned. Their leader, Tatanka Yuteshene, (he

eats

no

and

buffalo,) is distinguished

as a warrior.

They frequent the Missouri, and

traffick with the traders upon that river.

grounds are east

of,

and adjoining

Tetoans, (Braggers.)

14.

who

both as an hereditary chief

to,

generally

Their hunting

the Missouri.

According

tribe includes one-half of the Dacotas,

to Renville, this

and

it is

probably

here that his calculations are most likely to be erroneous.

They

reside in skin lodges, and are constantly roving be-

tween the rivers,

St.

Peter and the Missouri.

and are held

to be

They

men they They are not

are great boasters, and hence their name.

considered braver than the other tribes. ChantApeta, (Heart of Fire,)

We

may add

trade on both

very hostile to white

is

a

;

Their chief,

very powerful warrior.

of the Assiniboins,

whom

the Dacotas call

the Hoha, (revolted,) that they formerly belonged to the tribe of the

Yanktoanan. They boast of having upwards of

EXPEDITION TO THE

38S

3000 skin lodges, of which Renville once saw three hundred pitched in one place. Their grounds are north of Pembina towards the Assiniboin river, and west of Lake

They

nepeek.

are said to send

Mountains.

war

parties every year, as far as the

They have been

since their separation

mutual tendency

Win-

war with the Blackfeet Indians, and

are at

;

fighting the

Rocky

Dacotas ever

but there seems to be at present a

to a reunion.

his military achievements

his

;

Their present chief rose by

name

is

Minayoka, Knife

bearer.

The

cause of the separation of the Assiniboins from their

former friends

is

variously related.

The

following has ap-

peared to us to be the prevalent tradition on It is said that,

tween two

about

fifty

this

subject.

years* ago, a quaiTel arose be-

influential families of the

Yanktoanans,

at

the

time that they were hunting in the vicinity of Lake Travers.

A young man, belonging to one of these families, se-

duced the wife of one of the warriors of the other family,

and conveyed her

to his

camp.

The

injured husband pur-

sued them, and, in his attempt to rescue his wife, was him-

His father and two brothers, accompanied by two

self slain.

of his uncles, went to the seducer's camp, with a view to obtain the corpse of their deceased relation. to the camp, they

murderer

;

met with

a quarrel ensued,

On

their

way

a party of the friends of the

and three out of the

five pe-

rished, without having succeeded in killing one of their

opponents.

The

distressed parent survived this conflict,

and, swearing that he would avenge his losses, he betook

himself to a camp of his friends, stated his wrongs, and ob-

*

The

separation probably occurred at a

much earlier

period.

Dates

are soon forgotten by Indians. Hennepin mentions a nation of the Assini^ polls,

who probably

are the same. Charlevoix calls thera Assiniboils.

Peter's river.

38.9

who marched

out with him.

proposed to the aggressor's friends to

compromise

SOURCE OP

ST.

tained a party of sixty warriors

They

the matter,

by delivering over two of their party to the pa-

rent, so that

he might

offer

them

as propitiatory victims to

the spirits of his four departed kinsmen. This offer having

been rejected,

was fought,

a battle

twenty of his party

;

his

in

opponents

which the seducer

fought, or to relate

how

among

itself

;

nation

war ensued

civil

;

revolted,

who

call

was van-

to say, that the

it

was divided

;

breach

long and bloody

a

pay any allegiance

and formed a new nation, was,

it

the aggressor and his friends withdrew

to the north, ceased to

means

five.

of engagements

enemies, and recruited

its

Suffice

friends.

its

the

list

each party, as often as

quished, swore revenge against

widened

but

lost

be needless to go through the long

lost

It would

to

to the confederacy,

which the term Hoha, which

The Chippe-

was applied by the Sioux.

the Dacota nation Boines, distinguished the

insurgents by the term of Assini Boines, which, accord-

ing to some interpreters, means revolted Boines, but which,

by the

greater number,

is

supposed to be derived from the

Chippewa word Assin, which this

signifies stone.

Whence we know not

or of Stone Indians. last appellation,

been

told, that

it

the ;

Chippewa derived

but

we

believe

was from the frequent use of

weapon of defence by the Hohas. Henry instrument and the manner of using it.

The

;

this

we have

stones, as a

describes the

Dacotas have no tradition of having ever emigrated,

from any other side

Ever since

band has been known under the name of Assiniboin,

place, to the spot

upon which they now

re-

they believe that they were created by the Supreme

Being on the lands which they origin of white flected

men

at

present occupy.

Of the

they have no idea, having never re-

upon the subject; they have preserved

a faint tra-

EXPEDITION TO THE

390 dition of their this was,

They first

first

and when

meeting with a white man, but who it

took place, they are unable to telL

believe that he was a

Frenchman, and that he was

discovered by a party of

Mende Wahkan toan much surprised ;

soon as the Dacotas saw him they were his dress and complexion

;

By means

of signs they asked

He

had in his hand

him

the use of that

instrument; he pointed out to them that with take

away the

man

placed a

life

of any object he pleased

before him, challenging

what he had advanced,

;

at

they took him prisoner, secured

him, and brought him to their camp. a gun.

as

upon

him

he could

it

they then

;

to the proof of

his refusal to

do

it,

they

placed a dog before him, which he immediately shot and killed.

Terrified at the report of the gun, they

considering

him

as the spirit of the

ed there, they returned

thunder

;

as

all

ran

oflf,

he remain-

him, called him by the name of

to

Thunder, and held him in great awe and veneration. Their

first

discovery by white

men

when he

levoix* to the year 1660,

is

referred

states that

by Cliar-

they were

met by two Frenchmen proceeding west from Lake Superior.

Father Hennepin's

thony, did not take place

visit to the Falls of St.

till

upwards of twenty years

ter this. Previous to Charlevoix's writings, the Dacotas

been referred to a Chinese

An-

origin.

This idea

is

af-

had

supported

surprise us,

weak analogies of language as must when advanced by one who certainly was not

destitute of

judgment and observation.

by Carver, but upon such

them

a Tartarean origin,

Pike ascribes

to

on the ground of " their guttural

pronunciation, their high cheek bones, their visages and distinct

manners, together with their

own

traditions, sup-

ported by the testimony of neighbouring nations."

*Hist. de laNouv. France, torn. 2, p. 98.

SOURCE 0^

ST.

391

Peter's river.

The Dacotas have a very simple system of religion. They believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, and of a number of subordinate ones, whose powers, privileges, and attributes vary much. The Supreme Being is by them called Wahkan Tanka, or Great Spirit. They worship him, considering him as the Creator of all things that exist, and as the Ruler and Disposer of the Universe they hold him to be the source of all good, and the cause of no evil whatever. The ;

next

spirit in respect to powei', is the

evil spirit

Wahkan

Shecha, or

his influence is far less extensive than that of

;

Wahkan Tanka, and it is exclusively exerted in the performance of evil. He is co-eternal with the former, inthe

capable of doing any good, the promoter of

Although

&c.

partially

Spirit, yet it is not in the

power of the

check him. Their third divinity

some believe

Rocky Mountains. all

it

It is

wars, strifes,

to dwell

latter entirely to

the Thunder, for

is

They

they have the greatest awe. west, and

all

under the control of the Great

fix its

which

residence to the

upon the summit of the

almost unnecessary to add, that

thunder storms in that section of the country, proceed

from the west.

To

each of these spirits they extend their

worship. It has been incorrectly stated of the Dacotas that

they do not worship the Supreme Being, thinking necessary to supplicate an all-bountiful power.

it

un-

On

the

contrary, they offer sacrifices to the Great Spirit, in grati-

tude for favours received. their object

is

to propitiate

In sacrificing to the evil

spirit,

him, to induce him to avert his

anger from them, or to extend to them his support in war.

But

it

is

the

Thunder which

is

considered as the main

agent in warlike operations, and to

apply for victory.

it

do they chiefly

Sacrifices to these three

ing a pipe towards the

spirit.

powers are

of-

They begin by elevatHe who gives or ordains the

fered nearly in the same manner.

;

LXPEDITION To THE

392 sacrifice, after

offered, takes

having addressed the being to

up the calumet, and

towards the sky,

whom

deity, he points the stem towards the south

for the evil

is

it

stem upwards

be intended for the good spirit;

if it

for the thunder, the pipe is

raises the

directed to the west.

is

if ;

When

if it

intended that the object sacrificed shall remain exposed

to the atmosphere,

known

to

which

fastened upon a stake,

it is

Human

vated or inclined in like manner.

have ever been resorted

stance about forty years ago.

to,

except in one in-

The Sioux had destroyed

several

Chippewa lodges, and taken a few women and

dren.

Wamendetanka's

rior,

father,

who was

chil-

a partizan war-

expressed his belief that the sacrifice of a child would

ensure him good luck.

Accordingly he offered one

evil spirit to obtain success in w^ar.

upon

ele-

is

sacrifices are not

a pole,

The

child

to the

was

fixed

which was inclined towards the south

the

;

death of the victim was procured by tying a rope round its

neck.

In addition to these three principal deities, the

Dacotas acknowledge

many

subordinate ones

rit, for instance, resides in the sun, a

both these are connected

No

lent beings.

ture of the stars.

;

a female spi-

male inhabits the moon

they are considered as benevo-

;

particular doctrine prevails, as to the na-

The

sacrifices of the

Dacotas are accompa-

nied with prayers, but not with dances. If one of the nation

should observe any object elevated by another on a pole, as a

saci'ifice

to a spirit,

and he be

tobacco or other offering in

its

time in need of

at that

the same, he will not hesitate to take place.

it,

substituting

This

is,

some

however,

practised only with the offerings to the inferior spirits

no Dacota would dare

to

remove

;

for

that consecrated to the

Supreme Being.

The

ideas of the Dacotas, respecting a future state, dif-

fer but little

from those of other Indians and :

we mav

re-

SOURCE OF

them with

ceive

393

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

they have had but

less diffidence, as

little

intercourse with missionaries, whether Catholic or other-

wise

;

still,

in

some of

was impossible not Christianity,

them.

their credences, as related to us, it

to discover a

few of the doctrines of

which had probably crept

The Dacotas admit

tinct essences, to

Wanari and Wahk&n, which our

by

soul and spirit.

go

to the

dis-

interpreters translate

They

believe that after death the souls

Wanare Tebe,

or dwelling place of the souls.

in order to reach

the edge of which fall off

man two

which they respectively apply the terms

of

That

by

in unnoticed

that there are in

it,

they have to pass over a rock,

as sharp as that of a knife

is

go to the region of the

evil spirit,

;

those

who

where they are

kept constantly chopping wood, carrying water, &c. being frequently flogged by their relentless master.

Those, on the contrary, that have passed safe over the rock, have a long journey to travel; and as they proceed,

they observe the camping places of the souls that have

preceded them

the

;

;

Wahkan Tanka, or

villages of the dead

who

point out to

;

finally,

Great

they reach the habitation of

Spirit.

There

tliey find

they meet with some

them the way

friends and relations, with life is

ready made for

at these spots fires are

accommodation

their

many

spirits there,

to the residence of their

whom they

are reunited. Their

an easy and a blissful one, they hunt the buffalo, plant

corn, &c.

It is

believed, that

when

children are on the

point of death, their departed relations return from the

land of souls in order to convey them thither. are liable to go to either of the places, but

all

Women

are entitled to

a situation in the land of the blessed, except such as have violated their chastity, committed infanticide or suicide.

Their system of Ethics

is

Vol.

I.

50

Men

as simple.

go to the residence of the Great Spirit

if

are held to

they be good and

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

;394

peaceable, or

if

they die by the hand of their enemy.

own countrymen,

their

to the residence of the Evil Spirit.

Sui-

they perish in a broil with their souls are

cide

is

doomed

with them attended with the same penalty as with

women, but

their opinion,

Women

of very rare occurrence.

it is

bound

at all times,

If an

ried, to be chaste.

curing abortion

this

;

is

are, in

whether single or mar-

unmarried female prove other-

wise, she usually endeavours to conceal her

is

If

shame by pro-

held to be highly criminal

the cause and not the act of abortion which

is

;

but

it

censured

for married females frequently obtain miscarriages with

the knowledge and consent of their husbands, and to this

no objection

made.

is

Widows,

that prove with child,

seldom resort to the same means, but they endeavour to conceal the birth of their offspring; and this is consiSuicide

dered as equally criminal.

among

the Dacota

extreme sorrow and

As most women

women

;

affliction

inflict it

is

very

common

they are impelled to ;

but

it is

it

by

held dishonourable.

upon themselves by hanging,'

they are said to go to the regions of the wicked, dragging after

them the

tree to

that they are

which they were suspended.

who

been recorded by Bradbury,

fact has already

doomed

for ever to drag this tree,

This adds,

and that for

this reason they always suspend themselves to as small a

tree as can possibly sustain their weight.

The Dacotas horror

;

repel the charge of cannibalism with great

they assert that they have never been guilty of

but charge their neighbours with the crime. states, as a

that

circumstance for which he

he was present

1813.

The

fort

at

it,

Renville

willing to vouch,

is

the siege of Fort Meigs, in the year

was besieged by general Proctor,

head of the British army, attended

by

at the

a corps of about

three thousand Indians, consisting of Dacotas, Potawato-

SOURCE OP

ST.

395

Peter's river.

mis, Miamis, Ottowas, Wolves, Hurons, Winnebagoes,

They had who had not

Shawanese, Sauks, Foxes, Menomonies, &c. all

shared in the battle except the Dacotas,

who were then on

yet engaged against the Americans, and

way

their

to

While Renville was seated, one afWapasha and Chetanwakoamane, a deputainvite them to meet the other Indians, the

Quebec.

ternoon, with tion

came

to

object of the meeting not being stated

complied with the request.

were engaged walk over

man

in eating an

to the place.

flesh cut up,

after, Frazier, (an in-

that the Indians

American, and invited him

that

moment they

in each nation, to

the heart and head

;

lowed a fragment of

to

He went thither, and found the hufor each

In every dish, in addition to the

At

there was corn.

man

the two chiefs

and portioned out into dishes, one

nation of Indians.

bravest

Shortly

came and informed Renville

terpreter,)

;

come and take

flesh,

upon the

called

a portion of

one warrior from each nation was

al-

In the group of

this choice morsel.

Indians present, there was a brave Dacota, the

nephew of

Chetanwakoamane, known by the name of the " Grand

They invited him to step forward and take and among others a Winnebago addressed him,

Chasseur." his share,

and told him that they had collected their friends to partake of a meal prepared with the flesh of one of that nation that

had done them

so

much

injury.

Before the Sioux warrior

had time to reply, his uncle arose and bade his nephew he then addressed himself to rise and depart thence ;

the Indians

:

"

My friends,"

said he, "

we came

to eat Americans, but to wage war against them suffice for us

own

forces

?

;

and could

we

we even do

;

we

that will

that if left to our

are poor and destitute, while they possess

the means of supplying themselves with

quire

;

here, not

all

that they re-

ought not therefore to do such things." His

com-

EXPEDITIO?; TO THi;

396

rade, Wapasha, added, " to

we

white men, were wiser and more refined than

live at a distance; but

do such deeds " is

Wc thought that you, who live near are

must indeed be otherwise

it

They then

rose and departed.

in the dishes

it

that he

was

saw

and he saw some of the warriors partaking

;

The

of them.

man

you

Renville

positive that he could not have been deceived, for

the head, heart, both hands and feet of a

who

if

British officers

were

in their

camp, and not

aware of the transactions that were going on among the

When

Indians.

satisfaction.

who had

informed of them they expressed great

thing on foot, asked him what could

first set this

when he

impel him to such horrid deeds, that

it

was better

as the

dis-

Winnebago

Col. Dickson, having sent for the

him

for

to

do

as

coolly replied,

he did, than

Americans had done, who had burnt

to

behave

his house,

killed his wife and daughter, and mutilated their corpses. Col.

Dickson then bade him depart, and never again apGen. Proctor gave him the same

pear in his presence. directions.

It

appears that the victim of this

name we could not nebagoes,

who

feast,

was a prisoner of the Winhim with a view to prepare the enwas not done for want of provisions, for ascertain,

killed

tertainment.

It

at that

time the camp was plentifully supplied

does

appear that, in this case,

it

taste of

whose

human

it

;

neither

w^as fondness for the

flesh, but, doubtless, a desire to

vent their

rage and spleen upon their prisoner, which induced them to prepare

and partake of

cotas have always

highest reprobation

ing happened

spoken of such deeds ;

and

we

among them

;

man who had

in this ease

in

terms of the

heard of one case only as hav= it

occurred in the year 1811,

during a very general famine, three flesh of a

women

partook of the

previously died of hunger

where they

The Da-

this disgusting repast.

w^ere urged

;

but even

by a necessity which

SOITRCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER.

probably no white

man

was generally blamed

397

could have resisted, their conduct

and two of them having died a

;

short time afterwards, their death was supposed to have been

brought on by

The

this food.

third

still

lives; she is re-

who

garded with horrour by the rest of the nation,

also

consider her present state of corpulence as produced by that fatal food

die

;

they state

choked with the

We

fat

as their opinion, that she will

it,

man

of the

of

whom she

ate.

have heard some cases of cannibalism related of

them by

none appeared so well sub-

their neighbours, but

stantiated as to be entitled to belief, especially as the opi-

nion which

we have

testimony of

Hennepin

The

adopted,

is

who have visited them, from

the travellers

all

to the present day.*

treatment of their prisoners, by the Dacotas, has ge-

nerally been considered as kind

back

supported by the uniform

;

and we find that even

as the visit of that traveller,

racter.

as far

they deserved that cha-

who certainly was much addicted to exand who might have been alarmed at innocent

Hennepin,

aggeration,

gestures, the intention of

which he might mistake, has

given such an account of the treatment which he receivec^

*It appears that

Tommo,

(the Dacota

who guided Major Long's

party from Prairie da Cliien,) told Mr. Colhoun that he had eaten of a Chippewa, called Hahatong; he spoke of

nance, pointed to his

breast, saying that

it

without any repug-

This appears to be a

to be the most delicate.

and we only mention

it

he had found

because

concealing any fact that

may

we wish

affect

that part

solitary instance,

to avoid the charge of

our general position, that the

Dacotas do not imitate their neighbours in this gratification of a de-

praved appetite.

Otherwise,

we

should have taken no notice of the

fact, as

the only interpreter at that time was George

whose

qualifications in that capacity,

language and integrity,

we

Wade, a youth

both as to the knowledge of the

strongly suspect.

EXPEDITION TO THE

398

from them, mies seem as

as fully confirms

our statement.

Their ene-

to place great confidence in this virtue of theirs,

manifest from the following transaction, which hap-

is

pened about thirty years ago.

A

battle

had been fought on

Knife Lake between the Chippewas and Dacotas dred warriors of the fifteen

latter

of the former,

amounting

;

two hun-

had surprised and cut up about

killed

their

wives and children

about forty, and taken eight or ten prisoners.

to

They then withdrew to the village

of Tetankatane on the St.

Peter, which at that time consisted of about three hundred lodges.

They were engaged

dancing the scalp dance

was surprised

to

;

in celebrating their victory

and

on looking round, one of the party

behold a warrior painted

over with

all

marked with ten streaks of vermilion which covered fresh wounds. He was immediately recognised to be a distinguished Chippewa chief, called in his own lanblack, and

guage, Keche Wabesches, by the Sioux, Natapa Hecha,

both which terms signify the Big Martin chief

who commanded

;

it

was the same

the small party, the defeat of which

they were then celebrating.

Under cover of a blanket he

had approached thus near undiscovered, passed through the village,

and

it

was only when he found himself

in the pre-

sence of the warriors, that he dropped his mantle. left

hand he held a calumet of peace,

was

firm, his

formed a

But

his attitude

manner imposing and undismayed.

immediately seized, and made to

women

was raised

his right

to the heavens, as if calling for mercy.

circle to protect

him

sit

against the insults of the

generally prone to triumph over the unprotected.

cred

rites,

He was

down; the warriors

and children, the weak and the coward,

trusion of an

In his

enemy, while they were engaged

was by many considered a mortal

who are The in-

at their sa-

offence

;

those

disposed to spare him sent word to Renville's father and

;

SOURCE OP

some other French to

should be decided.

who were encamped on the by the influence of the traders

traders,

opposite side of the river

he was permitted

;

go over to their camp until his

;

convened

fate

After some deliberation, they deter-

mined upon sparing him they formed riors

399

Peter's river.

ST.

in council and,

a large ring of war-

having summoned the

chief,

they asked him what had induced him to venture among

them he replied ;

having searched the

that,

after their departure,

field

of battle

he had not discovered the body of

young daughter, who was but five or six years of age, and concluding that she was a prisoner, he had resolved to come and claim her from them; the black colour, with which he was painted, was a symbol of his mortification his wounds were still fresh. The Dacotas having agreed to

his

release her, the prisoners

were

ately recognised his daughter,

ed her.

He

all

brought up

wept over

;

he immedi-

her, and embrac-

remained two days among them, and was much

feasted, the Dacotas expressing the greatest admiration of

his valour.

On

his departure, they loaded his canoe

presents, and one hundi^ed of protection, as far as

Rum

with

them accompanied him

river.

as a

During his stay he ob-

served the scalps of his wife, brother, and other relations,

and pointed each

out.

When

he had not fought with the same desperate courage sist their attacks,

prised

to re-

which he had manifested when he

them on the

St.

Croix river? he replied,

his courage, but his strength

fought until he

why

asked by the warriors

fell senseless,

which had

it

failed,

being wounded in

sur-

was not he had

many places

both by arrows and fire-arms. Instances exist, however, in which the Dacotas have killed their prisoners of war, and in

they had been taken.

some

cases,

long after

Thus, for example's sake,

it

is re-

400

EXPEDITION TO THE

lated of the

a

mother of Takopepcshencj that she once killed

young Chippewa

daughter four or

whom

girl

five

she had

adopted as her

years before. This she did to avenge

the death of her nephews,

who had been

Chippewas;

took place in 1807; and some

this occurrence

killed

by the

of the circumstances attending the engagement between the

two said,

which prevails

nations, exhibit the great animosity

between the Chippewas and Dacotas.

The

latter had, it is

ascended Chippewa river on a hunting excursion, un-

der the

command

of Shakea, the

their leader informed

them

Redwing

near approach of their enemy.

chief,

when

dreamed of the

that he had

This prediction was un-

at about two o'clock, the by the Chippewas, who gained some camp was assaulted

heeded, but the subsequent night,

advantage over the Dacotas

numerous than they had drew, leaving the

;

finding them, however,

field to

anticipated, the

them.

The Dacotas pursued and

overtook them on an island covered with aspen the woods

many

;

more

Chippewas with-

;

they

fired

the conflagration spreading over the island^

of the

Chippewas perished.

It is stated that

Sioux boys afterwards amused themselves in cutting

the oft

the lower joint of the fingers of the slain, as well as strips

of skin fi'om their arms, and of these they

made

necklaces>

&c.

The

difficulties,

tend prisoners

misfortunes, and ill-treatment which at-

among Indian

nations, as well as the equa-

nimity and perseverance which they manifest in order to effect a rescue,

appear almost incredible to those

who

are

unacquainted with the Indian character, yet there can be no

doubt in the minds of those

The

who have made

a study of it

following narrative of the perils and adventures of a

Yankton woman,

whom we

saw near Lake Travers, ha?

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETEr's RIVER.

401

been related to us under circumstances, which have

most banished scepticism, although

al-

appears mi-

it at first

raculous.

Her name was

When we saw

Sh^n^nska, or the

White

Buffalo Robe.

was about seventy years of

her, she

age.

She relates that, in her youth, while yet under twenty, she

was taken captive by

whose

a party of

was cruel and

lot she fell

Chippewas relentless

;

;

the man to among other

hardships, he obliged her to walk naked, for three days, be-

whole party

fore the

;

and whenever, from

fatigue, she

At

slackened her pace, she was scourged by her captors. last,

on the third day, they reached a

cying themselves secure from

all

streanx

where, fan-

pursuit, they prepared to

sojourn some time, and that evening she was doomed to undergo a still more barbarous treatment, when a Chippe-

wa

warrior came

that of the others said

in,

whose mind was more generous than

he declared himself her protector,

;

he would adopt her

his influence as a brave

or from

as his daughter.

man, or from

linquished, though reluctantly,

manner,

his decisive

some other motive she knows

an-d

Whether from

not, but she

was

re-

by her former master; and

her adopted father conveyed her to his family, which was far to the north.

In the autumn they returned towards

the Dacota lands in pursuit of buffalo.

Although the

treat-

ment which Shenanska had received from her adopted father was mild, yet her life was rendered unpleasant by his wife,

who

used her in an unfeeling manner.

sidering the infant child of the

Chippewa mother

Con-

to be, in

part at least, the cause of her troubles, Shenanska deter-

mined

to destroy

it,

and on one occasion, while both parents

were away, she stabbed awl.

The

Vol.

I.

it

in the side

infant immediately expired

51

;

with a moccassin she replaced

it

in

EXPEDITION TO THE

403 its

When, on

cradle.

saw her long

her return to the lodge, the mother

child in the cradle, she inquired if

sleeping,

Shenanska

replied

in

the

it

had been

affirmative.

Having gone nearer to the infant and discovered that it was dead, although she did not observe the wound, the mother instantly seized an axe, and struck a blow on Shenanska's head,

who

into a swoon.

fell

The blow was

mortal one, she soon recovered from the effects of

not a

it,

and

having determined to make her escape, succeeded in leav-

She travelled towards the

ing the lodge unobserved.

lands of her countrymen, and after eleven days of a

guing march, during which, she

much from hunger,

that she

at

fati-

one time suffered so

was forced

to feed

upon

bits

of skin and leather, collected at a deserted encampment,

she found herself in sight of her native Coteau, and was

flat-

tering herself with the hope of soon meeting with a party of

when

her friends,

she

mortal enemies to her

met with

fell in

tribe.

instant death,

By him

her favour.

maining a day in

with a band of Assiniboins,

From

these she

would have

had not their chief interfered in

she was treated kindly, but after re-

his

camp, he advised her to make

her escape, as otherwise she must

He

sentment of the party.

fall

a victim to the re-

supplied her with provisions,

a horse, and every thing she might require for the route.

Again she days,

started

when

on a solitary journey, which lasted forty

she met her friends.

On

approaching their

camp, her appearance was so much altered that they knew her not. Her daughter

;

own

at last,

her friends

all

father hesitated in recognising her as his

when

she spoke and mentioned her name,

collected around her, while she related to

them her adventures

;

after she

had finished her narrative,

her father seized his knife and stabbed himself, in testimony

;

SOURCE OF

of the grief he experienced at

mode

403

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

A

she had suffered.

all

of expressing sympathy for past troubles which,

is not common among Indians. The Dacotas appear to take but little pains

however,

cation of their children

What

;

in the edu-

they follow no regular system.

the children learn, on the subject of their religious

opinions and traditions,

is

collected gradually, and alto-

The

gether in the course of unpremeditated conversations.

only attention which they receive

is

towards the develop-

ment of those qualifications, both of mind and body, which shall enable them to make active hunters and dauntless warriors.

To

be enured to fatigue, to hunt

rise early, to

undergo hunger without repining, are the only

skilfully, to

points to which the Dacota thinks

it

important to attend in

Corrections are never re-

the education of his children.

sorted to, they are never flogged

;

indeed, with the excep-

tion of occasionally throwing cold water

make them

rise in the

upon them, to

morning, they never resort to any

authoritative measures, all

which they consider

as cruel

Their fondness for their children

and unnatural.

is

ex-

treme, especially that of mothers for their daughters. It

not an

uncommon This

ters.

is

young Indian panions. It

mother carry water, hew

thing, to see a

wood, and undergo much

is

fatigue, to spare

it

to her daugh-

especially the case with the mothers of those

females,

whom the traders take as

their

com-

does not appear that the daughters feel the least

compunction they consider

at the trouble it all

as a

which

their parents

undergo

matter of course, being doubtless

prepared to go through the same drudgery for their chil-

dren

when they

No

shall require

it.

event appears of more importance to a Dacota pa-

name upon his offspring. It much ceremony a large feast or sacrifice

rent than the bestowing of a is

attended with

;

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

404 is

prepared

;

name which

the relations and friends are invited.

The

generally one derived from

some

given

is

is

The

visible object in the heavens or earth.

which

to support a pipe, the stem of

the object from which the offered to the spirit object.

These

which

name

is

made

directed towards

is

taken

is

infant

;

a sacrifice

is

supposed to reside in that

is

and costly, they

sacrifices are extensive

consist of dogs and other animals, of skins, of scarlet cloth,

tobacco, &c.

was

appears to us well established that this

It

originally an Indian institution, and not, as

we at

first

apprehended, a mere imitation of the rejoicings which

among some

ceremony of naming some Indian nations endeavour-

Christian sects attend the

We

a child.

are told of

ing to stimulate their youths into dreams, visions, &c.* but this has not appeared to us to be the case with the Dacotas

when dreams do occur they much importance is attached made to give rise to them. Polygamy upon

is

;

point, and

;

every is

them, but no attempt

is

allowed, and no regulations whatever exist

this subject

couraged

are held to be favours, and to

it

appears to be rather tolerated than en-

man

follows his inclination upon that

esteemed neither more nor

the number of his wives, or children.

less

on account of

It is

probable that

most men have more than one, though few have many wives.

The Dacotas relations

;

destroy neither their children nor their old

to the latter their conduct

and attentive

as

it

ought

to

be

;

their attachment to their children,

kind treatment

is

perhaps not as kind

but they

who

make up

The

in proportion to their wants.

of shaping the heads of infants

* Transactions of the Historical

rican Philosophical Society.

is

for

it

by

receive care and

unknown

practice

to them.

and Literary Committee of the Ame-

Philadelphia, 1819, vol.

I.

p. 238.

;

SOURCE OF

405

PETEr's RIVER.

ST.

The Dacotas have prophets among them, but none that are so distinguished as those of the Shawanese. They are always prepared to oppose the incredulous with several

stories, or

anecdotes, to which they assert that they were in most cases witnesses.

them of

It

would be vain

to

attempt to convince

their error on this point, probably because they

are pleased with

and are

it,

ing convinced that

it is

no manner desirous of be-

in

Even

but a delusion.

breed interpreters share in this belief;

the half-

they profess

at least

themselves unable to account otherwise for the success that In relating two or three of these

attends those prophecies. stories,

stating

we deem it unnecessary for us to premise them, by that we are not believers in them, as Carver ap-

pears to have been in the prophecies of his friend, the

Chief Priest of the Killistinoes, but that

we merely

recite

them in order to show how far credulity will extend. About twenty years ago, a large party of Indians, collected near Lake Travers, were quite destitute of tobacco not knowing

how

to procure any, they applied to Tatan-

kanaje, (Standing Buffalo,) a prophet of

some

distinction,

and the uncle of the present chief of the Kahras.

man

usually carried about

into a it

human

shape

;

this

him

a

stone idol, carved

little

he called his

he always applied when consulted

This

little

man, and

in the

way

to

of his

profession. Tatankanaje being requested to advise the best

means of obtaining if

to

tobacco,

made answer

to

them, that

they would go to a certain place, which he pointed out

them, they would find his

they would

observe in its

idol,

and by examining

hand a piece of tobacco.

did as he bade them, and found in the

little

it

They

fellow's hand,

a piece about four inches long ; this was brought to the

camp, and was thought

to

redound much

to the credit both

of the prophet and the idol ; but Tatankanaje then observ-

;

EXPEDITION TO THE

406

would consult the

ed, that he

man, and ascertain

little

where he had found the tohacco, and how he came by This he did by putting interrogatories to him,

to

it.

which he

pretended that audible answers were returned, though of

many

the

The purport ly informed to

Redwood

that her

them beside

present, not one heard

himself.

of these answers, however, as he subsequent-

them was,

commander,

on the

that at a spot

was

river, there

French

a

St.

Peter, near

a boat, loaded with goods

having been mur-

trader,

dered by the Sioux, the crew had been alarmed, and had run awa)^, leaving the boat unguarded, together with her cargo, consisting principally of tobacco

had seen her, and finding brought for

it,

it

up.

;

that the little

on a keg, had

a piece of tobacco

The prophet having

man

invited

them

to seek

they repaired to the spot, found the boat, took the

tobacco, and returned the rest of the goods to the

French traders that passed up the pened, as

we were

first

This event hap-

river.

informed, in the presence of Renville

and Frenieres, two French traders of reputation, both considered as intelligent and enlightened fathers of the

acquainted.

men

two half-breed traders with

The

story

is

given with

;

they were the

whom we

all

were

the particulars

name of the owner of the boat was Benjamin La Goterie, a name well known in that The story has been current ever since. The country. that

might be wished

traders,

who

for

the

;

appear to credit

ble for the prophet

to

it,

state that it

was impossi-

have visited the spot and returned

without his absence being known, as the distance exceeds

one hundred miles

;

from

gence they never knew. they never considered

it

whom

As

possible that

of the prophet's, but attributed tic lore.''

he received his

intelli-

to the Dacotas themselves,

it

it

might be

a

knavery

altogether to his "

mys-

SOURCE OP

407

Peter's river.

ST.

another occasion, Tatankanaje acquired great re-

Oil

putation in consequence of a prediction that he would lead a

war party

that

;

particular spot,

a

camp

a stated

manner the

lumber of

kill a certain

amount of prisoners

loss of lives,

The event justified,

as

of time, place,

it is

number

the

enemy, and

he predicted in like

;

which would attend

this victory.

said, the prediction

even

as to the general results, but

sides,

at a

in with

fall

of fifteen Assiniboin lodges, that he would attack

and defeat them,

make

on the day which he appointed, and

which he described, he would

not only,

;

as to the circumstances

of killed and

wounded on both Of

and amount of prisoners taken from the enemy.

course, so valuable a prophet

was constantly resorted

for the recovery of stolen property, or of goods that lost, for a

knowledge of the

fate of

velling, for the cure of diseases,

to,

were

persons that were tra-

and for

all

such other im-

portant points, upon which the credulity both of civilized

and savage man induces them to lend impositions of knaves. perty, in

we

we

regret that

which the object

had ventured

Of

can only mention a circumstance

was very

at stake

to steal

a willing ear to the

his talent in recovering pro-

away

trifling.

concealed in a lodge that formed one in a

dred lodges.

The prophet took

walked round the bridle reflected in

Some one

it was camp of one hun-

the prophet's bridle

a mirror in his

village, until, as

his mirror;

he

said,

;

hand and

he saw the

lost

he entered the adjoining

lodge and recovered his property.

Not only they prophecy, but they perform legerdemain, incantations.

French

all

which they

We

are indebted to

trader, with

ences at Fort

St.

whom Mr.

Anthony,

formed by an Assiniboin.

tricks of

ascribe to the success of their

Mr. Charles Hess, a

Say had

sever-al confer-

for the account of a trick per-

The magician

asserted, in

INIr.

EXPEDITION TO THE

40S

Hess' presence, as well as in that of

he could cause water might,

at that

Indians, that

time, be upon a dry prairie, and at a dis-

Mr. Hess having

tance from any spring or stream.

him

many

an empty keg, though he

to flow into

told

that he did not believe him, but that, if he succeeded,

he would give him a keg of whiskey, the Indian offered

He

repeat the trick.

they examined, and

to

exhibited to

them

judged

empty. The bung was

all

to be

his keg,

which

removed, the cask turned over, and no liquid issued from it.

The Indian then commenced

his incantations, raising

his keg towards the heavens, dancing and performing

many unmeaning

gestures

which he presented

after

;

the Indian chief that was present, bidding

which

the water it

it

him

contained; the latter drank of

very good, and passed

it

to his

it,

found

that the

keg

who

Mr. Hess was convinced

contents, and even

its

to

neighbour; the cask was

circulated, to the great satisfaction of all the Indians

drank of

it

drink of

to

really held pure water.

He was, however, un-

able to detect the deception, but supposed, that a bladder lilled

that,

with water had been fastened within the keg, and

owing

to the agitation

communicated

to

it,

the blad-

der had been burst by means of spikes di'iven into the

ends of the keg, for that purpose and that in this manner the ;

water had been diffused throughout the keg. cian claimed and obtained his reward; but

The magiwhen alone

with him, Mr. Hess charged him with being an impostor,

and told him the manner in which he suspected that the trick

had been performed.

The magician

confessed the

truth of

Mr. Hess' statement, but begged that he would not

disclose

it

to the Indians.

The person who communicated the most respectable traders

time that

we met

this fact to us, is

whom we

have seen

;

one of at the

with him he was in great disti'ess, owing

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER

S

RIVER.

409

by

to the recent loss of part of his family, aggravated

very painful calculous disease under which he was then bouring, and which had induced

him

a

la-

to visit the fort in

hopes of obtaining relief from the surgeon of the garrison.

Having always traded with the Chippewas, married

among them, and been

considered as connected with them,

he had entertained great apprehensions of the Dacotas for ;

the Indians generally extend to those that trade with their

enemies the same animosity which they bear tions.

About

was residing

a year before the time at

Pembina on Red

river. Provisions

so scarce at that place, that the settlers

upon

live

became

were reduced

lettuce seasoned with salt; about

them had gone out

to those na-

when we saw him, he to

one hundred

and

fifty

last

resolved to go and join them, with four of the settlers

of

to

hunt

buffalo,

and he

and his family, consisting of two daughters. They had velled five days across the prairie, killing

at

tra-

game enough

and keeping a constant guard for

for a bare subsistence,

by the Yanktons, who rove over The extent to which he carried his pre-

fear of being surprised

those prairies.

cautions shows the deep presentiment which oppressed at the

time

;

often, as

he informed us himself,

party had passed over the top of a gentle swell or elevation in the prairie,

he would cause them

to halt,

he would turn back, and crawl along the ground the it

hill,

at the

him

after his little

while

to the top of

then, raising his head above the surface, concealing

same time behind

a little grass

which he had cut

for the purpose, observe whether there were Indians to be

seen in any direction.

His friends ridiculed his

fears,

and

two of them separated from him, but the event proved

how

well-founded his apprehensions were.

his horse having

Vol.

I.

On

the 6th day

broken the halter by which he was 52

fastn

EXPEDITION TO THE

410 ened, Mr. Hess

caught him buffaloes

;

left

the

camp

his companions,

on the

in search of at that

moment, observed two was the

prairie, and, as his horse

they called out to him to chase them

from

for a while separated

him, and soon

;

he did

In leaving the en-

his party.

campment, the anxious parent advised them ful,

and

it

was with the utmost reluctance

While he was

ed from them.

fleetest,

and was

so,

to

be watch-

that he separat-

killing the buffalo, a

dog

came up to him this excited his suspicions he followed the dog back, and, after a long ride across the prairie, came ;

;

to a small valley

where he observed

himself with meeting with his

his cart,

famil)-.

On

when he saw one

consternation was extreme,

and

flattered

approaching, his of his com-

panions feathered with arrows, scalped, and his feet separated from his legs.

A

little

dered, and with a knife

further lay his daughter, mur-

still

streaming eyes, he withdrew

was

He

lifeless.

lodged in her breast; with it,

but

it

was too

late,

she

in vain rode three times round the place,

in search of his other daughter, he could find no trace of her.

At some

distance he discovered the corpse of his other

companion likewise pierced with arrows.

The

distracted parent remained for a while unable to re-

solve in his

mind what course he ought

to pursue

;

he

at-

tempted to dig a grave for the unfortunate victims, but being only provided with a knife, he soon gave up this

tempt to

as a vain

one

;

watch the corpses, and

ance.

We

at-

he then determined to leave his dog to return to

Pembina

for assist-

cannot dwell upon the sad particulars of the

feelings and sufferings of the agonized father, as

he

body

would

of one of his daughters, swearing that he

left

the fol-

low, even into the camp of his enemies, his other offspring

who, he

still

hoped, might have survived this calamity.

After three days and nights spent in travelling on foot,

SOURCE OP ST PETERS RIVER. without either rest or food, he

On

hearing his sad

nic-struck, that

him

tale,

none

at last

reached Pembina.

the inhabitants were so

much

pa-

would venture with

at the settlement

in the prairie to inter his fjiends,

and other property.

411

and remove

his cart

Hearing, however, that his surviving

daughter was in one of the Yankton villages, he set out

with the desperate resolution of recovering her or perishing in the attempt. At the termination of another arduous

journey across the

he reached the camp and was

prairie,

met by many Yanktons, one

of whom, a tall athletic man, in-

quired of him whether he was a friend or foe me," said Charles Hess, " as your foe you

;

;

the

name of

ed one of

The ;

levelled his

gun

The

Indians

all

opponent.

at

him

that she

horses were offered for her release

dians of a neighbouring nation,

and who were friendly

to

who were

Hess

;

these

He saw

had been kindly

and that her master was unwilling

Two

his valour;

most of the lodges.

his daughter; she informed

The Da-

and extended his hand to

complimented him upon

they invited him to feast

treated,

at his

bow

cota seeing this, relaxed his

her.

kill-

daughters and taken the other prisoner."

Indian stepped backwards and pointed his arrow at

him Mr. Hess him.

you know you have

the Standing Bull;

my

" You know know me by

with

to part

by some In-

passing that way,

were refused

horses were in like manner offered and refused.

four

;

At

last

her master consented to release her for the following ran-

som,

viz.

two fathoms of

scarlet cloth,

two fathoms of blue strouding,

two guns, one

two white blankets,

a chief's coat, a tin kettle,

pair of fine pistols, a framed looking-glass

and a paper one, two knives,

six double handfuls of

powder, two hundred

and a quantity of blue beads.

So high a ransom had

bullets,

fell

heavy upon

lost his little all at the

this

poor man,

gun-

who

same time that his daughter was

EXPEDITION TO THE

^iz

bken

prisoner; he had to resort to the other traders for

assistance

;

and they bestowed

rous sympathy which uncivilized plied

men

than

it

upon him with

that gene-

is more easily found among rude and among the more refined. They sup-

him with goods on

a long credit;

with these, he re-

turned to the camp, and ransomed his daughter, who, while

he was relating

this sad tale to us,

was

engaged

sitting by,

in decorating a piece of leather with porcupine quills, a

work

in

which the Chippewas

which we believe added that he found

some

that she cared but

We

difficulty in prevailing

Yanktons

ter to leave the

little

have not learned

whether

A

excel.

circumstance

to the distress of the parent,

;

upon

his daugh-

she had been so kindly treated

own

about returning to her

what

in

was

light she

father.

was considered,

as a prisoner, or as an adopted daughter.

The uniform but laborious life, which these Indians lead, protects them against many of the diseases incident upon to

civilization,

some

direful

the healing

same time exposes them complaints, which their total ignorance of

though

art,

at the

it

and their superstitious confidence

magicians, prevent them from curing. eases

which are

unknown

said to be

in their

Among

the dis-

to the Dacotas,

may

be ranked the following, viz. intermittent fevers in the prairies

which are

from the Mississippi, and proba-

distant

bly even in those which border upon that river above the Falls of St.

Anthony, Plica Polonica, baldness,

phomania, spina

de are

bifida

soleil, chlorosis,

and

(?)

Among

those which

are of very rare occurrence,

mention jaundice, decayed

much

cut, but the children are

;

nym-

Vitus's dance, scurvy, coup

and leucorrhoea.

known, but which

tion children suffer

St.

teeth,

and tooth-ache

in such cases the

;

gum

we will

in dentiis

never

allowed smooth stones and other

hard substances to rub against their gums.

As

a palliative

SOURCE OP

for tooth-ache the root of the Gerardria applied.

Hydrophobia

wounded

part.

dumb

Dysentery

They

is

not

is hepatitis,

use for

which

cure the

its

serpents, they say with

us that

not unfrequently

common

Deafness

is

is

oil

some

;

it is

cured by

and deaf and

rare,

Their most prevalent

cases are exceedingly scarce.

disease

is

prevented by cutting out the

is

the free use of sassafras.

413

Peter's river.

ST.

hereditary and very frequent. of rattlesnakes and of other benefit

;

he had never seen a person

but Renville informed affected

with

it,

that

are common, They have been cured by the use of a plant known by the traders under the name of the Vinaigrier, or Vinegar Plant The Dacotas resist cold much better than white men. Hypochondriasis is very common it affects them they attempt no other remedy but as it does white men songs and dances. A woman, that was once affected with

and are sometimes

was cured. Frozen limbs

lost.

;

;

it,

imagined that nothing would relieve her but cold water;

she jumped into a stream where the water was only two feet deep,

and she was drowned. Hysteria

not cured.

is

also

Hernia

known.

is

known, but

For dropsy they

have no remedy. Diseases of the breast are very common, and are attributed to their constant smoking. Rickets occur

which case they receive

in children, in

nursing.

a great deal of

Syphilis appears to have been communicated

by white men, and through the women who had intercourse with them this disease was totally unknown to those residing on the St. Peter, previous to the establishment of the garrison at Fort St. Anto the Dacotas

;

thony

;

and

it

is

among them was fected with in like

it

generally believed, that the that of

at Prairie

manner

Tommo,

(our guide,)

du Chien.

The

first

case

who was in-

small-pox was

originally unknoAvn to them, but

it

has

; ;

EXPEDITION TO THE

414

proved very destructive, tercourse with white fatally

of

at different times, since their in-

men

about fifteen years ago

baneful extension,

its

it is

forty or fifty individuals

one survived tain

this plague.

exerted

it

;

;

influence very

its

among

many

the

instances

related that, at that time, of

who resided in The Dacotas

five lodges,

only

appear to enter-

no prejudice against the use of the vaccine matter

they have in

many

cases applied

it

when

offered to

them

the absence of the surgeon from his post at St. Anthony, at the

time that

we

passed through, prevented our ascer-

which he had met with among them

taining the success

the surgeons of our frontier posts ought to be abun-

all

dantly supplied with the virus, and their stock of sionally renewed, until

its

it

occa-

increased consumption by the

Indian will enable them to obtain from them fresh virus, as often as they

may

require

it.

The Dacotas have no

of curing the small-pox, and almost every person af-

mode

fected with this disease falls a victim to

Venesection

resorted to

is

tusions, head-aches,

handle they

fix a

which also

is

by the Sioux

at its point

;

scarifying,

flint,

To

w^hich

they apply

then cut open by a slight

draw blood by

in cases of con-

and pains in the breast.

small blade of

with sinew except

it.

fillip

it

a

is

wooden covered

to the vein,

of the finger.

and by suction.

They

Poisoned

weapons are used by them in their wars Mr. Cameron, a trader, was poisoned by an Indian, who administered to ;

him some

of the plant used for that purpose.

The steam dians

;

but

is

bath

is

prepared by them as by other In-

not so usually practised as a

remedy

;

it

being

resorted to for the purpose of obtaining good luck, and as a religious

ceremony,

son describes, as

in the

manner which Dr. Richard-

having seen practised by

a

Crec, (Kil-

SOURCE OF iistino,) at

to cure

Carlton House.* It

however, sometimes used

is,

rheumatism, which disease

To

one among them.

with roots and plants

is

common

not a very

cure swellings they rub the skin

and sometimes use aromatic herbs,

;

to impart to their bodies a pleasant odour. is

415

PETEr's RIVER,

ST.

When

the pain

they very frequently make incisions in the

internal,

skin and suck up the blood, accompanying the operation

with songs. rive from

It is

probable, from the relief

which they dethey have

this operation in certain cases, that

been led to expect the same abatement to their disease of the mind,

by resorting

to a similar

grief, or

remedy, and

hence the practice of lacerating their arms, thighs, breast, &c. after the death

however, accompany

this

all care.

They

In such cases they also

relief.

when they

can get

it,

in order to

drown

when

Colonel Snelling mentioned to us, that

Dacota in the vicinity of his garrison loses any of his tions,

he generally repairs

to

him with

Indian agent, desiring that he

When

whiskey.

legs,

generally,

with lamentations, which they

consider as affording great resort to liquor

of a friend.

may

a

rela-

from the

a note

receive a bottle of

asked by the Colonel what

is

the use

of the liquor on so melancholy an occasion, the Indians

uniformly answer, that indeed, without Sterility

ther

is it

it,

among women

disreputable.

man, reputed barren, husband. tas

than

it is

to

produce a flow of

is

by no means uncommon,

It frequently

nei-

happens, that a wo-

will bear children if she

change her

Menstruation commences later among the Daco-

among

the Potawatomis, for, with the former,

seldom comes on before the age of

*

tears, for

they are unable to cry.

fifteen or sixteen,

it

while

Franklin's Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea,

Philadelphia, 1824, p. 67.

EXPEDITION TO THE

416

the latter menstruate at fourteen; this difierence

easily

is

accounted for by the more severe climate which the Dacotas inhabit,

kind

;

and by their greater exposure

to privations of every

Women are

they have various emmenagogues.

quently

liable,

women have

mach, and we are informed that the Dacota their faces covered with spots, in the

women.

fre-

during pregnancy, to lethargy and sick-sto-

Being hardened

same manner

to exercise,

as

white

they attend to their

usual occupations even in the last stages of gestation. This

has frequently been brought up as a proof that the deli-

cacy of white women, in that situation, was rather the result, than the cause, of the great care which they take of themselves

;

but

appears to us very probable, that the pro-

it

portion of accidents, which occur to Indian the period of pregnancy,

men

;

and that

this

greater than

is

women

during

among white wo-

would be much diminished

they

if

were permitted to take the same care to avoid the causes of accidents, as

is

common among

process of parturition

is

stances the labour has lasted from

The

civilized nations..

generally easy, though in

two

administer medicines in such cases,

some in-

to four days.

They

and among these the

doses of one segment at a time.

rattle of the rattlesnake, in

Inflammation and abscess of the breast are known, but are not of very

common

occurrence

A

dies are singing and sucking.

improperly ascribed to in cold water

ready

all

it

does not exist

heai*d of

an instance of

resides at Prairie du Chien.

her father being a white vilized

to it a

reme^

custom, which has been is

that of bathing

after parturition

mis; but the Dacotas adhere

have

for these the only

women,

Indian

immediately

stated that

;

among

we have

;

al-

the Potawato-

very pertinaciously.

We

very delicate female who

Her mother

is

a Dacota, but

man, she was educated among

women, and has acquired

their habits.

ci-

She marri-

SOURCE OF

PETER

ST.

S

417

RIVER.

ed a respectable inhabitant of the place, and having been

room with the

delivered of a child, she was confined to her

among white women

precautions usual

was absent

at the

to see her,

and finding her

asked her

if she*

came

her severely,

in bed, chided

was going

who

her mother,

;

time, hearing of her situation,

to imitate all the nonsensical

and fashions of white women, and then dragged her

tricks

out of bed to the astonishment of her husband and of all the by-standers, and ducked her in the Mississippi, according to the

manners of her

We

nation.

have not heard that any

accident resulted from this harsh treatment evil arises

nor that any

;

from the practice which prevails among them of

breaking the ice in winter, in order that both mother and child

may bathe immediately

Among the

after parturition.

the Dacotas thei-e are professed midwives, but

women

are sometimes delivered

brothers, sisters, &c.

;

the medicine

by

man

their husbands,

is

sent but never operates, his only business to assist

by

his prayers

five years, generally until a

When

terrupts the secretion of milk. fails,

the child

We

is

new pregnancy in-

suckled by another.

have said that there exists among the Sioux no

wishes a wife, as

Indian

and

the mother's milk

When

marriage ceremony, properly speaking.

man

to sing,

and incantations. They never bleed

Children are suckled for a long while;

during labour.

from two to

generally pre-

is

women, he

it is

usual for

all

a white

the traders to take

has only to express his wish to the pa-

rents and relations,

who always

consent to

it,

stipulating

make to them. Columbia Fur Company in-

the amount of the presents which he shall

One

of the gentlemen of the

formed

us, that

he had given for his wife,

keg of rum, and

to

I.

her brother a

her mother a complete dress

calculated that the presents

Vol.

to

53

which he was obliged

;

but he to

make

EXPEDITION TO THE

413

amounted annually

to the relations,

dollars in goods,

Indian

it

to sixty or seventy

worth about thirty dollars

in cash.

does not of course cost so much, as less

is

To

an

expect-

ed from him than from a trader. Our informant added that it

was always better

to

make

wise the wife would make

be impossible for her to friends,

According

to the best information

number of

We heard

the other

few

ones, as

gi'eater

it

would

resist the importunities of

her

and particularly of her mother.

tained, the cotas.

these presents, because other-

among

cinaedi is

which we have ob-

very small among the Da-

of but two, one in the village of Keoxa,

the Miakechakesa

others, but the

number

is

;

there are probably a

certainly very small, and

they are held in the utmost contempt. What struck Lewis and Clarke most, among the Sioux,

" was an institution, peculiar to them and

to the Kite Indians,

from whom

It is

it is

said to

have been copied.

an association of

the most active and brave young men, who are bound to each

other by attachment, secured by a vow never to retreat before

any danger, or give way to their enemies."* Of this interesting institution we have collected the following features. It constitutes

what

is

called the "

Dance of the Brave,'*

more properly perhaps, " those who perform the Dance of the Brave." There exists in some of the bands of the Dacotas, and probably also among some of the other Misor

souri Indians, an association called the Naiipash^'n^^, those

who

never

fly

or retreat.

A society

in an union of two friends, who, tion

is

of this kind originates

when

projected, propose to form an

a warlike expediassociation.

They

send for a third warrior, and these three appoint the whole

number, which seldom exceeds thirty or

• Vol.

I.

p. 60.

forty.

When

SOURCE OP they are

all

Peter's RivEn.

ST.

to them that company of " the

two founders

collected, the

the object of the meeting

is

to

form

41!)

state

a

Dauntless," and they advise them to prepare their dresses,

which generally requires about a

In the mean-

fortnight.

while, the two founders prepare the lodge of the association,

which none but

When mence

all

the

members are suffered to enter. members are collected together, they com-

its

and dances, and their

their songs

which

fasts

last

three days, during which time they reside in the lodge,

but occasionally sally out to sing and dance in the camp.

This

of the most strict nature, as they dare take nei-

fast is

One

ther food nor drink during the three days.

most striking features of the association ed in

its

duration, and that

death of any one of joins

its

activity

its

deed, as long as the association kill one, for it is

ed.

A

limit-

suspended by the it

en-

matters not whether

It

any injury upon the enemy

inflict

of the

it is

enemies, but the rushing into

danger with songs and dances. they

is

that

The duty which

members.

not destruction to

is

its

is,

is

at the time.

In-

in activity, they cannot

one of their obligations to go out unarm-

society of this kind sometimes continues actively

employed

for a

whole year, during which time

its

mem-

bers cannot provide themselves with food or drink, but

they must wait until

it is

offered to

them by

their friends.

When

a person once enters into the Nanpashene, he

bound

to

may

it

it

for life

be renewed

;

at the call

bound

which

case

of

suspension, each

its

It is not

are

though

more than

it is

of any of

to join in

may

;

its

members,

is

in

but during the term

act for himself as

always that an Indian

society, for

a

all

is

for although its duration is limited, yet

he pleases.

willing to enter into this

held in high honour, yet

it

requires

usual courage to expose one's self passively to

the greatest dangers, under a

strict obligation,,

which none

;

EXPEDITION TO TIi£

420

never to retreat from

flare violate,

ment

of the association, the

In the commence-

it.

two founders having

member, these

a third, and this one nominated a fourth

meet

in the

lodge appropriated to their purpose, and as soon

as they have entered

cannot

selected

it,

and smoked the pipe of war, they

These four assume the appropriate

retract.

dress,

and issue out of the lodge singing and dancing; they such of the warriors, as they think will be good

lect

se-

mem-

bers of the band, and convey them, whether willing or not, If the warrior enter

to their lodge.

ment, he but

if

is

bound

to the association

and cannot withdraw

Vacancies in their body are never fill-

is free.

the association continues until

death of

all its

They have Their

even but for a mo-

he succeed in effecting his escape before he enters

the lodge, he

ed ;

it,

members, when

a

it is

annihilated

new one may

by the

be formed.

occasional meetings for feasts and sacrifices.

fasts are

both frequent and

rigid.

It is difficult to

determine, with precision, what the object of the institution

is,

but

it

seems

to be to convince the

number of men

are, in their band, a

that they will rush into retreat,

and

also

it,

enemy,

that there

so heedless of danger,

under a solemn pledge never to

without the usual motive of selling their

by the number of the enemy whom It must be admitted the passive courage, which this association requires of

lives at a high price,

they will have previously destroyed. that its

members, presents perhaps the highest degree, which

man

has ever manifested

by a

religious or a superstitious feeling; they

;

for they are not

even animated

do not be-

lieve that this self-devotion will ensure success to their party.

more

They,

it is

true, entertain the opinion that

difficult to kill

them than other warriors

;

it

is

yet this

does not detract in the least from their merit, as they know

they must, sooner or

later, fall

victims to the dangers to

421

sotiRCK OF ST. Peter's river.

which they expose themselves. The great divinity to which this association looks up for support, is the thunder, to

which frequent

sacrifices are offered, especially

two founders who at

are

leaders.

its

The

by the

made

sacrifices are

the door of the lodge, and consist of pieces of meat stuck

upon

a

wooden

The mem-

fork, and inclined to the west.

bers of this association have a costly and splendid dress,

made heads. this

of antelope's skin

;

they wear feathers upon their

Every band of the Sioux has not an

association of

kind ; some have tw^o or three societies, one of which

has alone the

title

of the brave

soldiers, the buffalo, &c. different, as

The

;

the others being called the

object of these appears to be

they are not bound to that passive exposure

to danger, w^hich characterizes the

The Dacotas

Nanpashene.

that reside along the Mississippi and St.

Peter, raise maize in tolerable abundance

;

they also cul-

tivate beans, pumpkins, and other vegetables some of them, ;

such as Wapasha, appear to be aware of the advantages

which attend

agriculture, but

all

are not equally so

and

;

the occasional supplies of these articles which they receive

from the Indian agents and

whenever they are

in

officers

of our government,

want of food, no doubt tend

courage their lazy habits.

chief the use of a plough, and of a person to teach

manner of working

The

potatoes.

it,

chief

in order that his

made no answer

him the

band might

for

was exhausted, and he had carefully

raise

some time, but

continued to smoke his pipe with great deliberation ; this

to en-

Col. Snelling once offered a

when he

laid it aside,

rose, advanced towards the colonel, shook his hand, and

observed that he had taken the

offer into consideration,

had concluded, that he would be a great accept of supplied

it,

when he

him with

fool

and

were he

to

recollected that his father always

provisions as often as he was in need of

EXPEDITION TO THE

422

The Dacotas do

them.

not profess, as the Potawatomis

do, to have been acquainted with the preparation of sugar

from the sap of the maple with white boiling

and

it

traders.

tree previous to their intercourse

Their food

is

usually prepared

by

in iron pots,

which they procure from the traders,

we have

observed, they appear to prefer their

as far as

meat well done.

In their degree of cleanliness they vary

much, some being

far

may upon

Dacotas cleanly

much

more

The

and, as far as relates to their persons, they attend

;

to this particular.

spirits,

particular than others.

the whole be considered as not very un-

They had no

substitute for ardent

and were completely unacquainted with intoxica-

tion previous to their intercourse with Europeans.

Of their

divisions of time

The

information.

it is

interpreters,

are so prone to connect their

difficult to obtain correct

even the most

own

intelligent,

opinions with those of

the Indians, that they can scarcely be trusted in this particular. We have not been able, however, to trace among them any idea of the lost moon, ascribed to them by Carver. The following division of the year was furnished by

Renville, and

dence in

its

is

added, though

we

place but

confi-

little

accuracy, at least as having been in use

among

the Indians previous to their intercourse with white men.

They

are said to divide the year into twelve moons, commencing with the September one, and distinguishing them as follows.

(We

signifies

moon.)

September, Wajopi we, Commencement of wild Siushtaupi we, End of wild rice. October,

November, Takehuha we. Rutting deer. December, Tahechapshon we, Deer shedding January,

We

February,

Wechata we, Raccoon.

March,

Wishta wasa we. Sore-eye.

tarhe.

Hard moon.

its

rice.

horn.

SOURCE OP

ST.

423

PETER*S RIVER.

Mahahahandi we, Hunting.

April,

May,

Mahahakanda we, Oviparous game.

June,

Wajustechasha we. Strawberries.

July,

Tschanpasha we, Cherries.

August,

Among

Tatanka kehowa we. Rutting buffalo.

there was one

had a

gi-eat

;

who was

saw

Fort

at

St.

Anthony,

His countenance

called the fool.

appearance of simplicity, heing totally devoid

of expression

vacant

whom we

the Indians

;

his face

his person

was

long, his eyes downcast and

was much ornamented

;

the upper part

of his face was painted with bright vermilion, the lower part was black, leaving but a narrow strip along the upper

which was of the natural colour

lip

more

This

usually wear.

mon

;

his

childish and toyish than those

man was

ornaments were

which the Indians

formerly gifted with a com-

share of intellect, but he has, through the wantonness

of some Indians, been reduced to his present state of idiocy.

He

was a long time since taken prisoner by

his enemies,

who

with a view to amuse themselves with his

him

to a stake,

fire

and tlireatened to burn him alive

was kindled,

was loosened, nued so ever

so as

his intellect

;

a

to scorch

In some instances, however, he

since.

little

him; but when he was disordered, and has conti-

merely

displays his natural sagacity. at

fears, tied

He

is

a

still

good hunter; being

one time very poor, he made a sort of pike, with which

he went out

to hunt,

in killing raccoons

;

and was very successful, particularly the skins which he sold on his re-

turn enabled him to purchase a gun, blanket, &c.

much

trusted

by the

officers of the garrison,

He

is

and had just

returned from Prairie du Chien with despatches, having travelled the distance on foot in four days.

Like

all

the Indian nations with

whom

the white

man

has come into contact, the Dacota presents to us at this

EXPEDITION TO THE

424

day but of

common

are

longer united for purposes

defence, they have long since ceased to meet

same council

at the

No

a noble ruin.

fire

their alliances with other nations

;

now mere mockeries

petty conflicts.

their

;

wars have dwindled into

Instead of marching as they formerly did

by hundreds, they now

issue forth in small detachments,

presenting rather the character of a band of marauders than

of an expedition of warriors.

mon

calumet

among Spirit

the

at the

When

they lighted the com-

General Council Fire,

Mende Wahkantoan, who

Lake, and who were considered

of the nation

;

was always

it

then resided near as the oldest

band

their chiefs being of longer standing than

among themselves they use the They are related with the Shiennes,

those of the other tribes appellation of brothers.

;

and with the Arricaras, and by marriages they are connected with the Pawnees, Osages, &c. they only apply the term of friend.

but to these nations

;

With

We

they wage a deadly warfare.

the

were

Omawhaws

told that the

lawas were formerly a band of the Dacotas, and that they

were distinguished by the term of the Titatons, but

that

they separated long since, and that their language had been so

much

altered as to be unintelligible to the Dacotas.

this information is

during his late

But

probably incorrect, for Governor Clarke,

visit to the seat of

putation of Indians from

many

government, with a de-

nations, informed

Mr. Col-

houn, that the lawas, Winnebagoes, and Otoes, appeared to

him

to be of

common

descent, and to speak dialects of

the same language, and he expressed his opinion, that an

inquiry into the matter would result in determining them to be of that nation, which, as

we

learn from

son's "Notes," emigrated from Ocoquan. Snelling,

who accompanied

formed Mr. Colhoun, that

Mr.

Jeffer-

Mr. Joseph

that deputation, likewise in-

in a speech

made by

the lawa

SOURCE or

ST.

Peter's river.

4:i5

chief while in the city of Washington, the former union of

the Winnebagoes and Otoes with his nation, was distinctly asserted.

This confirms the information obtained by

Mr. Say on the former expedition, (Vide Account of an Expedition

to

the

Rocky Mountains,

vol.

I.

p.

338, 339,

and 342,) and disproves the assertion that the lavvas were ever connected with the Dacotas. questioned, whether the

may

It

likewise be

Omawhaws, whom Carver

nects, as well as the Shiennes

con-

and Arricaras, with the Nau-

dowessies of the plains, were not descended from a

differ-

ent stock.

Of the

history of the Dacotas very

little is

have been engaged from time immemorial

known they ;

in a destructive

war against the Chippewas. All the efforts of our government have tended to produce but temporary suspensions of arms, which have been in all cases violated within a short time after they had been made. us, that

Lahontan informs

they defeated a party of Iroquois, on an island of

the Mississippi, prior to the year 16S8.

In 1697,* they

destroyed a party of Miamis, on the southern coast of Lake

Michigan, between

St.

Joseph and Kikalemazo rivers;

1701,t the Sauks, WinneMenomonies, Foxes, Potawatomis, and Kickapoos, assembled at Green Bay to go to war with them,

and Charlevoix

states that in

bagoes,

but that they were dissuaded from sary.

The Chippewas informed

it

by

a

French emis-

Carver, in 1767, that a

war

had continued without any interruption between them and the Dacotas for upwards of forty winters.

They appear

to

have no tradition or knowledge of the Lenni-Lenape^

•

Charlevoix's Hist, dela Noyv. France, torn. 3. p,310.

t

Ibid, p. 405.

Vol.

I.

54

EXPEDITION TO THE

\2

pups are frequently sold in

appears that the invitation to a

KXPEDITION TO THE

434 feast of

dog meat

is

the greatest distinction that can be of-

fered to a stranger by any of the Indian nations east of the

Rocky Mountains.

That

this is not the case

among some

of the nations west of those mountains, appears from the fact that

Lewis and Clarke were

Indians of the Columbia,

Dog

In the Dacota's treatment of his dogs, during after death, cies

we

living, the

beast of burden, and as such exposed to undergo tigue and ill-treatment;

The

it

at the

is

Mr.

to them. bia

Jeffries,

same time

a

dog

it

a

is

much

fa-

most va-

who have imitated the

traders,

in their use of the dog, speak of

man,

in the character of

While

civilized or savage.

luable animal.

and

life

observe one of those strange inconsisten-

which so frequently prevail

whether

by the

called, in derision,

Eaters.

Indians

as almost indispensable

one of the partners of the Colum-

Fur Company, informed

us, that

he had the preceding

winter transported in a log cart one thousand pounds

weight of goods, with the assistance of dogs, and that he travelled from

dan villages

in eleven days.

ance of load

is

On

six,

and rarely eight,

Lake Travers

one hundred pounds per dog.

travelling, in a country so frequently covered

the dog

is

Man-

to the

a long journey, the allow-

For winter with snow,

the most convenient beast of burden, as

it

may

be fed either on dried meat, or on the fresh meat which occasionally procured. In travelling on the trains, it is usual for a

snow

man

to

walk ahead of the dogs, with

shoes, in order to trample

otherwise they would sink.

is

snow with dog

down

We

the snow, in

learn

notes,* that the feet of the dogs are sometimes injured, and that in one instance,

which

from Mr. Back's very much

where they were

perfect-

ly raw, he attempted to tie shoes on them, which did not

• Franklin's Journey to the shores of the Polar Sea, ut sup. p. 251.

SOURCE OF

ST.

PETER's RIVER.

435

Whether it be usual for the Dacotas to do so, we much question though it would appear from Pur-

succeed.

very

;

by some nations, by Olaus Magnus, that in the north of somewhat similar practice existed as regards

chas' Pilgrim, that these have been used

and

we

are told

Europe, a

horses' feet,* and probably at the time that he visited the

The dogs are a great assistwho would otherwise be compelled to their baggage and provisions themselves, but who

country, which was in 1518.

ance to the squaws, carry

all

frequently beat and abuse them.

forms one of the best

After death, the dog

articles of food for the Indian,

reserved for great occasions, as

it is,

vested with a sacred character, which

ing in

sacrifices,

and

and

makes

it

a

offer-

fit

The

in feasts to strangers.

respect

paid to the bones of the dog contrasts strongly with the

usage which the animal met with during

The

ill

life.

which Wanotan had prepared, seemed

feast,

is

in their opinion, in-

to

be

destined rather for one hundred than for ten persons; as soon as

we had

it,

a request

finished eating, the Indians requested

to come and partake of which was of course granted. When the sol-

that our soldiers

might be allowed

diers appeared, the dishes

Indians,

who

were placed before them, and the

had probably been fasting

all

day,

made a

violent inroad upon the meal, evidently preferring the to the bufialo meat; according to the Indian usage,

have been proper

for us to

finished their repast,

have been made ; but the longed to •

a late

have waited

when probably some feast

until

it

dog

would

they had

speeches would

appeared likely to be pro-

hour ; and the heat was so oppressive in the

" Transeunt homines

et

equi quasi super clypeos militares.

• * *

Crates sen arcus levi ac lato subere, seu cortice tiliano contextos, peJibus propriis ac equorum alligant."

^alium

Historise Breviarium.

—Olai Magni Gentium Septentrio-

Amstelodami, 1669. L.

4.

C. 13.

;

EXPEDITION TO TUB

436

therein, as also undoubtedly to the

number collected immense quantities of

hot meat exposed in the dishes, that

we were compelled

owing

lodge,

apologize to

and

to the season,

Wanotan

for our

to the

to

sudden departure.

we were much gratified at this feast; it was worthy of the powerful chief who gave it; it was offerUpon

the whole,

ed with an open hand and a free heart the usual ceremonies and

;

it

was served up with

included abundance of their

it

best and most highly prized food.

The next day Wanotan came he was dressed in the

to

full habit

pay us

a formal visit

wc

of an Indian chief;

have never seen a more dignified looking person, or a

more becoming dress. The most prominent part of his apwas a splendid cloak or mantle of buffalo skins, dressed so as to be of a fine white colour it was decorated with

parel

;

small tufts of owl's feathers, and others of various hues,

probably a remnant of a

fabric,

once in general use among

the aborigines of our territory, and east

and north-west parts of

still

worn

in the north-

this continent, as well as

what was

by the

in.

the South Sea Islands

;

European

North America the feather mantles

visitors of

it

is

called

first

and feather blankets, which were by them much admired.

A

splendid necklace, formed of about sixty claws of the

grizzly bear, imparted a

manly character

to his

whole ap-

pearance. His leggings, jacket, and moccassins, were in the real

Dacota fashion, being made of white skins, profusely

decorated with

human

hair

;

his moccasins

with the plumage of several birds.

were variegated

In his hair, he wore

nine sticks neatly cut and smoothed, and painted with ver-

milion

;

these designated the

number of gun-shot wounds

which he had received, they were secured by a cloth

;

two

forward

;

plaited tresses of his hair

his face

was

strip of red

were allowed

tastefully painted

to

hang

with vermilion ; in

SOURCE OP his hand he

wore

Peter's river.

ST.

^37

a large fan of feathers of the turkey

;

this

he frequently used.

We have never seen a nobler face, or a more impressive character, than that of the Dacota chief, as he stood that

afternoon, in this

manly and

It

was

a study

characteristic dress, contem-

by the men of

plating a dance performed

his

own

nation.

worthy of the pencil of Vandyke and of the

graver of Berwick.

It

would require the utmost

talent of

the artist to convey a fair idea of this chief; to display his

manly and regular

features, strongly stamped,

it

is

true,

with the Indian character, but admirably blended with an expression of mildness and modesty

no

less talent to

of his mantle.

;

and

it

would require

represent the graceful and unstudied folds

However

difficult

the task of executing

such a portrait, Mr. Seymour undertook

it,

and a

graved from his design, has been introduced piece to this volume

it

;

plate, en-

as a frontis-

will impart, however, but a faint

idea of the features and dress of this distinguished chief.

Having requested

that the warriors should favour us

with a dance, Wanotan had one performed for us in the after-

noon

;

he apologized for the imperfection of the dancers,

the best being then absent from the place.

which they wore, were more

and indicated that some pains had been taken sion.

sumed,

Among

The

dresses

carefully arranged than usual, for the occa-

the fantastic ornaments which they had as-

a paper of pins,

opened and hanging from the head-

dress of one of the warriors, was conspicuous. In his hand

he held a wand about ten

feet long, to

which was attached

a piece of red cloth of the same length, and about six inches wide

the

staff;

;

one of the edges of

this

band was fastened

to

the other was furnished with black and white

feathers, closely secured to

a sort of fringe. This

it

by

their quills,

and forming

was one of the two insignia or wands

EXPEDITION TO THE

438

of the Association of the Nanpashcne

was

lar dress

in his

he

that of

Wanotan's son, who,

wore the distinguished

for the first time

national garb, in

which

represented in the Frontispiece plate to this volume.

is

The

life,

but the most singu^

;

dresses

were evidently made

for his father,

large for him, so that they gave to his figure a

and too stifi"

and

clumsy appearance, which strongly reminded us of the awkward gait of those children who, among civilized nations, are allowed, at too early an age, to

assume the dress

of riper years, by which they lose their infantine grace and

This

ease.

one of the

is

many

which we de-

features in

light in tracing an analogy between the propensities of man,

in his natural state, and in his

lad

made

more

refined condition. This

large head-dress, consisting of feathers

wore a very

of the war-eagle, and which in form was precisely

similar to that of the

King

of the Friendly Islands, as re-

His dress was made of

presented in Cook's Voyages.

many ermine

skins,

leather cloak.

The performers

disposed upon a white

variously

stood in a ring, each with

the wing of a bird in his hand, with which he beat time

on

his gun, arrow, or

They commenced raising

it

for a

a shrill yell

the same

some thing

that

would emit a sound.

their singing in a

low

few minutes, then closing

after a slight interruption,

;

tone, gradually

it

suddenly with

they recommenced

which they sang without any variation

air,

near three quarters of an hour.

Major Long reduced

for it

to

notes, and an idea of this low and melancholy, but not unpleasant, air 5.

may

be formed from the

This was accompanied by

a

first

tune in Plate

few unmeaning words.

Occasionally one of the performers would advance into the centre of the ring, and relate his warlike adventures.

Among rior,

those

not

tall,

who

did this was a slender and active war-

but distinguished by his very thin lips and

w ^^^ ^?^ ^02 ST ;^'

T>3

=

/T

V

;-'

t)-

•^ b

>,

I/'

o

::

^,

b p o

-0

o 1»

;'

m /'

7

o

o

>;

V '/'

/"

N^ir

/'

'^)

Q

2 en

;

SOURCE OF nose

;

PETER's RIVER.

ST.

he was pointed out to us

as the

43!)-

man who had assaultwe have ah-eady

ed Mr. Hess' party in the manner which related.

Among

the

many

feats

which

this warrior enu-

merated, he took care to omit his murders of white men.

The dance which accompanied

this

had nothing particular

they frequently laughed aloud, and appeared the exercise with

much

spirit.

to

go through

After the dance had con-

tinued some time, a few presents were divided

them. rently

Upon receiving them they hastily as much satisfied as we were.

END OF

VOL. L

among

ran away, appa»