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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. irrata to pelure, nd D 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^|sr< .-; • 1 - '- 1 Sn ■j n:cv( : In ^ ■;■. . t)ils n ! H( Si tnan Sent » ^ . [SKN'ATi:.] Tlx. Doo. No. 4li. RE POUT •r TUB SECRETARY OF WAR, COMMUNiCATIS'O thi report of an CTjyhralkn of the Tcrrllorj/ of Minnesota, by Tircvct Ouj)tain Pojjc. Ma«cii21, 1S50. Ordered to lie on the tabte. Maucii 22, 1S50. Ordered to be printed. War DKi'AnTAiEXT, Washington, March 20, ISoO. Sin: III compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the Sth ultimo, I have the honor to transmit, herewith, a copy of the report and map of Hrcvei Captain John Pope, of an expedition in the Territory of Minnesota, hi connexion with this suhjcct, 1 have to state that the report of Major Woods, the officer in command of the detachment despatched to Pembina vmlcment, was communicated to the Ilouscof Representatives, in answer t)ils resolution of the 13th ultimo. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, . • GEO. W. CRAWFORD, S cretary of War. Hon. MiLLAun Fillmoiik, President of the Senate. •• ' » ' ' , BuKKAU OF ToroonAniiCAi. Exgixkrus, ' Washington, March 19, 1850. Sir: I have the honor of sending, herewith, a copy of the report and ''^'■^P of Drcvel Captain Pone, corps toj>ographical eiiginocrs, of an cx- Nition in the Territ(?ry or Minnesota, called fur by a resolution of the ^^natc of the 8lh of February. Jlespcclfully, sir, your obedient servant, J. J. AUHRT, Colonel Cvrfs Toj)ograj)hical JJngtnccrs.. "On, G. W. CiiAwroiii), Secretary of Wur, V t < 'i 1 ,1 II ■ ' 8saH\. "■'"^' i rr^Ti iiaa Ki.:roi!T op .VN r;xi'i.ou,vrio.N- of thk TKrM.iTouv of aii.nn.,,-,, .,. «¥ BUKVET t A.., AIN JNO. ro, ,:, tOKIS TOroCIUIIIliAL l.VGI.VKU,.. mor to the valloy of the llrd'rivor of tl.c No'tl, ' *'" ^'^^^ ^^' I Imve the honor to he, with great respect, your obedient servant , JNO. POPK, Colonel J. J. AnKUT, "' '^"^'""' ^V-o-V„W /.'„./«,,,, Co;y>.resents itsTo eM.T^. n h^^ kind of ,nformat.on which the geographical position of the countr ' Sf i;^t;;;;r:;[ t;^.:!^:j^^;r "^"^^' '^^ ''-''' ^^- «-"• • weltem St'tef and'tlo'Tw^''''''^ T'"^ ^'''''''' '^'' ^^^^'i^^rs of ou: SoTo II , ^^"/''^ °^^""' *he numerous and warhke tribes . •• IndKins which roara througli them, and the ancient and in^Lu^^^ of a'pcople whose orign, is unknown to us, have fi.r is/red mTwah li^Hmlite'd ;'^^^^^^^^ ''""""^' ^'"-y^ --^ Abort a great a.:: fror'LTfdS^^^^^ ^'*'"f »i perhaps equally unknown, yet. so much attention throughout the United States, a d I rtiSv a^^^^^^^^^^ Kp^y u^'pS '^^ ""* '"" '-'' ^"' "^---•' c:rtStt;;;r:;:t*; 1 h ave (hMeriiiinf d, therefore. pursued by the above-named ofiic to iioviate altogether from tl in nieflK"^ entirely practical in its nature iccrs, and to make a rc]x)rt which shall ^ ill !J 3 [42 J ,;Mo, llM! ,i,y.^M;,|,I„r,;,| and pl.ysic;,! features of ll.o ronnhy, fl... co.nr'ua- live amount of pnunc ami iii„|,nr („ he fnind uitl.in its I...nle,s, (I,,' „a. tnrcof tl.n soil, and iis caprwify f.r iho production of tlie dilliin-ni Kinds of grain; tlio |cn-ll,s and directions of the rivers, and li.e facililics pre jentcd by thcni for navigation, or f.r supplying a u-a(cr-power; the kind's ot tiinlxM- to 1.0 found on ihc.r banLs; the channels of coinnn.nication at present 111 oxislencc, and those which should be constructod at thf earliest prticable period, an.l the character not only of iho present inhabitants but of be numerous emigrants xvho are daily arriving in the Terriloiv' I sbal also recommend such ap,,ropriations of money and lanrls for iiiii poviiig the navigation of the rivers, and for the constiuctiou of roads as 1 deem necessary to ll.cnnmcdiate pro.s,x3rity of the country, and, in con- sequence, sucb as should engage the caily attention of Congress. Ihc geology and botany of the entire country I have examined have been u-cll described in the reports of Colonel Long and iMr. Nicollet, and in the geological re,K.rts of Dr. Owen, acting unrfer the instruetioi s of the Commissioner of the General Land OIFice! I shall, therefi.re, refer to their reprts those desirous of detailed accounts of the gcolm^v and botany of the country, contenting myself with giving such general inform ntujii upon the subject as may be useful to those emigrating to Minne- h J.!tt";s Mots! vL7 ^"""' •" '" ^^"^^^"^^^'^-^ '' ^^^»^^*« -^P' .ni'i n? ^I;^^'?."".'"'^'^^ by astronomical observations the latitudes and longi. Ko dirl? ^^V"!P"''"^ P^'"*f ''^'•'"S the routes pursued. I have tak?n the directions by the compass between the points thus determined, and by the aid of an odometer, which, attached to the wheel of a waoJi Frs'coiTrs"^^^^ of us revolutions, ascertained the lengths ef the cC wi!;Jh^'°"'?^ *'''' compass courses with the variation of the compass, Sed iT' P?r"''y determined between the points thus astronoiS ly hxed I have been enabled to make a mJip of that portion of the Terri- tory over which I have passed with considerable accuracy. m,f nT. ? *^'"Pl°y«^ ^'»c Indians and half-breeds, encountered at differ- hale themc!?"^ '° 'T""' '" '"^'';'"S out rude maps of the country they have W^t 'n ^/f"f ''''^'' '"^^' ^y ^ c^'^P^-^n^on of these sketches,! have been enabled to form very correct ideas of large tracts of country in Pembiia •'' '°"^''' ^'' ^"^ """^ ^''''" *'"'' "^^^hern fiontier at termhwl"'*'';"'^'"^ ?'? ^^'? "'""' ^^*'»° ^'''^^'' my encampments were de- irnfir'' !"f'^^ by observations for latitude'and longitude, and the rve meandered its entire length by the comp.iss. I sounded the river at d stn?.. T""?f •''" ''''i''' ""^ ^^<^om\cd the principal tributaries some 22"?;''^!"""''''!^' ""'''''''''' ^vhether they'preserved a uniform S dl ''r n^'^" '''"^' ''"^•^^^'•^*^' '" '^'' n.apnre,therelore,to a great degree reliable. i ^ ; '• all^U, ""^, ^' • ■''. "'y'"'^ \'^'^^ ^ ^'^''^" "^'^1»'''-^^ ''^"- ^ '••^r^^'t <>'• this character • m ive o 7 ' '"• 'r'f '^"; «",^'""^^" ^^I'i^-'' ^"-^^ attracted by sprightly iku- SnI • . ?^ ;' ''^ '"'^' ^ulventure; but I Uo^h^ to accomplish the more use 1 1 object of placing m the hands of the hardy pioneers in the scttle- •ncnt of a mighty State, all the information which 1 jiossoss as to ita i- <:• [42] 4 cliaractcr nnd rrsourros, and to cn;i)>Io tlioni to fiv upon tlir looalin. ? . , their distant homos, and to si'lect tlio most available routes for rcacl • thorn. ' - " .■ Tlio country whicli I havo in part travcrsod durinf? llio past sum- embraces about one third of the 'JVrritory of JMinnrsota, and lies t! ,•. north and cast of the St. Fclcr's, and to the north and west of the M • sissippi, inchidin;^ within its borders about sixty ihonsaud square ii.^' I shall conunenre with a general descrij)tiou of the country within t' • . linu'ts, referring tliosc desirous of nvirc detailed description of ncciil. localities to the detailed journal wluch follows. i •■ The 'renitor)' of .Alinnesofa, as at present ori^'anized, embraces all t' portion of the northwest which lies to the north and west of low. r VVisconsm, and contains about one hundred agd sixty thousand (ICU li"' square nidcs. The first great peculiarities which strike the attentjor those cxamuung the northeastern portion of this immen-sc extent of comp- are the wide valleys of two groat rivers— the Mississippi and Red river ' the North— which, hcadmg within a few miles of each other, disch-r their waters, respectively, into the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic -". lo the east, the western extremity of Kike Superior projects far into V J erritory, atTording several fine harbors; and to the south stretch the i* • tile valleys of the St. Pcter^s and Jacques rivers-the one heading with thirty inile3,the other approaching within ninety miles, of the head i navigation ofthe Red river of the North. Even a hastv glance at the maps of this vast region cannot fail to i- press one with the immense natural facilities thus presented for di; charging the produce and manufactures of these great valleys, to the c- • through Lake Superior into our great Atlantic cities, and to the so.:f through the Missouri and ftlississippi, into the Gulf ol Mexico. VVheii It is also known that the Mississippi is navigable for at least f • hnndred miles of its course within this Territory, the Red river oft!. North nearly an equal distance the St. Peter's, with an improvement :.: one point only, for one hundred and twenty miles, and the Jacques riv. : through nearly three degrees of latitude, it becomes a matter of vast in- ^!ro! if '''*'''' '"^ ''I'^'^^'V} ;l'^ capacities for agriculture and mani.fa- tures of a country so bountifully supplied by nature with outlets for vj productions. The examiiiaiion of a portion of this Territory during the past surnir/: has convinced me that nature has been even more lavish in her eift.^ ^: soil than in her channels of communication, and has still left to the en- terprise and industry of man to complete what she has so M'ell beeun. The immense number of lakes laid down upon the inaccurate mar? •: this I erritory now m existence, and which seem to indicate a lowai i swampy region, are even more numerous than they are 'represented, b:t are surrounded by gently undulating country of the moit fertile sri!. and abundantly supplied with all the forest trees common to so nortl.o:'. Ln!i r .1 '''''^T- .'''.'"^'' '^'"""^"'^ ^''^'■'^« '^-^J^^s* »»'! wliich arc t' ^ ^i^l?r ^1 ^^^'^ river, winch intersect the country in all directions, abonn' witFi rapids, which afford a walcr-r)'>\ " ' - . iia V p' - . c traversed iIun Territory fioiu nortl dred miles, and, with the except acre of unproductive land. For the i)urpi\se of giving a description of that available as it is iuoxhaustil' 1 to south a distance of five Inn- ion of a few swamps, I have not secnci: if 'J I jjortioii of the coun'' i if « [42] fver wliii^'i I luwc passfvl , il will l.o lictlor (o divide it into tliroo por- ,;„,s, which ])icseiit physi.'.il (r;ilun!.s ontii(!ly disfinrl fiom each dthcr — (j.{ the cdiiiitry cxst of the- AIi.s.si.ssij)j)i, niid between Ihrjt river and tiii; St. Croix; second, the conntiy west of the Mississippi, and lyinij l..t\vocn the Mississippi, the .St. Peter's, and a line; from llie he;id of the 51. l»et(!r's to the hr;ad of llio Mississippi; and, third, the lower valley of the Ucd river of the Nortli. ... , o n • t 111 reference to the country hotwecn the IMississippi and St. Croix, I , i'.ivconly to .say that I h we liad neither the lime nor authority to ex- amine any noriion of it, and am therefore unahlc to give any accurate or well-gronndcd description of it. The settlements along the St. Croix arc prosperous and flourishing and the immense hnuhcr trade of that region is daily becoming rnoro val uable. My exploration was confined to the west side of the Mississippi; and I can only say here, from my own observation, that the road along (he cast bank of the river, from the mouth of the Si. Peter's to the Sauk rapids, passes through a very fertile and rapidly settling country : what tbe width of this fertile tract is I do not know. CHAPTER IL , . General description nf t/ie Territory of Minnesota continued.— Pecufiar advantages of the country vest of the Mississippi.— Valley of the lied river. — Navigation of Red river. — Objections to valley of Red river. — Proposed remedies.— Wild rice, ^-c, ^'c— Geology of valley of lied river. — Falls nf St. Anthony. — LimcstonCf ^'c, ij'c The second division, embracing the country between the Mississippi, the St. Peter's, and the head of navigation of the Red river of the North, contains the sources otall the tributaries of the Mississippi from the west, of the St. Peter's from the north, and of the Red river from the south. It is a gently undulating country, high and rolling in some places, abounding in beautiful lakes, and containing about equal proportions of prairie and timber. The tributaries of the St. Peter's, Mississippi, and Ked river of the North overlap each other in all directions, and have their sources in the numerous lakes which abound in this region. These lakes are connected with each other by small streams, varying from fittecu or twenty yards in width and three or four feet in depth, to a few feet in width and a few inches in depth. They, as well as the lakes, possess gravelly or sandy bottoms, and are so numerous, and contain so many rapids, that I doubt if one could travel ton miles in any direction without finding beautiful locations not only for agricultural, but manufac- turing, puriMises. The soil is tho black vegetable mould, several foet m thickness, with various proportions of saiid— sullicienl, lunvcvcr, to give the necessary V'armlh. The pineries of the upper Mi.^sissippi are mosUy upon its tributaries, and I think are not f )und on tho west side further south than tho paiailol of 'lO'-' north latitud<;. They alternate, even where most abundant, with »uucii larger traols of fertile country. 'J'hc facilities of communication are [42] 6 Rocd ll.r..n..|,.,„i, nn.f I Kimu- 1,0 rn,n,f,y 0.1 rr„i1, ^vli.rc so i„ni,v -. i |.U'os juc ).n.s(.nt,,| m il,r f;,,,,)-.- :.,k1 m.-umflMhnvr. .* 'J'l.cv i,.,, ' } ''''^"''^. Ih. .'„Ivn„l.-a..s of f,,,. soil, u,.liM.|..d wain- jM-sn.,-, ,,n.I ar ', , ,'"; *"'•/ Inly I.c-:.I.I.>,ImM llM.y|,:.vc op,,Jn.' to then, o , ;.II sl^rsZT'"''' n.i'j'" •..'"!/'"''"" "n>"'o'''«iy of the ton,p..rafmf. of il.is region .« apathy and IndiHavn^'i^i^fS! '^^^5:;:^^^ jlf ^P'' ^^^'^ "- extn.gnish the title of the Indians -.nd ..it \ ' -l"^ '"'^ V*' ''^ Anicrloan noople a c,,i "try s, v'ell '^. Id'^^^^^^^^^ *"'''^ nulnMry of ,1., tcrprisc. Kon its -rt-.t fi-rt iM fl^^ ' " ^'"'"" S^''"'"' ""^' ''"-'r en- pLdKUo and n:^d^o;n.^S^n'^ir S;E^^^ ^IS Ir^j!'^^ f'^ 1 regard Una iliv sicn ns bum" bv f.r iho mTi '"'.''"f.'H" ""' Si. l>eii..|\ «>m, and .he „„„,„,ou. cH^Zjt^^lr^J^'f: C'Z°J'""''\ wlio arc awa I iig with aiiyielv ami inm,i „.. ° . ''"itory, am ll.e.c valuable ?nd mo ,S a ,d u-H ." ■■"' 'V'?"f'y "' '"'"'''■'■-'^ adop, some .,.ody „S,;;" o c^,' i, -J he'Ke'of .^'"'l"', '""'" "J •0 M,row „„.. „K,rke. a ,«rlio„ at least^,/ ,hi fa |o com e '""' """' norib .0 so„.h,an< o ri^,;;;d;«Ta,d Mv M h'r ,i:i'''r '" '""='"' ''""" »..d is bounde,! „„ ,he wes by . e diviSin.. ,b,. ! "■"•' "''"' '" '"■''' those of .1,0 Mi.ssouri, called .he ' 'Cmea fes l?"i^ e^^^^^ """,';"' "'"' by a lijie from il,o head of lied nver ihmnM, ,1.^ .' ",'' "" "'" """' of Red lake. Iii .his wl o e pvI. ,. i ^ ^ . ""^'" """I'easlcm pciul of rich prairie, !.' er" "cled a, rich. ,U KT",' ?" ,"''""•'' md,rol,e„ levol taric,,of the iliTrTver fro. , h ^'^^Pt', . >' ' "'o, '"'""ly .i..ibe.ed .ribu- ning nearly d, e .lorlh .1 m . li, , *""-""' ^"'^ '"•" i'-"""' ™"- txlen., perfec. ....iKiiu.i.y „/'m' fi ce ricln.eVs nf i„M T' '",'■'"■"', '"'" co,,,re.,;;.ir.he".';i,:!;ra.i:^,!hh\i:r;rv^i,r;;''':j;rc^."'r''' ''■''; «i^'sl™!±;l;K:;::^^i;:^'V;,'l;t'';^;7" .^■^•rairi,:».: a... ,he W„a all these sicims .... , .,■ 1 1 '• ' ''' '*"^' I'^'inhniaiivcrs. AliDOit for fla. b" .X ; , .;: "^ -.— "liy or si.x.y ,„il.. J .1 If ) ti amM^animuimsiL^ -,. I'tf ' > 7 [4^1 .llPV nt flistanccs of ton or twelve niiVs ninrt; mv\ MlLou-h on t!.o jvvst "S' As tnigl.t hi cviHrlcd fn.in its alluvial character, there is no ,.inc !; Tri.- tl.o valley of tile \l'A river, but the oak ai.l elm there attain to ci/o which I do not think 1 have ever seen clsowlicic. ' ; the seltlenunt of the we.sl si.le of the valley, I sho.,!.l recom.ne.nl f. ,,,ecnclosuresof the fields the earth and ditch fence, for the several snfl.e.ent Asons; that, they would ho less expensive ; that they would economise m- ,r n^id that, bcfing a urotcction ayain.^t the f.ics iM.nn the prairies they t-Juld have the cmxtol- accumulating the timber which is "ow yearly de- .^f ^.V", "X o^^^ the Sioux Wood river, and distant about forty (0) ""/^f^/^ "\^^'l^^^*j Peter's. I had not the time to make any examination of the Sioux Wood river, which, with its source. Lake Travers, approaches ^'^ ^m <>^^ . « of the St. Peter's; but I ascended it a mile or two, and <^»»^ a unit rm depth of three feet. As this stream passes through an allm lal le^v el com - try, I am inclined to believe that in the high waters dnring the sprmg it would be found navigable for small boats to the «^"' »7^'^"^,f„l!:^""*/,?I Lake Travers. I took particular care to ascertain at what periods of the year the Red river was froxin, and when clear of ice; and I «» V^^'^J-^.^^^^^^/'/.^^^ it is navigable for four months, and at lavorahlo seasons for fi^e n oi tis of tirycar. The descent to the north of the dividing ndge, cmlmured n the second division of the country 1 have made, as 't Wms «[> trotn he valley of the Red river, presents the appearance of a ^«"S« ^^^^^^^^^^^ which, upon a nearer approach, dwindles into a gende sloi)c, probably tno hundred feet above the level of the country to the '^^^^ \ ^ „ , But two objections can be made to tlie belief that the ^^dley o tju R.d river of the North, as a wheat country, is unsurpas ed. A ^e «ne is to coldness of the climate, and the other Us distance bom market. I o the ^^•::F\i1c ol>^ctions it .1,1 be said, that biit » -p'^;^ l^Z fo Minnesota is north of the r eh wluat regions ol ianada, and la. t> go lo Muinesota is .^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^, . the cultivation of gram nor for The second is a much imne vului odjoc- ntiivly will tiro»'« »l>!it (!:iu:>du IS lU the com tion, but it is one w )itanls. hich a little attention from the government can f onimendcd, as Kuiedy. It has been with this view that 1 have rec. [42] 8 1)0 found, granfs of I.ind H.r Hir ronstnictlon of rnllro.'ul.s to coi„)o,m ,i JK'a" "^"Pl« sugar arc uia.uifactured hy ,f,^ Iiid aus. I he wluie oMc, however, is most common, and as it is uocel S:i^ing'.^;o"els*'''"" '' "" '"^" ^"°'" '^ ^^"''"^^y °^"rtcd to'the in 'ilnr'h"''^ "/''"". ^'''? "''^'■.'' r"'''-<^>yn»luvial in its /oniiation, no rocks I?.„?l i?'f '^'"'."^ "'.'!' ^"^"••^ '^'"Sll* within the territories of the United S atca. It alxiunds will, boulders or erratic blocks of granite, which in all cases are very much rounded by the action of water They are mosi abiirulant upon the highest ridges of the prairies, and cause all the raS in the small strean.s tributary to the Ked river, the St. Peter's, and Mis'. 8.SS.PP,. About seventy (TO) miles north of .r frontier (at Pembna) a secondary hmcstone ni>j)ears at the falls of the Red river which I in surface at different pt^nits it is im|)ossible to say. Then? are no rocks n V«^« «> I . ' , . *"*' '""* "' ^^' -ftni'^ony are occasnned by beds of sandstone, and as the rock is soft and easily worn away, the falls ^e recedmg w.th considerable rapidity. A short disllance above^tCsand! TtuT^"""'"' ?1 '? ''^''^ ^y ^•^''^ ^^ P'""«^y '"^'^> «nd as soon as the falls have receded thus far the erosion Avill be infinitely slower. The limestone does not appear north of the Palls of St. Anthony, but is found to be us^T?r S^f''^: '!'"^r";" ^^i«^^i«^tpi to the south. %.e best lime Ahnn im • ^'^^•."^^•'•'O'-of »'"«scs IS finiud on the Mi.ssissippi north of Alton, Illinois, and is transported from that place to all the pomti above. CHAPTER III. ^ZTJI '^T^l"'"' "-^ '"^Ji'jncsota conimucd.-noutcs from 3r!s,.i.s,ippi to Zfllr{ f ^^'^^r. -Country west of the St. Pet,,-s.~LuJl^n of mthtary posts.-Sciremenis alon^ the Red Tivcr.-llulJ.b,v.e,h.~si ilnnmts along th. Mississippi. -St. Paut.-St. Anthomji-StiUn-atrr.- lopulatinn.-~lJr,t , nvO,/or eminrmttsfrom the cast and south.- Lines 0/ grants for ra,/n.ads.-rureha.sc of lands wvst of the Mississinpi.- AhlKani reserve of Ihri s:,„'in„.r ._ '/ v,...;/..-;..; ., ... .•'_,. . :./ ' * tiOTis to uamgalxon above the Ihlh of St. Anthony^^yc., tj-c. There are three routes at present known by which ly reach the valley \ li 1 II 9 [42] of the Tlnd river of tlio Nnrtli from the :\Iis.sissippi, and wliicli, until t)io expedition of the jnst suninior, were oidy known to the trjjdrrs and tra])- pcrs who made their yearly jjiltjrimagos to St. I'cter's and the Up})or Mis- sissip|)i with their furs and peltries. The most southern H.IIows the valley of the St. Peter's and descends into the plains of the I\ed river near l/ilcc Travcrs. The middle route leaves the Mississippi at Sank rapids, seventy-six miles above the mouth of the St. I>etcr's, and intersects the Fled river'ncar its most southern point. This is the route pursued by the expedition. The northern route follows for some distrmce the valley of the Crow Wing river, and turning the northern extremity of Oltertail lake, descends into the valley of the Red river near the njouth of Cuffalo river; These routes are mere trails, used only once a year by the iow traders and trappers who visit St. Peter's, and follow, as far as possible, the open prairie, as the traders have not the time, nor are they disposed to expend the means necessary to construct roads through a wooded country: this will account f>rthc fact of so miicli prairie having been passed over by the expedition, and for the circuitous character of the route pursued. It will be perceived that I do not include in these divisions that portion of Minnesota lying to the south and west of the St. Peter's, nor that por- tion bordering on Lake Superior and Rainy Lake river. I have attempted no description of these sections of country, as I could not obtain any reli- able information regarding them from any one. The whole of the Territory of Miimes^ta lying west of the valleys of the Red river and the St. Peter's is still unexplored, and the expedition of the past summer has for the first time developed the resources of the north- eastern portion of the Territory. As the immense region included within the boundaries of Minnesota west of the St. Peter's and valley of the Red river embraces tiearly two-thirds of the whole Territory, it will, of course, be the labor of some years fully to examine and re|y)rt upon it. The ex- pedition of the past summer has brought to the notice of the government much fertile and available country, and there can be no doubt but that the surveys and examinations of the remainder of the Territory will be prosecuted at as early a period as practicable. Three tribes of Indians — the Sioux, the Winnebagoes, and the Chippo- was--occupy at present that portion of Minnesota I have attcnjpted to describe; and as they do not number more than 20,000 souls, and are as yet entirely ignorant of the great value of t!\eir lands, 1 would suggest to the government the propriety of purchasing immediately as much of the country as can be negotiated for. An inunodiato purchase would also prevent the appearance of the immense hordes of the Sioux and Sissitons from the Missouri, who, upon the receipt of intelligonce that the country "Was to bo sold, would flock to the commissioners with demands fir tho extinction ol a roving title, for which they probably have no f>undatiiMK 'i'hero is no doubt but there is fertile country enough in tho Territory of Mimicsota, and east of tho .hicijuos river, tor the population of at h'ast two States; but as my examiiKitions have not been as yet suliiciently ex- tensive, 1 cannot sug'^cst a boundary lu'Sweon them with s^ulli -ient pre- cision to riMHlor tho s«i'.i;>^'stio!! v.'orth.v ot" jij'itii'ji . i I .shall here give my views as to tho location of tho military |»sfs nv feried to, in tho instructions organizing tho oxpodition to tho Red river of the North . [42] I • 10 There nro tluoo cojidiiions v,'hkU I consider noressruy fo W. fulf,i|„i ■ U.c location o( nnhtary posts aloni^ il,e wesim. frontier of ll,. l' ,''! Santos y,x : first, tint , uy .lun.I.I he so placed as lo i.ilcrpose -.s , ^^ ns .o^s,l,I,. lu. ween tnhc. o( Indians at Var with cad, nl.e • tc ' that ,hey should possess all tlio advantages of dc^ll-nce and eas- tu f' mul, third tlK.t , hey shonid he n.ost adv.'uda<,..ously situated fT - hX:'"''^ 'T^^' "' r^'^ ^^■'''^''' '" ^'^'"•^^ '^ time, must n J^, ! o h.mn (uriherin advance, fn the location of the proposed n i ,^. post all these conditions are presented. ^ ^^^ luMit.ay The section of country in which it is proi^oscd to cstablisj, a mlli.. ' C th : W-'"V'^' "'"^ "''^^ '^ IndianUhc Sil>ux on the ^u ' J ;::^;on tl^irs:^ e!;"^ "^^ ''^'^''^^" •" ^"^ ^^"^^^^ --^ ^"^ ^'^'^ trJw'V^^ ii""'^'''^"''^' ''.^'■'' ''''^^'>' ''^''" intcriioscd between the other tu-o tr bes, for the purpose, I M.pi,osc, of preventing hostilities. The Siqu v a d Ch ppewas have been at uar from time inmjemorial, and the only e, '. t tJ^tnTTT^'^^-'^'^'^T'^''^''' ^''' ^'««» »« tr;,:.fer the^sea wai f oni the Mississippi to the valley of the Red river - the North A post, therefore, on the Red river, and immediately in rea.-^'the Winnebf go country, would best fulfil the first condition. ^ »vinncba. In reference to the second condition, there are two routes by whicli i post thus located could be supplied, and, if necessary, reinforccd^l^o^uhc Mississippi, viz: by land, from some point on the Mississippi above the fr H.;'^ f' one hundred and ten miles over a gently undulating coun try, I rough winch roads could easily be made; and b/ water throSgh tic St. Peter s and S.oux Wood rivers. I have not made any examination whatever oi the St. Peter's, and only ascended the Sioux Wood fora swl f.lifrZo "MiT ^''^'-^'f that during the spring and sunnner freshets t lis route would be ei.tirely practicable, and would possess over the other he two advantages of bcin- more economical, and of communicating with the Mississippi below the falls of St. Anthony, ° As to the third condition, 1 am quite satisfied that the government will, ere long, station a military force along our northern frontier, either at or in the vicinity of Pembina. This post would necessarily bo supplied lor a time, at h.ast, with provisions and munitions of war from the Missis- , sippi,nnd the first post on Red river should therefore be so chosen as to commumcale as easily and rapidly as possible with Pembina. It became necessary, therefore, ni my opinion, to exan)inc the Red river of the North, lo asceriain what facilities for navigation it presented. It will be seen by perusing my report of the examination of the Red river, that it is navic^a. blc ^,r steainens about r>ur hundred (400) miles by water fmm our northern Ironticr, and to a point abr.ve tlie month of the Sioux Wood river. A noint. therefore, in the vicinity of the mouth of that stream would best fulfil all the rcfinircd conditions f.r a military post; and previous to any action of the govermMont upon the subject, I would strongly recommend an <^xam. nation of thr St. J»etor's and Sioux Wood rivers, and of the country in the vicinity of the conlluence of the last named river with the Red river or tuo. Aoiih. 'I'nn Ncttleiiienis alo,,;. the Red river of the North were made about the year lon>, and ovtci,.!,.! up tlio river to ihe parallel of 47" imrth latiiiide, JaDoi.t ) 11 was snpposf.d at the fioie that the country in which tlicv liad located Iheinscivcs bclnni^od to the KnglLsU government, but, upon asccr- (3 i ftfi 11 [42] ff> tlic cniilravy, Ibc colony Wf\s roiDovcd to points lower down on the JicU river, and wilinn iiio known bonndarics of the Knglish jw-ssefi- fioiis. This colony was established by Lord Selkirk, upon a grant of Iniul fi"^i» the Hudson's Hay Company, but the rapid increase of half- breeds, resulting from the connexionr; between the colonists and Indians, aiul the constant rivalry in trade with the Hudson's IJay Company, occa- sioned the n)ost serious disturbances, and several encounters took place, in vhich many were killed and wounded on both siJes. The half-breeds at present nund)er about eight thousand, (8,000,) and, with the exception of about nine Imndred who are collected round the trading post of the American Fur Company at Pcnd>ina, they reside upon the English possessions, and are entirely under the control of the Hud- son's Bay Company. For a detailed account of these singular people, I refer to the narrative which follows. The setdements of Americans in Minnesota are at present entirely on the cast or left bank of the Mississippi, as the lands on the west are still in the possession of the Indians. The three villages most prominent are St. Paul's, about nine miles below the mouth of tlie St. Peter's, and on the east bank of the Mississippi; St. Anthony, at the falls of that name, and Stillwater, at the head of Lake St. Croix. The east bank of the Mississippi, as far north as the mouth of Crow- Wing river, and the west bank of the St. Croix, are fast fdling up with inhabitants, and the fact that four or five steamboats are necessary for the trade with Galena and St. Louis, is sulficient evidence of the prosperity and success of this portion of Minnesota. A boat is in process of construction to ply between the falls of St. An- thony and the Crow- Wing river, and the present state of things, which has resulted within the last two years, is sufHcicnt to convince the most incredulous that the rapid growth of Minnesota in wealth and piipulation has surpassed the anticipations of the most sanguine. The present set- tlers are almost entirely from the eastern States, and the coldness of the climate, and the fact that the new State will necessarily be a free State, render it certain that the future population of Minnesota will be composed almost wholly of New England people. There are four routes by which emigrants from the cast and south can reach Minnesota: one from St. Louis by boats, distant eight hundred miles from the mouth of the St. J*eter's; another by land from Chicago, Illinois, to Galena, to connect with the steamers from St. Louis; a third from Mil waukic, across Wisconsin by land; and a fourih from Chicago by land to the mouth of the St. Peter's. There are two other points nearer to ihc Territory of Minnesota which can be reached by boats, viz: Green Bay and " Fond-du-Lac," or the western extremity of Lake Superior; but as it would be im{)()ssible to purchase at cither of these points the necessary stock and outfit for a farm, I should, in view of all the circum- stances, recommend Chicago as the jwint of debarkation for all the euii- gianis froHi the east, and as the most desirable and cheajxjst place to lay in all the supplies no<-.ossary for coinmenciug a seUlemeiil in .Minnesota. The |v>licy «)f distributing the public lands for the benefit of intt'rnal iniiiroveuicnts h-i.s Iieei! so universiiHv iidinift.<'d hv all tlie wostorn 8t;»'.o?- thut I am induced hore to sui.'go,st grant*- of laiul for throe linos of railroad Which 1 regard as most important to the prosjx'riiy ^^f Minnesota: one from the, head of navigation of the lied river of lii-i North, to the head of navigation of the St. Peter's, in the vicinity of its most southern jx)int; [42] 12 another from tlic head of navigation of Red river Jo a point on ilic M' sissippiat or near the nioncli of Crow- Wing river; and a third from ^q!^'^ • point on the .Alississippi which can be attained by boats, to the west»' ' extremity of Lake Snjwiior. "* These routes pass through the richest portions of the Territory anl • connect the valley of the lied river with the eastern and southern iD.r Kcts. There is another route perhaps equally imporiani, but of which I can say but litlh;, as the country has not as yet been carefully exaniineJ 1 Ins hne would connect t!ie head of navigation of the Kcd river with tl.r' head of navigation of the Jacques river, is about ninety (00) miles in length, and would form a direct connexion between the valleys of ij„I Missouri and Red river of the North. An examination of li.e accomili imng map will show the lengths and directions of these lines, ani l" tnmk cannot fail to exhibit their great usefulness. « '^"'vI^V''"''''"^'^ I'V*! ' """ Pr^maln'c in such sucjjeslions, but the great diflicully under which every man has labored who" has projected im provements m the United States has been, that he has found himsS'f rather behmd than in advance of the times. I therefore strongly rec ommend that Congress make grants of land for the constmction of these roads as soon as the Indian title to the country has been extinguished and before the lands are thrown into market, for the very obvious and suf ficient reason that no sectional opposition can then be made to the loca tion of the routes, and the fact that such grants are in existence will ac cunuilate a population along the lines which will insure their construction at the earliest practicable period. I cannot conclude this imperfect sketch of the Territory of Minnesota without strongly urging upon Congress the necessity of adopting speedv measures to sanction and carry into effect the folloM^ing measures Avhid, 1 have recommended, and the reasons for which 1 have given in some detail m the body of this report: /•^i"'*Vt'*'*? negotiate with the Indians for the purchase of the lands west of the Mississippi, -ut least as far north as the Crow- Wing river, and as far west as the head of/ the St. Peter's. ^ ' Second. As soon as this purchase has been effected, to relinquish the military reserve of Fort Snelling to the settlers, and to remove the troops now garrisoning that post to points near the northern and western limits of the territory thus acquired. Third to make grants of alternate sections of land for the constmc- tion of the railroads 1 have mentioned. Fourth. To make appropriations for the construction of eood wagon sli^^UVZr^ ^^^""^ *'^^'''' "'''^ "''*"■ ''"'^'' *''^ Mississippi and Lake Fifth. To make an appropriation of money siifTicicnt to remove the ob- T!hoTu?i "7;f '•? '" lll^ Mississippi from the falls of St. Anthony to the mouth of the Crow- Wing river. AsthcTerritoiyis eMtin.|yuMd.r the control of the general govern- ment, the legahty of these grants and appropriations cannot ho nnn.. ti.-nea a,„i j.s jhey are rnatfors of vital n.ci'ssity to Minnesota, ills to be li' ped they will moot the early attention of Coir'irss ITn/..T4?'l ^" '•""'•''^ •'•"' ''''.*'"" "^ '''" P'''-^P'''«y of any portion of the United .Elates, sinr-e anncipalions which have been a thousand fold sur- passed r.vf3niy-fivc years ago would have been considered the wildest i! [42] CHAPTEIl IV.— (From May 15 lo June 13.) ncDarhtrcfmn St. Uuis.- Arrival at Fort Sndlmrr.-^Fort ^J^'^^'f'- ^Tf ;/ V/ P«i// St Anthony —Mill— Jmpnrtamc of nmitk of iL it —Olivet of frontier posts —Purchase of lands uestoftlieMxs- TJpT-l^^^^^^^^ I'ort Sncllingfor iL valley of the Red rxvcr ^nF/kwth-Coimtn/ between Fort Snclling and Sauk Rapxds.-Bnn. %r:.^nJ:!&clRapids in the Mississippi. -Proposed plan of improving the navigation. In obedience to instrac.ions receivea from C"Io«olJ. J. Abert, corj?s^of ItSimry e-o" oi the expediUon woujd "»' »'i',f '-^^^^iJ-^r-. "^ Z myselfin making so.ne »»™'"7;: ,l^^r 1/eqSem oY "1^ i:&^«rdrrsoHi»Snt^^^^ horse the second day aficr my arrival, prevented me from executing ably two hundred (200) ^ct ^bo uj me ic undulating and t„tJo'r.hrSt"K:1Z llr frii;^nd';x.end3 l^oS ..o ana a half miles down tljo M'fi^f'PP'- ^ ;,„ ,,„,„„ „.e mouth of the St. Mcndot.1, wlncli lies about h.il »,."'""■,'',„,„ .....crican I'urCom- lilt; ast^5»»--' * - ■ J - - ■....»,,? >•«»*•.• «.* .»»»• art. H' ^f «1.„ l.wi;.,., riMlutrV. 11 IS lilt; |.l.iv«^ v.. ..-. -^ ...1,,T.. !i S.;^^;id;ga,ci;,Oo„s-s^™.Minn;.^^^^ dians, ai Hi is also includod in the inilitury ro?crvc not attained that drgroe of pro.<^pcrity so rem lukablc in the villages ol St. ' I . i Paul ami Sl. Ai.tlmnyan.l which i(s far inoiv /iivorahlr p^sUhu uu-r jnsily have soamul lor it. St. I>a„| i. on the oast or iHt hank of ,!" j''^ MNs.pp, iwiR' ii,.lr« hy water bdou^ [.'or. Siidlin- nn.l as i is t /. . '^''• r;;.nto,.,o„„hoat lan.ling to tho nuuuh of ll^'^ ''C'l w . ^^'^^ in.its of tho iiuhlary reserve, it has incveased to an aM.a/i,. cvt '•' InisMiess and population within the last year. It now con^^^ ., V"",''' t.on o ahout one thousand 0,000) sonl^ a^d m; "sX' t m.'.S'" f Its hnsn.ess lour or live re-Mdar stcan.boats from .St. I^i i a > ' !' 1 he back eountry alnn.t the village is said to be very fertile anc Ir d n ' ' but I liad not myself tho opportunity of secin." any ,or i.M. of , '' nects w„h Tort Snelhng, yendo,a,^and St. Autl.J^n'; ! -u nio ";£• r.,st bank of the Ahssissippi. St. Anthony i. also s huated on 11^^ left bank of the Miss s.vij)pi, and at the fulli of the san.o imme seven n I ' sive an(I avadable wate»}>,)wers in the west, if not in the world and fr. Its healthy locatio.i and «roat advantages, it bids fair to be one ^^ timing .nanufactnring towns. The'^steamboats which ply in hriC M^sissipp, can approaeh within two hundred yards of tic falls, and T andmg proposed for then, is at the lower end k the town. A stSbo a of the^Crow ?,C^^"^.^^"'^«i-» to ply between St. Anthony and the inom S . L^l T °/ n'''/« '^ i" '?'^' '*'" P'""" ^^ "'^ ^^'^Ses now used mat ti ado. The falls of St. Anthony are over ledges otsnnrl^rnno nJi aTd'itif N'^'^ ^ '-'''' ''''']' ^''^'^" -"-^-'p tt ri?'; a:^^^ and a hall mile. The eastern channel has been dannncd and a sZ- mill constructed, at an expense of .^-30,000 or 840,1)00 The bed of c" channel is almost level, and of solid rock. It has only been nccessnrv vS bJ'intnrf ' A t"'" l' ^"k^ '"''I'^^^^ '« ^'^ perlcJ^tSncS. "S,! r« 1 fV -T\ ^ ^^?"' ^""^ ^^en thrown across the river above the head of the island, and all thai is now necessary to present tlio fo^^sTtm Iv hefar"ail%mJ tr ^'"^^ "" !'^ f'''''^^ ''' its'tXitirfes 'whe iney arc cut and they are received and retained in the reservoir formed by the dam and the island The mill has been commenced on the cas bank and 18 being extended across the channel dammed up, w licli t aboul m^.^si::'' '" ^^^'''- '''-'' ^«'"p'^^^^ " -" --'^ ^^^^^' , The opposite side of the river presents equal ad van targes for aoolv- S as:o:!nTr Vr^''^ Polioses, and 'this will rqties.ioi nbfy^l selUcrs Awl ""''tary reserve shall have been rclinc nished to the Siv n,>t in^f '"^'7' ''''^ ^'"'^^° V^^^<^^^^oa to the manufuct.ircr as a^ reo saLTo n ^''''•'"'" ""' ""^ "' *''*^ '^'«^'^' ""^ "''"^^t unlimited, ed T;m I n^r" V" ^""^'''^".t operation, and others are being construct- for\h(\L nft^^fn ' ''"P^"'''^'"/^ supply sufliciont building matorini uj^er m"!^ ""•"""" ^^"'^^^ '' «'• *^-»^ St. Anthoi.;, and the arKT';hrriv?r'n..vr '?,• ^f'^^ '^^^ ^'""l' represented as remarkably ft^rtile, rn In d V r''" '".'''■ T' 'T''^"''* •'^"^^ twenty uhIo.h above it r V^ ' I '"'T ' '^^ the valley of the Mississippi above the falKs ^nnot be :Ih; ^ !"h '"'?;'■'' "'"'"" '^^^^'^^'^'^'^ tnuH/Lre f UT>raM., it cannot be doubted that this portion of Muinesotu is drsiino.l to nlav a considerable part ,n the eonm.erce of the nor.hw.st. 1 I.e St l! en's wil transport to ,ts mon.ii all the productions of i,s vail' md-s the ob.st.uct.on to the navigation of thJ Ali..-si..ippi by i!;o ij of St In^ i i 15 |-42j llinny will imlvo tlie viciiiltv of ihf. f.,)i , ,, , ., „, , a portion of it l.avin-v,. up hn s L'o. f . •' '"^ *' ^''"'f'^ *" purchase the season and the ^XofZ^^r^^ '!» ^^>n^^orjn.Mcoof .hola.onossof attention of Con.'Tcss ill jH vp^ ^ T-'''"', -^^ '^ ^^ '^^^ ''"f""' ""'I t^'^ that ncgo.iationAvill l^om^^Zu:uV''y^'"' "' "" c-arly day, and chase of ,he valley of he S( Pe,e ' f, nf .1'"''/"/ ""'>^ ^'" ^''° I'"^" thc Mississippi, at least as fir no,- .^..1 ^ 'V"''"; T'^'^''^ ^^^^'^^ '^^ river. In coln.cxion with this TuXZ i" '"^'/''/'^ '^"^ CrouMVing mend the propri.ty of oivU . nK ' ' '""T''^ ?'''' serionsly rcconi" Snelling, Ivhich e'mtS fevK Ttirros '7"'''?7 ---'o^.^ort portion of the Territory In's r f/n^ Ir , 'desirable ponjts in this largo a reserve of landjf.r a no ^i ' tnd V^^^"'"^ "'". "^^^'^-^'^ ^'^ «" try, or in fact to understand timnp^-f I ^'^'^ ''^"''^ "^ ^ ^°"'^"'^' coun- fore the lands of tl e nlil ry reserve o/pLfs" l.-"'*T^ (T'' '"' '^^' '^«- in market they would bTiurel7.sed nn?l .onf "'"^ '^"^ ^''" ''''•^'^ J«y« tlieni immediately. VVI^nThf S ull ? T"'V/-' ?°'"'"C"ced upon been negotiated for by t ie l^LSntes hf t'^^ Mississippi shall have removed further to the west ami no-StC m'"''^'"'^ '^'" ner.essarily be be in their vici.iity, and For iZu]'J 7/ ''^'"7 »^''*' "'"^'^^ «^ <^«"'-se depot for stores a,,d pro^ions for t ' .^/'f ""r'^F ^' ''"'''^^'^^^^ as a interior. In view ofTc Tescnt a 1 n?'^'^' ?-^ *''° P'^'^ ^""''^^ '» ^'^^ clearly of opinion that Fort^Snc ni s'.o^umT. ?h "T 'J '^^^'^^' ^ ^^ post as soon as the purch "e of n^'inn i . ab^'floned as a nulitary iiave been ofTected. iSris rcnL n. ' '"'' • '^V''^ -^Mississippi shall this part of the countrv f r mJlWo * • "*'^'^«^^^'7 ^^r » military force in serve^ the nZ^Zl uZ'^^/^^^^^^^^ b"» !'«« frontier posts towards the ^v3st, the -n,'cId-X:.MllT""^^^ h'^''' ""^ ^"'ther becon.e competent to .sus ah hen selves 'Trl^^'"'^^^ "1 '''"^^ "^ «''"«> governn)ent to push a little ndv-Z.^r '^''^^^ *''° P^-'^'^y of ouJ military forces Lw diZ'a le a ud to ,1?"/ .^^S''«'»«»'« i" the west the no longer than they a ^^ nm ssarv fi^^^^^^ ''""V* ^''''''''^^' r«»»t« our adt-ancing cmiLtK.n For W^^ T'^ ""'''} .^I'^^'^^'^g^^mcnt of and I would therefore surest to the 1 "^ ""^ '?f' " ^"'^''^^ ''"^^ co.ulilion; ..£. o.n, .='s,^tp'-s^ -X ■;-- -: .- animal., «r„,.rci,oiiZu:.vLCfc^' ^,^ .trin .'^[j'Tsyr "/:""' ot Sank rapiils seven viwVTmi' '".'r''. l'^-""'g Hio Mississipm falls of St. Alillionv -uVj ifr r (1,,. 1 * . "' ''''''' """'<' •''""■'^ Hw ...0 ..o.™„,.a Mon^i^Mi^wt™^:^,;!;?:, ,:::r'2^.rcj^-:s' ^ ■ ! ' [42] .. 16 Wc Hioro mot tlio company of dnigoons wliicl. liad marrl.od from v ^.... .V...U. ».: jH.iMuu iMMii T Oil ibDcMing lolMo «aul< rapids f.rn fnsl seven miles lies on the vest ndu of ilio Mississippi, nnd as it is n, the. inihtary reserve of the fori, the country through which it iKissii'? Avholly unenlt.vated, ahhough capable of prod.icing in great aJ.luu a,^' all the varieties of grain. After crossing the Mississippi at the falls oft' Anthony the road is nearly straight to Sauk rapids, the river departing.; sonic points eight or ten miles from if, and at others approaching w fl.i, half a mile. It is intersected nearly at right-angles by the nuinc o streams which flow into the Mississij.pi from the east. The principaUf these tnbmaries, between the falls of St. Antliony and the Sauk rin d arc the K ice river or creek Kum river, and Elk river, lly far the Iar4;'i of these is Rum river, which is ferried at its mouth, where it is abou seventy-five yards wide, and which, from its amniarance, I should sun pose, in a good stage of water, could be ascended forty or fifty miles h'- smal steamers. The country is gently undulating, containing nearly equal proportions of prairie and timber, and possessing a very fertile soif J he timber most abundant is the white and black oak, ash, elm. ami birch— several other species being found in less abundance. High un on t.iese streams, towards the St. Croix, are found large forests of the white and yellow pine which furnish the lumber which constitutes so imporlant an article of the trade of this region. From St. Paul to St. Anthony there is almost a continuous settlement. From St. Anthony, the fir/t settlement IS at the mouth of Rice creek, about seven miles distant. A ferry-privilege across the Mississippi has been granted to Mr. Danfill, who resides at this jxjin t. The next settlement is about ten miles distant from S?^c n't'.f V'"" PZ'^' '^ Runi river. The next is distant thirtern ^nnf ^. V L ""'" 1 ' ""^ ^"' "T- V}'' "^^'> »^^^^"'g n««f t»'e Missis- Kni .?-^ '''''' •.""' "nT'y P^''''"^' ^'^'* '' »« ^'»e junction, distant by land thirty six miles. The next is also on Klk river, the Galley of which IS followed by the road nearly its entire distance. This scttlenlcnt iUTZJ'nA%^'\?"\^^^^ f "" ^'^y' ^'^"^ ^^'"•'»» i^ '»«« derived J^lf r y, " ^^.« ' !S Meadows. ' We next came, at a distance of nine Tv Pnd Tn! tl ° ^^'f^''''> to the settlements at Sauk rapids, which extend along the river about one mile and a half to the residence of Gil- man, at which there is a ferry across the river. The whole of the country alonj; this road is* rapidly filling up witli set- tlers; and, although itis not so fertile nor well timbered as fhe west bank not I'llifhS^f'^T' r''i"'," " ^'," V'^y J^^""''^" «f Minn'^^^ota which does not St II belong to the Indians, the lamU are eagerly sought after bv per- sons desiring to locate ihemsolvcs. We spent the 1 Ithf 2, i aiuM^tl. Torthmd I .":"?'' wiMch from „.; observations was 'in latitude — north, and longitndu — west, from Cireenwich. 1 he odometer, which, attached to the wheel of a wnirnn, monsur-l with frn'u!rn.fi'''n"'^'Tl *•'''?'* "'''''■' ^''''^'« "** ""^ ^hc distance by the road irom I on Snelhng to Oilman's seventy six and two- thirds (7(i*/) miles. here arc two rapids ,n the M,ssissi,,,.i hetwer-n the fills of Sl Anthony and the ferry of Gilmnn-onc at the mouth of Coon crock/twelve (12) 17 [42] I Riilfis nbovo tlio falls, and Uio oUkt at the mouth of llic S.-mk or Osalcis fiver. Of llicse, ]>y far tlio most clillicult of ascont are tlie Sauk raj.id.s, from the sniiKMis cliaiacicr of tlic cliauiicl. In liiiih watrr tlicy would ;,rosciit lillle or no oNstru-Miou, hn\ when the water k low tlic.y arc almost jnipassablc. From )ny .slight oxarninntioii of tlicin as I doscondod the fiver upon my return from Pembina, I an» of opinion that the navigation could be greatly Improved with little labor, and at .small cxpen.sc. The diihnulty of ascending and desccnditig the rapids is not occasioned by lodges of rock, but is due to the presence, in the bed of the river, of large boidders or loose rocks, varying from twenty-five and thirty feet 5,]«arc to those of nnich .su)allcr size. These rocks arc scattered so con- fusedly ovf.r the bottom, that although there is abundance of water in the channel, yet it is so much diverted from its direct course, that in descend- ing with so rapid a current, it would be impossible to keep in the deep vi-ater. The plan I woidd propose for improving the navigation at such points is to remove, by machinery, the immciiso loose rocks which now obstruct the chatniel, and to drag them from the centre of the river both ways towards the shores, opening by this means a channel of eighty (80) or one hundred (100) yards in width, as may be desirable. These rocks, piled up III this manner between the shores and the edges of the channel thus made, would form a dam which would force the water from above to discharge itself through the opening left, and would thus always provide sulficient water for the navigation. There are two objections which might be made to this method of im- provement. First, that there would be danger of tearing away the banks on each side at the periods of freshets; and second, that the dam thus formed would produce a velocity of current too great to be overcome by boats. In reply to the first, it is only necessary to say that the banks of the nver are rocky and not liable to washings, and that during the fresh- ets a great deal of the water would be disciiargod over the dams. To the second objection it can be said, that if the velocity of the current be found too great, it will only be necessary to increase the width of the artificial channel. All the tributaries of the Mississippi I have seen contain rapids of a character precisely similar, alternating with intervening pools of deep water. As soon as the country has become settled, and there is a neces- sity for open navigation, these improvements can be made by this plan Without di/Ticully and at litde expense. CHAPTER \.—{From June 16 to July 11.) Departure from Said- rapids. Sunk river. —Dainrl LaK-o.~LIr in Ihe Sank and Watanb rivers a short distance .above .heir .noutlis^ and in tho. Sauk river a :socond ras.id occurs about twenty four or Iweniyfive miles fuilhcr up. - After crossin- t!i.- .Sauk river the prairio became more extensive, -though the woods wore iu plain view on both sides of the road. Wo bo- Ji 19 [.12 1 gan to nicot with llio iiunicrnus lala-s common to tbi" .sdion of coutitry, uikI which, from their purn cloar water, thu (junntiiy of wihl (()\vl and fish found ill lhiii!i|j or J'oi;ito river, jilsf* m triin.i. of .1.0 SMV„.r's, an.! n-achnl a ll.lw, to whirl,, f.nn i^" k m h ^ [f V'o ^^avc. iho n.-.m.,. of VAboxv laKo. Who,, xvithii, a few ,„iU of ,he •• JVC ei,a.ii„t..,vcl a h,k,11 war parly of (;i,i,,p,.w;,s (Vo,„ Onrrlail laK,. i, nn l.or>.,g ahoi.l .Nv,,.,y.fivr, (hn f„-.st I,..Iia.,s w. had mm,, .ino. K.'vi , ' : lMisM.vsij.pi, with Iho cxropii,,,, of five or .six \Vi„i.d,aL;nfs o„ a h,in( tx-pchnoH near - White /{car lako." We had thus k^l the Vi , l^; counhy an.l, „. approaching ,he lUd river of the North, we,o ro.ni . , f tho hattle ground of the Sioux ami Chippcxvas. The uutv of C m. w who iuet us gave us their war-daiire for Vo.ne tri/liu- ore en Is of tobacco, and le.i „s ea.ly the n>Ilouing n.orning .1^ n^ ^f : ' , ;;^ On hen.onnng of iho 1 1th wc crossed thcRirbbit river n, d nfter .Is over a h.gh rolhng prairie about twelve (12) nnles/ wH /c?/, ,; 1 Zf^^^^ banks ol the Red river of the North, havln/consn ned five weeks i,?'/c eo „ plis ung a dLstanco of one hundred and Ly (MO) units Ahl m.Tw; in.;de t ns day a march of twentyfive miles and eve on l.o^^^^^^^^^^^^ suflered greatly from the heat and ,nosquitoes,\vc found we had K. a^^ a tram of wagons, n.aking their yearly expeditions to St Pele^^iw ?h' Z fuxs and ,>eliries. Mr. Kittson, the clnef^person b longing to l ho A , c lean F ur Companv', not only kindly ofTered us the use of 1.1^1,^80 when we should reach tf.e set.lementsat Pembina, butscnt back wi h s o!,e of h.s men to see that we should be sup,)Iied from his ,,lacc w tl evervX,,/ we imght require. We were much 'struck with the' prim i ve a ,S f of the train of carts without a particle of iron about them, eachEin b' a single ox ni the shafts and carrying about one thousand pounds ^ It will be peiceivcd that I have arranged the marches « ade upon the expcdi ,011 ni groups of four or five days,^.nd that I describe Jihsoc detail the subdivisions of country thus' passed ever. Tli s arr' ' en^t has been made for the purpose of including sections of cou iTry^w i differ somewhat from each other in their api^arance and phyS struc White Bear lake is much larger than any of the lakes we Ind «cpp„ arid IS a most beautiful sheet of water, bordered by gei^^tly ro?li,K countrv with alternating g.oves of oak and open prairie descendinr«cnilv Z' water, w nch abounds with fish and wild 'fJ.wl. The I e^^'u Z ' j.^a milQs in length and three in breadth, and disclnnges it water tlufn me \ytoi. i ikc lake is about eight m os further is v.iv v n ., i heavily lin.bered, and abuunds with the plL fu". ' ^ " "'""^'' About fell ^Uh iw]"^ i..„..,.,.i .i : j i the Chippewa rivtjr, which atf! us pil e, wo cro.sseJ the main bianch of is about fifty yards wide and tiircc feci deei). I point runs through the opm i vp. Jt receives i;i III id vie fniiiie. aiK nil ly the ■M \i ■.n 21 [42] wrvliTS riragrcal innny small lalcca, ihn timhor ofwliiVh wns j)l:iinly visiMo oil all sides. The. Ijaiihs of lliis river art! Iii'^l)f!r,aii(l lli'' rrmiitry in iIkj iin- nictliate iH;i;^lilii>rlnH»(l far more iiii(;V(;ii, than up'^i any oilier .stiv.nii wohark of Water eommuii' ah 'tt which afl'.trds' every facility desirable to the farmer, and with little hi.- i' would furnish to the mauulactiuvr a water-iH>wcr almost iuexhaustil ! '. it may be as well here to slate the advantages to be given to this sec [ 4> ] 22 tion of country hy ilio r:» II roads, to nid in tlm ronMnj''tion of wlii.l i liavo rc.oimiii'iKlcd ijrinil.s of land: and first, tlir rotif.- fr.Mn llu; lifi,.lVr navif;aiion of \\w llc.l river to sonin point near tlio nmutli of Crow-Wj,' riv(M-. 'I'lir whole of the frrtilo rri>iun liordcrinij on tlio I?rd rivcm.'f and tlio vallt-y of ili). (Jiow-Wiii',' it^Jf. nidiraciii" ||„. Ojtoriaii laKi ronntry bctwocn (^i;. Mail lakn and tlio IMississippi'io du- cast, will'iu., "'' tarily liavo tlirir oiitlols tlin»uf,di ilic Crow-Wing riv.r. A jHiini, dirr* foro, nrar its njonili would \h> tlio dopoi for all tlio nr.>d\i-o and inanufac Hues of its valloy, at which the .steaniboal navigation of ilic Mississipr,", could ho used. The mouth of (Jrow Wing river is not only an iinponiu,i point in refiMoneo to the productions of its own valloy, lait it is in n direct lino from the head of navigation of the Red river of the N(»rih to the western oxlreniity of Lake Suj>erior. The line of grants, therefore fr.r a railroad from the head of navigation of the Rod river to the nioulli of Crow- Wing river, would bo prolonged nearly in a slraiuhl lino to the Fond du-Lac, and woidd bo the sliorlcst line from the liead of navigation of Red river to liake Superior. It can, therefore, l>c easily seen that this road will discharge to the east not only the productions of tho valley of the Mississippi above, of the Crow-Wing, and of the upi>cr Red river, but of the whole wheat region of the lower Red river, and of the valley of the Mississippi above the Sauk rapids. Tho consequent importance of the mouth of Crow-W'in'» river is therefore plain. I regard it as not at all more ditTicult to deliu? the produce of this whole country at tho western extremity of I,ake Su- perior, than it is to deliver tho produce of the interior of Wisconsin or Illinois at any point on Lake Michigan. The distance from Buflalo, hew York, to Chicago, is little less than to Fond-du Lac, and in open steamboat navi^tion would be of little consequence. This line of railroad, therefore, to connect the head of navigation of Ibc Red river of the North with Lake Superior, could be easily built by tho appropriation of the alternate grants ol land, and would enable Min- nesota to compete in the eastern markets with Illinois and Wisconsin. The second route from the head of navigation of tlie Red river to the head of navigation of the St. Peter's would open the valleys of the Red river and St Peter's to the Mississippi, below the falls of St. Anthony, and would bring both of these valleys quite as near to the southern market as the interior of Iowa, Wisconsin, or Illinois. The exact directions of these lines of road I am of course unable to give, but a reference to the accompanying map will exhibit tlicir general course, and I hope their great uscfuhicss. V '^: [ 23 CHAPTER VI.-(/.Vom JuUj Jl to .7.<-tMf 1.) [42] Vullcij of Had r'lver. — Ihavy tinihcr.— Arrival, al s/jvr of rvl^c— Voiinlnj in clhow of Red river — Leaf inountnin.. — PcmtimUy of Jlr.il river Kind its tributori(:s. — Wild Rice rircr.—S/t'ii/cnne. — Maple— Rusk. — Siovx Wood liver. — Comiexion bctinccu vnllci/s of Rid river and St. Rct(i''s. — Vof/ci/ of ishoyeiim. — Mr. Nicollnt.'—CouKlry alonif spur of rissed it, is abont tweniV v '" wide, and two and a half fed deep. The fne.s'np..n the prai icl'l :•■ E I-^nfll •' T'"' T''^' '^''- "'.'""^'^"^ growth of tin^her /.atn al ^V- banks ot tins strean, but ,ts position and conrse is visible as f.r as tie •" can reach, by the frn);o of heavy tin.bor alon^^ its shores. The pr. / "^ cxnniry embraced botu eon the .second crosshig of the Kcd rivernn'^ the hnsh nver ,s h.gb, level, and astonishingly fer.ilejand althon W t rorfons of ,t, from the imperfect natural drahu.gc, are' wet during^ crD of continuous rains an easy method of obviating it is presented bv mV mode of fencnig 1 luve i^roposed. ^ ^' From the second crossing of Red river to the crossing of Wild R-v. river the distance is ten (lU) miles, to the Shaycnne eleven (11) m i.^ Air her, to Maple nver ...vteen (IG) miles further, and to Rush ri ^ eighteen miles— makni? the whole distance fifty- five (ryr,) miles Ti <1 AV.Id Rice Maple, Shayenne, and Rush rivers are^ah-ly^ih n\.Son b t^ banks, and the Red river of tlu North has the largest growth of oak -i.u em lever saw. The railroad route I have prevlnsl^nen ioLd f the head of navigation ol the Red river to the head of navigation if ,) e '^::^^rr^i '" '"'' '""""' ^"''^' '^'"^"^ ^'^ '''''^' ^'^ The Sioux Wood river is, in some respects, the most important of the vJllor/ I, ^f ^\"f "!^'"^*>^. ("-om its peculiar position with r4rence to the valleys of he Red nver and the St. Peter's. It has its source in Lake V»'''''''i''' ^^^/'^ Its southeastern extremity, approaches within one nii!e • of Big Stone ake, on the St. Peter's. The Sioux Woml river ^sabtt twenty-five miles ,n length from l«nke Travers to its mouth, which I con- sider to be about the head of navigation of Red river. The Sioux Wood . IS navigable for small boats to the southeastern extremity of Lake Traver^ and a water comnnniication is thus nearly established between the valleys of the St. Peter s and Red nver. It is by this route that the voyages in iuT^f iS"^'' ' n'"'J ''''; ^^^,"»i'-r settlements at Pembina, to the moutii ol the St leter s. By lar the largest stream in this section of c(,unt.y is he Shayenne nver, winch, rising near the southwestern extremity of l>evil lake, in latitude north, has a soulheaslern direction about three ^ Ihmnr,. f '?r'' i''"'T''' ^^^ ''^^"''' «f t''« S^- I'eter's, where it makes an abrupt turn to the north to empty its waters into the Rod river of the JNortli. It ,s crossed by the route we pursued, about fifty (oO) niilrs from Its mouth and is ab.uu sixty yards wide, and, where we crossed , abmit .fourteen feet deep., [ nc upper valley of this river was visited by Mi: Mcollet, who IS enlhusi.istie in his description of it. It can, no dmiht, be navigated by bau-v nne hundred and filly n.ibs above its n„.nth. St tl lV'"i.''''''' ''^'^' tril.nianrs, and', altrr joining each other, • empty into the ShayeuKe about twenty-five (25) mih:; above its mouth ihe high water in th- .e nvers con.polh.l us to depart greatly fn.m the Red riye,, and we h;. 1 ihns appioache.l very near the dividing nd-'o he- twccn the Red nver and I'pper Shayenne. o " o *»nmmii mwmm iwi 25 [42] The wlinlc region ])ct\voon tlic Sliayeniie mid Sioux Wood rivers, and particularly thai portion along llio Red river of the Norlli, is the most rc- niarkahlo country I have over seen for its singular unifonnity of surface, the wondcr/ul fortiUly of its soil, its peculiar hiness for the production of alMonds of grain, and the great healtliiness of its climate. The whole valley of the Red river is of the same character, intersected, at almost equal distances, hy its numerous tributaries, the remainder of which we were compelled to cross higher up on the ridge which contains their sources, to avoid the time and labor necessary to ferry them lower down. As a aountry peculiarly adapted to the construction of canals, it is pcrfiaps unrivalled— presenting no obstacles of uncvenncss of surface or formation of ground, atul, but for the coldness of its climate, it could be. made a most delightful region. It is covered in the sunnner with the most luxuriaiii growth of prairie gra s,and all t!)c varieties of wild flower; and, even uninhabited as it is, it presents the api^earance of a vast culti- vated garden. On the morning of July 22d we ascended, at about two miles distance from our camp, the ridge I have mentioned, and encamped that night up- on the most southerly tributary of the Goose river. The next morning appeared the first buffalo we had seen, and we were glad to lay m a sup- ply of fresh provisions, of which we were much in. need. On the same morning we reached a small salt lake, and determined to devote the re- mainder of the day in preparing and drying the meat of the buffalo killed that day. Tlie next day we encamped upon the main branch of Goose river, and on the succeeding day we reached Turtle river. On the morti- ing of the 2Gth of July we marched for Big Salt river, where we encamp- ed late in the day. On the 27th we encamped near a long lake, and on the 28th reached the southwestern edge of t'ae Poplar islands. Two days more brought us to the settlements along our northern frontier, and we encamped at Pembina on the 1st ol August, having consumed fifty-seven days in accomplishing a distanceof four hundred and ninety-seven miles — something le^s than eight miles per day. The country enibraced in this subdivision ought properly to have been divided into two portions, viz: the high, rolling country, about ninety-five (95) miles in width, along the spur of the ridge; and the low country, about fifty-five (55) miles in width, between the northeastern slope of the spin- and the mouth of Pembina river. In the first portion the country is one hundred and fifty (150) or two hundred (21)0) feet above the level of the valley of the Red river; the streams crossed upon it are narrow, and are not generally heavily timbered, and chains of salt lakes intersect the ridge in various directions. From the point at which we ascended the ridge wo passed over a high and rolling country (all prairie) to the most southerly tributary of Goose river, nineteen (19) miles distant. IJetwoon this branch and the main stream, distant eighteen (IS) miles, there is a rich, lovol valley, which contains great quantities of the wilil flax. The chain i>f salt lakes which intersects this valley extends fil'iy or sixty miles to the we.>t, towards the ♦Shayenne and the sources of the P.ig and l.itde Sail rivers. 'I'lie beds liiCi ;s!u'm'C:> of iiicsc; lalti's OiO COiiiiMiM\l riiiiot' oi drrik 0;'u>rt-u imi Ol I gravt!l,and the water contained in (henr is quite dear and salt. 'I'here were no depositee or incrustations of salt to bo found on their banks. This pecu- liar feature is so common to the whole reL;iou of country west of the valley of Red river, and on the Ui>perShayeiHie, that Mr.^icollel, in the report of •^:i fl ^ 1. ' , \. }■ [42] 26 his cxpodiflon along ibo dividing rid-e bchvccn tl river and JMissonrf, calls it tl 10 wal filreanis fl.nvin>' into tlio ilcd le ors of tl.o n,j .salt-wahM- region." Almost a|| 10 sa It la! ios and in dry soasoiis are sliyliHy fjiliiio in ll tl lakes. Sail lakes are al'so found aionij "tl near lliat .stream, thoui?li not neailv A n.... 1 : *i ^ . ' river frcun lliis ridire refoivc tl iiie 10 Waters cf 10 vicinity o( ,| 10 valley of the liod ri After I \si so nninerous. ^'i-i and a! ndgc to Turtle river, distant from Ooosc riv(^ VvVmroV^Tin n'-,'''"- Ne.tl.er of these rivers is more than two and a half Sfilet fee , ''* wkl^Iln l"^' "^'v^'"'' river being much the most ilnu. lantU:^ , S with timber. The country between Turtle river and I nnrr i L j ^ '^^ teen and a half (17.) mileJ, is in al respe cL tl c .s^ie/an \ imC^^^^^ by many streams, some of which arc fringed with t/mbcr ThoT ^^ (^0,) the other twenty seven (27) miles from Turtle river At I onl I l^ we conunenccd again to descend into the lower valley of the eS^rivor' and the timber, principally oak, became much more ab ,, dmit tha .J any other point of the valky wc had yet seen. ^'^^'""^""t than at Ilill rive?' rfi" succession, and within a few miles of each othor. Little llill rive Clear A^ater river, Steep Hill river, Hartshorn river and a Iw seven nnes distant from the last-named stream, wc encamned o^^^ mer, winch traverses the western edge of the Poplar islads Al|^ u above-named rivers join each other in the valley Sf the S river ad foim a considerable stream called Park river, which empties into the Red river of the North, about thirty miles from our northern Cnticr " ^'^ hJ!^ T '"""'^ al'undantly timbered, and to the northwest extends a heavy and contiimous mass of hard-wood timber, which I w4sh formed liitfa'tuS::'^' back, without prairie, about thirty^^^rnllt^^ fnJ'if "^**'l»'«'-'^^''^»ds»' are detached groves of poplar, scattered con fusedly over a country covered with a growth of dw^f busherand when Ha^d:"rt:nn?rnnd7Tr.^- '^''^ 'IT ^^'"^^^^'^^ wl!^ aTe caMel t " f«r fnrn .?• ""'l'^''' ^"^' ^'^'^^Y ^'rviccablc even for firewood. This necu. an^'S'nLTnts 'i„"Ch'^ '"""^ '"""' '""^ -''"- '» -"■-!. iTo woodfor-hi. ^ °"^"'' "';?' " '"'""»')' of ""^ l'«">''i...' river c Snds Sf » , TT" P^Tr""' "^''«•" "^ ''•■• '"«' «n'"8°d from u5.7;a;d7.ii^e;:n'rf,r i;fe.rp:''"'"" '- "■« *"■" -"> """=" - From the point at which we struck the Tongue river we followed it down nearly to its junction with the Peinbina^ iris i smaj s re m fifteen yards wide, and four or five feet deep where we crossed and hs taken Its name from a pocniiar fork of the river at a 1^'^ ere li mou I of'' hpi; •" " ''-'"'^ 'r' ''" ""•""' "^ ''-"''ina rivir At' ho |.'! '" " ' ^'''''^''' 'f the IJnitcd States, is situated the setllemPMi nf Uu\f. i/it;LUN Known nv r ■«. f.' i»,....k;.... „,...i . n . ... ■ einbina settlement," and whiel only populaii(,n, other than Indian, bet Jjrilish pits.sessioiis. I constitutes tlio ween the Mississijtpi and the Wc had tl ins accomplished the march fr.)m Sauk rapids, on the M 8»I»l>i, to the iiorlhern boundary of the United Sla'tcs, a J 1 1 SSI s- istaiico of four ; ii 11 27 [42] Iiuiidrod ninl t\vc))ly (^120) inil.'s, nnfl bad Iravcrscfl a country wlucli, for fcrlili'y and boautyj had far r.vrcodcd llic cxponlations of all. This vast valley of llio Hod river, extending three hundred nnles frorri north to south, and about fifty miles to the westof the river, is among the most fertile tracts of country I have ever seen. From its very lcv(;l char- acter and great productiveness it is peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of wheat, oats, barley, cVc. Vegetables arc produced nio.st^ abundantly, and the potato attains a size and flavor rarely met with further soutH. Consid(!rablc quantities of wheat and barley are raised north of our fron- tier, and the flour which is made at the Selkirk settlement, at the rnoutlx of the Assiniboin river, is exceedingly good. , . • ,- • .. • It is said by those who have passed some years of their lives in this -part of the country that the small corn can be raised successfully, but 1 am much inclined to believe that corn would be among the least valua- ble of the productions of the valley of the Red river. Bufl^ulo range in immense herds between the Pembina and Shayenne rivers, are found in great numbers, winter and summer, along the Red river, and are Ire- quently killed in the immediate vicinity of the settlements at Pembina. The elk, the antelope, the moose, and all possible varieties of wild fowl, are found in great abundance, and art'ord an easy means for the supiwrt of the Indians. The furs which are found in this vaUey are the beaver, marten, otter, fisher, bear, elk, minx,muskrat, lynx, buff^alo, wolverine, red and silver gray fox, riTr '• lu ISo.tb to Its ontranco into I.ako Winncpeg, one bundrod u d t vo .'' (liD) nnlos furt u-rnonb. Tbo... aro two military ],osts in tb ii \ '•^' ono at be moulb of, bo Assiniboin livor, sixty nnlL\)ortb/oirfi^^'^^^^^^^ Tbo whole population witbin tbc territory of tbo United States amonn.c to abon one thousand (1 ,000) French half-breeds, and in tl o j^ssossS i j;i;r»-;s^!s been wUKhawn, and their places supplied by invalid penslners, a.L n i ing to about one hundred (100) men. Tlie policy of the Hudson'sDw Company has bee,, to keep these people in a deplorable state of igo ranee as to the value of their lands and of the goods fuVnished them, iiS to nako use, as far as possible, of the services of the adventu,-ous h . Um and Kb '?'""'•? '''"";• "^ fl^r currency has been established an o ,g^h „ xvbich, froni ,ts pecnbar cha,actcr, would be considered as savorin- rather L„ "oni^ f |;-.«"J/>y «l^e laws of the United States. The notes a.S wo tl f om one sh.ling to a number of pounds, and arc payable on demand a e Red riveM?: ""> u'^'^'l ^"^'^ ^^^".f '"'^^^ ^'""^ »''« settlement sou the fied iiver,) m a bill of exchange payable sixty days after sight at the Hudson's Bay Compa,,y's house in London. It is qu te certain, from 1 e L ued tb^I'n ^"^'"r ": '^'' ^f.°t'° r"^""S whom Stese notes have be , issued, that many of them will be lost, and that no necessity exists for redeemn,g any one of them, as it is always in the powc? of the aSs of the company to break up the settlements in the co u,try, wi 1 thfwho?e of th.s paper currency in circulation, and without the fear tl a the .'^ope hnSti: ;r 1'"^'"'^ f "'' '•' "•" ^^^^^° '"^'^ '^ present tie noK liquidation ,r, London. It is quite impossible to say what amount of this spurious curroucy has been issued; and it is a deplorable pro "f of the gnorance ,n which the half breeds have been kept, bat they prefer these jotes to the gold and silver coin of the United States, wbich wa offered them in pay.nont of our purchases. The sole traflic of the IJuSi' ISy Company ,n tins rogion bus been in the fu.-s and peltries obtained bV he employed hu,,te.s and trap,x.rs, and their value fot the years 8^,784^ an Ibl.) bas been about .s400,000 for each year. This vast amount of \!^ s'rV '" ' f "^''- ^"''^"•' ?""' '-ithdra Jn from the tm to "o I'e i id for^ '';''.l ", " *'""'* ","P^^^il>lo to say what amount I as been paid fo tb.Mn to the hnnt..rs and trappers, as them can be no other than an arbitrary pnce for the good, exchanged for them. It is quite eC a , sbwi nn,Mf "1 - P'yr^lh'-ili/ics of communication bctweo.; the Mi.sis- s, „ and I?.<| nv.roffb. >.,t!5,and by giving protection to those residi..'^ w.tbni our bor.iers, g.u.Js and supplies <.m be thrown into the c , y cheapor,a,,dtb,venio,Mbsea,lier,tbanbyII,,d.son'sbay. Fo, then , e o/insuruig a successful traliic, the pdicy ol the J Ingli.h company has bien' if 29 [42] ofcoiivsc, to oppose anytliincjlikc pnrinanont scttlomriiit aiul niliivaliou of tlic soil, since llic gicuUir tlic (lopiwidoiicc of llic lialf-bnods f(»r iiioaiis of f;ul).sistoiice, llic grcalor the aitioiml of the fur trade and its consequent profits. iv- 1 I ^'ot content with tlioir influence along the Red river of the ^orin, llie company has cstahlished a chain of trading' posts along our nortlif.rn fron- tier to connect with their settlements in Oregon. J'Wery year numerous carts pass along these posts into Oregon through two passes in the Koeky niouiitains, which are said to be very'casy of access, and within the bound- aries of the United Slates. 'J'hc halfbreeds who have accompanied these expeditions to the Columbia represent the whole country along the nortli- crn frontier of Minnesota to bo exceedingly fertile, and the vegetation rapid and luxuriant. They have described to mc the rich and beautiful valleys of several rivers flowing to the north across our boundary, but in terms which appeared lo me so extravagant and romantic, that 1 have hesitated to state anything ujwn the subject in this report. The total want of inter- est manifested by the government of the United States in the settlements along the Red river of the North, and the presence and constant influence ot English troops and English traders, have convinced the i)eople that it is far better to submit to the utmost exactions and most lawless conduct of the Hudson's Bay Company, than, by opJMisinglhcm, to be deprived of tliosc articles of convenience and comfort which have now become neces- sary to them. The presence of a single American trader has done much to improve this condition of things; yet, unprotected and unsupported as he finds him- self by the authorities of his government, it is quite improbable that he can long maintain, with success, an opposition to a body so powerful as the Hudson's Bay Company. Mr. Kittson, the American trader at Pembina, though an intelligent and energetic man, and well disposed to maintain the honor of his country and the rights of her citizens, is nevertheless forced, by the strange neglect of his government, to witness the alienation of a large body of people from the authority of the United States, and the constant and barefaced acts of injustice and oppression which are daily perpetrated by the Hudson's Bay Company. The encroachments of the English upon American territory, the withdrawal of large amounts of property belonging to the United Stales, and the constant and shameless insults to our national honor by the arbi- trary acts of the agents and soldiers of the Hudson's Bay Company withm the Territory of Minnesota, would, I think, produce suflicient reasons to attract the immediate notice of our government. The American traders are not only forced to submit to the constant insults of the auihontics of tlie Hudson's Bay Company, but they labor under the almost insuperable disadvantage of being compelled to observe the strict laws of the United States in reference to the introduction of spirituous liquors among the In- dians, while the English traders Hood the whole country under their very eyes with this, all po\verful weapon. They are themselves conipelled to observe a law which a foreigner can violate with impunity. 1 hat the United States will consent, by the merest neglect, tv> have withdrawn from their authority and influence a population of seven ihousmid (« ,000) hardy and industrious people, who are only awaiting the slighte.^l encouragement lo settle and develop) the rich resources of this portion of Minnesota, is no [42J 80 OSS iloplora )lo il.an tnio,nii,l is only to bo arconntod for by tlie Mi.f n, . this molancl.oly state or.il'.irs has „cvcr been properly ivpre.sont.Hl ''' 1 he course now necessary is ihc innncfliate csiahlishii.ent of uniilii-,. pos at or m the vicinily of the setllen.enl at I'enihinu, which shall n.-."7 fosily exhihit the intention of tho govennnent of the United Stales to I courage the ente,)uise an.l indiiMry of tho people, protect llicm a-.inu lawless aog,v,.sions, and redeem the lionor of the country from the s\\!,l, now daily lavished np,>n it. .Such a course would acc'imulate at sS L l"? niu''"'^" '• '? ^^'■^' ''"■^^'" ''^ "'^' ^"^'«^'"' » sctllement of seven thousa ? (7,0( 0) or eight thousand (8,000) persons, who could be flivorably co pared in their entor])rise, industry, and law-abiding character with a C people on earth. » • "") ^ 1 do not suggest the i>ropcr location fi.r this military post, since the countrv m the vicinity of Pembina was not carefully examined: but it is ml certain thalit should be placed near the Red river of the North, in order that It may easily communicate by water with, and be supplied for son.o tune at east from, the jx^st I have recommended near the nioutli of the bioux U ood river. "' It would also be most desirable tliat the territorial authorities of Jim nesota should establish among the half-breeds of Pembina courts of instice and locate among them oflVial persons, who should encourage the hahits of life and forms of law of the people of the United States, and who should promote by all means in their power a constant association with the Americans along the .Mississipjn. The location of these two militaiv posts, and tne construction of good roads to connect the Red river of the JNorth with the Mississippi, arc therefore matters which should cnga'-e the early and serious attention of the government. The settlements along the Red r.ver of the North were made about the year 612, by a colony of Scotch, English, and Canadian French, who were heated upon a grant of land by the Hudson's Bay Company to Lord Belki^rk, exten ling along both sides of the Red river to about the parallel of At^ north latitude. It was supposed at the time I. -.t the grant was contained in the possessions of the English, and the settlements were therefore made near the mouth of Red Lake river, or what is now called La Grande Fourche," or the "great fork of Red river." Large numbers of Indians being soon attracted to the settlement bv the presence of so many strange people and the display of so many tempting articles for trafTic, and many of the colony being atoncc inducecl to take to tliemselves Indian wives, in a few years the half-breeds who resulted from t lese connexions amounted to several thousands. It was not until about the year 1 820 that it was ascertained that these settlements had been made within the territories of the United Statcsj and, as it became ncccs- sary for he traders who had settled among the people, and who belonged to the Kiighsh trading companies, to remove their stores to some point within the iJritish possessions, they forced ail the people, who had by this time become dc|x.ndant uix.ii them for their goods and supplies, to break up their settlements and remove to poinis lower down on the Red river. Ihey now extend along both banks of the river from the northern frontier I.I rVo''^ '^'i'*'''' 1" ^''- '-'"'•'''•"^e of the river into Lake Wmnene-, in latitude 5|o north. In the dilliouhies which occurred between the llud- Boti s Lay and Nortjiwest companies the half-breeds took an active part, wiiia ti 1 31 [42] ,n(l mnny of tliom woio Ivillod aiwl woundt-a in llic numerous cticounlcrs L'tWCCM lIU! JlL'fntS of lll(i counKWiios. .. , , .1 • Since ll.o junction of the Iwo con.pnnics they Imvc livrcl alto-otl.or in ,lu. Kn-'lish possessions, and arc coinplddy under the control ol IhellMd- lon's Hay Con.nany. Tl.ey l.ave no acknowledged liead,an.l arc snl.jcct no control beyond the innnonccofliic l-higlish con.|)any,and arc proud of calling ll.en.selvos " Lis ^cs lihrosr or " free people. IJy far the nrcatcr number of them arc French, and thny speak indi.lerent y the lun- n,K,"o of their male or female ancestors. Their costume and rnam.crs arc ''closely assimilated to those of tiic English traders, and ihoy have no nnncaranco whatever of the Indian, but more closely resemble heir ma o ancestors. 1 speak from the experience acpiircd in the constant daily association with twelve of the Krenoh half breeds who accompanied me in mvlonK canoe expedition from Pembina to FortSnellmg, ^yhcn 1 say that a more industrious and intelligent, subordinate, and law-abiding people I have never seen. Their active habits of life, and the constant hardships to which they arc exposed in their hunting, trapping, and voyaging ex- pditions, have given an air of reckless and confident danng to every action, which is strangely fascinating. . They subsist almost entirely upont he dried buffalo meat, which is pro- cured and prepared for use during their hunts in the autumn and sum- mer AboSt the 10th of June tlfc half-breeds of the Selkirk settlements ioin those of Pembina, and having selected some persons to manage heir marches and the afliiirs of their internal police, they set out upon their hunt for the buffalo, which are only found within the territory t)ftc United States. They observe with great regard and unwavering fidelity any agreements as to government which were made before starting, and are entirely submissive to the authority of those whom they have selected as leaders until the return of the expeditions, when everything like con- trol is at once abandoned. ■ , . • ^ ,„ n,« The greater portion of them own fine horses upon which to pursue the chase, and tho5e who have none are provided for by permitting them to follow on foot the hunters, and , by assisting to cut up and prepare for use the slaughtered buflldo, to share the profits of the hunt. S^^" «/'^ «J eight hundred of the small French carts, usually drawn by o e ox or hoTse in the shafts, and capable of carrying eight huudred or one housand pounds, are taken out bv the hunters, and are loaded with their yearly Applies of provisions, the women and children always accompany he cx^editionsithe women being principally charged with tlje preparation of the dried buffalo meat and the "lannnKtureof the 'M>emnncan 1 s nutritious compound is made by cutting up and J'^'^'^IS, ^'J .^' ° V^f dried meat, packing it into bags made of bullalo skin with the hair out^ side, and curing into it the melted tallow or marrow. Lath o tl eso bags', when filled, weighs about eighty pounds, and, as ^^^ »'^ \'>« \\^^^^ row ox tallow becomes cold, is a solid mass of the riohost "d most nu- tritious character, and is of such consistency as to ''^^n^'^/'^l^'f.^^";;' axe to cut it up. It is either eaten as .1 is taken out oi ^^ >^f '.^ f cooked with the admixture of a lit.lo flour. It is very P'-^^^J^^; ;;;'^'> from its exceeding richness, but Utile is roquned *''\f ' Y, il nv.t.i itions The half-breeds make all their long voyages and 'j'^^.'^ '^^«^1'^^ ^ With this sole article of food; and they can march »nrlhor an xMth Kur > less of baggage and supplies, than any people I have ever seen. 1 hey t'12] 82 nro Itiavo and limdy, fine borsonion, aiul f-lvilfiil iiinrl;snicn, nn.l AVf.ul] rnako (ho finest si^liIj.Ms in tlio world. I supposo ono llmnsand (l,nu()\ luiMi could 1)1' i^oi to^clIuT wilhin five or m'x days by ijovcinnicnl <'jiiit.r3 for any military |tnrpo.so wlralsouvcr. Opjioscd as is our iiorllicru (ioiiii,,j of Minnesota to the Dni^lisli possessions and (<» tlio soldiers and a^^enis of the I'ln^lisli Iradin;; companies, a liody of liardy and i^allant nieri lil^e those would, in the oveni of any dilliculty of a natilishing at once the two military posts I have rccom- meiided, to be garrisoned by forces now stationed at Fort Snclling. Tlie Pembina river has its source in the British ];)Ossesslons, ab(»ut one .hundred miles west of Pembina, and, intersecting the boundary line be- tween the English and American territories, about thirty (30) miles from the Red river of the North, it runs nearly parallel to the frontier to its confluence with the Red river. It is about thirty yards wide and three or four feet deep; is heavily limbered on both banks with oak, elm, ash, «fcc., 6cc., and abounds with a berry much resembling the wild currant, and which is called the Penibina berry. The strip of land between the river and the boundary line is low alluvial prairie, whicli, from its imperfect drainage and the incessant rains which had been falling for some weeks previous, was quite Met and soft during our stay at the settlement. The Pembina mountain, as it is called by the half breeds, is the norlli- crn termmus of the dividing ridge between the Red river and the Upper Shayenne. Its gool >g!cal formation I do not know, as 1 was not able to Visit it before my dc]);irture from tho settlement. It is said to cont:un sil- ver ore m grams; hut as no specimens could be obtained, I iud"e the whole story to have been fabulous. ° A good road along the loft bank of lliu Red river connects the settlement » n iU 88 [42 I -it Po.m1)ina with tlic llnglisli forls, and is in constant Ufc flir llio dnily intoirouiso of tlie inliahiianls. Large fj»iuntili(^s of wheat and harlty aro r,ii'-!('d l)y tlio |)('<»|il(! of iIk; l')nf»li.s!i colony, and potators and nia?iy other V('geial)h-s are of easy cnhivation. Instead of using the water noucr m) abundantly sujtplioi^ hy nature;, tlio wind is altogether (h^pended iipon to jjt work their gnsi-niills, saw-mills being unliuown to the ])eopIe. As I have '' before stal(;(l, the limestone is found at the falls of the Red river, a short disffui' '! below Fort Garry. The IU'aI river at the l*e»nbina settlement is one hundred and twenty- five (12;")) yards wide and sixteen feet deep, gradually diminishing in si/o until, at its head of navigation, about five hundred miles by water above Pcnibjna, it is not more than forty yards wide and f(»ur feet deej). Its banks are fifteen or twenty feet high, bold and steep from the water, and, without departing much towards the cast or west, its course is cxtri n»ely tortuous. The east side of the valley has been represented to be, in all respects, similar to the west side, as to soil and productiveness, but as pos^ ^essing the decided advantage of being much more heavily timbered. The country about Red lake, about ninety (9l>) miles east of the Rod. river, is said to be very fine, and settlements of Indians and whites arc scattered along its hanks. During our long march to Pembina, we were much struck with the extreme lentth of the days in the month of July. The twilight would last until 10 o'clock at night, and the sun again ap- pear above the horizon about 3 o'clock a. m. The exhibitions of the aurora borealis while we remained at Pembina were brilliant in the ex- treme, brilliant rays of light shooting up suddenly from the horizon to the zenith, and the whole heavens illuminated in the most vivid manner. Having procured the necessary supplies for their return, the dragoons marched for Fort Snelling on the 2Gth of August. I greatly regretted that I was unable to accept the kind invitations extended to me to visit the English forts, but my constant employment at I'embina, in making out maps and prosecuting my astrononucal observations, rendered it quite impossible. I cannot conclude this imperfect, description of the Pembina settlement without expressing my warmest thanks to the Rev. Mr. Belcourt, the in- telligent and most excellent Catholic priest who resides there, for his great kindness and attention in furnishing me with the greater portion of the information concerning the half-breeds above giVen. This gentleman has done much to better the condition of these people by his self-denying resi- dence among them, and has greatly advanced both their moral and tem- poral interests, by instituting among them the ceremonies of religion, en- forcing among them, by his influence, the forms of marriage, and by en- couraging them to the best of his ability in making permanent settlements, and depending for their subsistence upon the fruits of their agricultural, labors instead of the uncertain spoils of the chase. Ex.— 3 [42] 84 ClIAPTRU VIH.— (/Vom Srplemher 1 h Sfpltml'cr Ifl.) Dctcrinitintw}! to ascdiil l\nl river. — llirch-hnrkcannr. — TAvutcunnt C'an^. iirr^s departure fratn Pcmhiiifi. — Moite of life (lurin<^ ciDinr. voijnoc,.^ Aslmnnmind vhsvrrdt'wiia.- Arrival at month of livtl Lalcv riccr.^- Dcptli of licil rivrr. — ^'iiltli. — Itiiinc on Marais. — J'ar/c river. — Hi ■ ISirll Olid Tiirtlv rirrr.t. — livinainaaf Kitglish actth tnrnt.H. — La. Gran c l'\)urcltc. — Departure from Hod IaiUv. river. — Arrival at mouth of Hh ax 'Wood river. — Goose y lllm, JtuJ/'alo, ishai/eniiey and Wild liice river . Jiajiid. — Heavy timber on cast side of Ned river. — Depth. — Dejia tutc from Sioux Wood river. — Jjcaf mntintain. — Jtapids.— /Mhes.- Aa/.a Gardner. — Otlertail laKc. — Jicnutiful country , ij'c, ^'c. Y Nothing new or interesting was to be seen in rclurning to For' Snc'l)in'> by the same route pursued incoming, and I regarded a thoroup'iexaniinu. tion of the Red river of the North most inij^irtant, not only to the geog. raphy 01 (he country and with n view to the estabiislinic it of military posts, bill as directly and vitally concerning the future settle nent and culti- vation of the soil of its valley. I determined, therefore, to separate myself from the n.ilitary command which I had accompanied to Pembina, to ascend the Red river in canoes, and, by making a jXirtage from it to some tributary of the Missirssippi, to reach Fort Snelling by water. I was well aware that the voyage would be long and uncertain, and that the season was too far advanced, on account of our unfortunate delay, for any unnecessary experiment, but 1 deemed this exploration of suflicicnt inijxirtance to justify uie in running almost any risk to accomplish it. 1 procured, through the kindness of Mr. Bellenden, the chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Garry, a birch-bark canoe thirty-three (33) feet in length and five and a liulf (5^-) feet in breadth, and which, when empty, was easily carried by two men. Having employed eleven French half breeds as voyageurs, and loaded the canoe with pemmican and dried Bufl'alo nieat sufficient for thirty days, I embarked on the 2Gth of August, ISIO, and commenced the ascent of the Red river of the North. Lieutenant J. W. T. Gardner, of the first dragoons, volun- teered to accompany me upon the expedition, and I am greatly indebted to his kind assistance for the astronomical observations for latitude and longitude which enabled me to fix, with considerable accuracy, the geo- graphical positions of all the important points along the river. When the expedition first reached l*cmbina, the incessant rains for weeks previous had caused all the rivers to overflow theirbanks; but when I em- barked to ascend the Red river, it had subsided into its usual channel. As 1 liave already given a description of the valley ol Red river, ■which, although very general in its character, cnd)odics all the informa- tion I was able to obtain, I shall only say here that I have every reason to believe, from observation, that the accounts of the half breeds in rcforoncc to the heavy timber found on the eastern side of the valley arc stricdy true. It is only necessary to give a description of ourusual mode nf prncodurc for one day of our voyage, to enable one to understand our whole life for the thirty seven days consumed in reaching j'\)rt Snelling. We embarked in the morning as soon as it was light enough to sec dis- I 85 [ 42 ] linctly, nrifl rowed .slnnrlily until ci-fii and a linlf o'clock n.*ni. Wc tlicn landed and consumed alH.iit an hour and a half in coohin- and eaiinij brcalcnist, durnig which lime I occupied niy.^clf in taliin-,' aliiliidos of the 5nii with a .sextant. VVc aj^ain IrntUid at two and a half o'clock ]>. ni., for dinner, which occupied ufiout one htuir, during which I ngain'ohscrved several aldludes of the sun. >\t sundown we cncatnped for tlirj night nt fonie favorahle spot (nr the conlinuation of my astronomical oh servaiion-i. Kvcry favorahle niglil J took ten or twelve allilndes of stars hoth north and south of the zenith, and cast and west of the meridian. 'J'he com- puted results of these ohservations have enabled me to fix many points along the Red river with some accuracy. After six days of constant luhor wc reached, on the 3Ist of August, 1849, the mouth of Red Lake river, the largest tributary of the Red river of the North. As 1 have before stated, this river dischnrges the Red lake, Avhich is distant by tlie river about one hundred and twenty (120) miles. Detwceu Pembina and the mouth of this stream the Red river has a uniform depth of fifteen feet from one bank to tnc other, with a soft mud- dv bottom and no snags, sawyers, or overhanging limbs. It has a width of one hundred and iwenty-fivo (12.5) yards between Pembina and the mouth of Red Lake river. During the six days occupied in reaching the mouth of this stream, we passed successively the mouths of the "Two rivers," of " Park river," of the " Riviere au Marais" No. 1, from the cast; " Big[ Salt river," the "Riviere an iMarais" No. 2, from the west- "Turtle river," "Riviere an Marais" No. 3, from the east; and a small stream called the " Coulee de I'Anglais," fi-oin the murder of an English family on its banks while the country was in the possession of the Hud- son's Bay Company, Of these rivers the largest are the "Riviere au Marais" No. 1, and the " Park," " Big Salt," and " Turtle" rivers. They arc about eighteen yards wide, and were about six feet in depth. The remains of the English settlements are still quite preceptible at the mouths of Turtle and Red Lake rivers, aiid at many interveninsr points. ' ® The Red Lake river was about fifty yards wide near its mouth, and fourteen feel deep, and has a much more rapid current than the Red river of the North. It has been often ascended in canoes to Red lake, and is susceptible of navigation by barges or even larger ves.sels. The junction of Red Lake river with the Red river of the North is called by the half- breeds "La Grande Fourche," or the Groat Fork. On the morning of September 1 wc left the mouth of Red Lake river, and continued the ascent to the Red river, which diminished to a width of one hundred yards, and to a depth of fourteen feet. After passing the 'mouths of the numerous tributaries of the Red river from the east and west, (the most important of which are the Sand Hill river, the Hiviere au Marais No. 4, Goo.se, Wild Rice from the cast, Elm, Buflalo, Shayi-nnc, and ^Vild Rice rivers,) wc arrived at the mouth of the Sioux Wood river on the 11th of Scptcmhor, 1S19. There is little to be said of tho river or of the country along its banks, other llian I have i»rovious!v stated. A slight rapid occurs' between the mouths of the Sand llili' and Goose rivers, but there were five and six feet of water uix)n it, and the current was not suflicicntly rapid to retard our canoe. [42] 8C Tills is tlic* only oVsimotioi, jn On, naviijafion of Kcd river from, DortlKMii fnmtKM' to its lirnd of n:ivig;,tion. "^ 'i'hc IriUil.nii-s of Um; 1I<>(1 river from the cast nrc r.w inoro hcavilv l!. l)cr.«d t Km tho.s,. from IIm; west; and ns tliuy ov.rlaj. in all diio.-.tio,,. i woodr.l inl.ulariis of tlio norlli Jlod river and IMiNsissinpi, Ji js ..a^, ,'• undcr.stand w|,y ihe cast si.li! of the vallcv of the lU-d river xiiould 1 more lieavilv linil»ered than tlio west side. ' \Ve found inmiense ut one mile, and found a xiniform width of thirty yards, and depth of three feet. The remains of many encampments of the Sioux Indians were found aland m the vicinity of the mouth of this stream. Trom Pembina to Iho mouth of Sioux Wood river the distance is about 417 miles, and ii> the whole of this distance the river is navigable for vessels of a draught iiot exceeding three feet, and for at least four months of the year. From Pembina to Red Lake river the depth is fifteen feet, without shoal or impediment. From Ked Lake river to Goose river the depth is thirteen feet, with a slight rapid near the mouth of Sand Hill river, having a dcpdi of water over it of five and a half and six feet. From mouth of Goose liver to mouth of Shaycnnc, eleven feet; from moutli of Shayenuo to rnouth of Wild Kice river from the west, nine feet; from mouth of Wild llioe river to mouth of Sioux Wood river, eight, six, and four feet. The banks arc steep, in some places falling, and with no rock visible. T he slight rapid near the Sand Hill river is occasioned by loose boulders in the bed of the river, which could be removed at little or no expense. 1 lie current of the Red river below the mouth of the Sioux Wood river is about two and a half miles per hour. Above the mouth of Sioux •AYood river it begins to change its character, horn a muddy, sluggish stream, to the clear, bold apjiearancc it presents where it breaks through ivhat is called the Leaf mountain. • On the 12lh of September we left the mouth of the Sioux Wood river with the expectation of reaching within four days the Ottertail lake. Above the mouth of the Sioux Wood the Red river takes the name of Ottertail l^akc river, and, with a constant depth of water of four feet, be- comes much more tortuous in its course. As we ai)proachod tlic western and northwestern slope of the Leaf mountain, at ihe i^int where the river debouches from it into the level plains to the north, the current becomes --■■--- -J ]•■•• '■■•>•' ttiv TT«.'-i t.jcatt;i, iJiiiii ui iiouui iiHecn miics casi Of the crossing of the land route we found it necessary to use the cordclle. 1 he banks become also much higher, with a tract of level, swampy land three-fourths of a mile in width between them, the river runnin*' from side to side tiirough the swamp in the most serpentine manner. Small islands 37 • [42] lo.ghi to l»c numerous, and tlio sloop bnnlcs arc perforated in a tliousaiul places with clear, cold springn. 'J'ho woods along llie banks become also iiiuci) larger and more dense, oak b'ing the more conmion tree. At about thirty nnles above the mouth of the Sioux Wood river the rapids connnencc, and arc almost continuous to Oltertail lake. There are two and a half and three feet of water over lliem, and in the iiifcrycning pools of still-water about three and a half feel. The bed of the river is filled with loose boulders of all si/.cs, and ihe deep water as- sumes an extremely crooked channel among them. Every hour of our advance towards the cast increased the amount of heavy timber on the banks, and wc began, also, to perceive at various distances on each side large groves of heavy timber ujion the borders of numerous lakes, which I have described as forming so peculiar a feature of the country between the Mississippi and St. Peter's. We had thus again entered the second general division of country I have made in a previous part of this report, and as we progressed towards the cast the lakes became much more numerous, and the timber much heavier and more abundant. From Ottertail lake to its entrance into Leaf mountain the river passes through a number of beautiful lakes, surrounded by rolling country, heavily tim- bered, ^yith a depth of water of from nine (9) to twenty (20) feet, and filled with the most luxuriant growth of wild rice. The largest and most beautiful of these is Lake Gardner, which is within eight miles of Otter- tail. lake. On the 11th of September we reached the mouth of Little Peli- can river, which at its confluence with Ottertail river is about twenty yards wide and about three feet deep. On the morning of the 17th we arrived at Ottertail lake and encamped near its northeastern extremity, at the remains of several small trading- houses. Upon entering this lake from the southwest the woods to the northeast, although very large, are not visible, and it is by far the largest sheet of water we had yet seen. It is about ten miles in length from southwest to northeast, and four or five miles in width, filled with fish, with clear, pure water, with a depth of twenty feet, and no islands. The fish are white, and said to be the same known as the white fish of the lakes, so celebrated for their flavor. To the west, northwest, and northeast, the whole country is heavily timbered with oak, elm, ash, maple, birch, bass, «fcc., "' •■'""tl'wcst to no,,!,, easi, aiiii obout four or fivo i]i brcndl i, without isliuiih Tim ■^,.tT . oense gio^c^ of oak and ehn, intcrspcrsod xvitli sparse forests of nn.o from their accounts there can bo but lit te douh tH 'P^,k- ^''^ '?''^' ^."^ dostrablc that it .hou.d bo /arc Jl.y exLS" 'at";;! ^'T^^rS .bom lK,l a „,iln through dwarf o.l,-, fo md ,, 1 ,;/l!Tl.'T.":'8.'''..°f wh!!"' 't;^ ^!:;i r-v."i;."^^;f -or, whichi^ „-,;ib„,;;;;;f"^ c;;;;;^ Wc had th from tho waters of the lied us, in two hours, p.issed wit II our boat and I l)a<'<:i\2C son & bay, to tho waters i)ouring into the (iulf of iMcj nvcr of the North, v)„>h flow into tho Hud AlCO. 89 [43] Tlic tributaries of the Red river of the North and those of the Missis- sippi ov6rlnp each other to such an extent, that I 8Uppo.se there are a thousand places where a portage even shorter would Jiavo enabled us to mss from tlio waters of one into those of the other. When wo reached Leaf lake, and were about to embark upon the waters of the Mississippi, after a canoe voyage of nearly seven hundred miles upon the Red river of the North, the half breeds informed us that they were .ibout to go through a ceremony never neglected by them in passing from thn waters of one river to those of another. They proceeded to trim an oak tree upon Leaf lake of all its branches, blazed it on both sides, loaded all their guns, and, after presenting rnc with one, directed ine to fire it at the blaze in the tree. As I did so, they discharged all their guns, and gave three cheers. After Lieutenant Gardner had gone through the same operation, they informed us that the ceremony was complete, and was intended to invoke good fortune for the expedition while it remained in the waters of the Mississippi. Whether this effect was produced or not I do not pretend to say, but the remainder of our voyage to Fort Snclling was unattended with any accident. Leaf lake is about six miles in length, and two in breadth hi the widest place — its length being nearly east and west. Near its eastern extremity It pours Us waters into Leaf river; its outlet, which, after a course of about seventy-five (7.5) miles by water, and probably twenty-five (25) in a straight line, empties into the Crow- Wing river. Leaf river is about fifteen yards wide and two and a half feet deep near the lake, gradually increasing in size to its mouth, where it is about twenty-five yards wide and four feet deep. It runs from side to side of a narrow yalley about one mile in width, and lying nearly east and west. The sides of the valley are high, and covered with a heavy growth of oak. The valley itself is a swamp of wild rice, the river winding through it in the most circuitous manner jx>ssible. As the wild rice projected several feet above the surface of the water, we would have appeared to any one on the ridge on either side to be pushing our way through a meadow. As we descended the river, however, the rice began to disap- pear, the swamp became more and more narrow, and the heavy growth of oak and elm upon the banks began to be interspersed with occasional groves of white and yellow pine. At mid-day on the 2lst of September we reached t!ie Crow-Wing river, which we considered nearly the termi- nus of our long voyage through an uninhabited country. Where we struck the river it was about one hundred and twenty (120) yards in width, running with a gentle current through a country slightly undu- lating, and, so far as we could learn, heavily timbered. It presents tho appearance of a series of long, narrow, and shallow lakes, filled with small islands, and connected with each other by a stream varying from one hundred (100) to one hundred and twenty yards in width, and, in ordinary seasons, about four ani a half (4^) feet in depth. The widen- tings of tho river and the numerous loose boulders in its bed produce a swift curnnit, amounting in some places nearly to rapids. I have already suggested a method of im|)roving the navigation at such pt'iuts, which will enable the Crow- Wing river to discharge to the Mississippi all the productions of its valley. On the 22d of September we arrived at Fori Gaines, on the west si le of tho Mississippi, and opposite tho ir.itutli of the Nokay river. This jx>st has been very lately established, and is at [42] \ 40 S™,™',,?'"'''°''"' ''>' """ "'"'"">■ "f "'« C"...e.o,u,.n.i o.v..„a ai„,„.';fe'c Ucl, oxoop,, ,,njl,al.ly, i„ eonl.ini,,.- =, hug rpm,«,- , ," ^ , , K: Th'' a like object. 1 found f uu tlic dragoons, who had niarohcVZa Pe nb " na the same day I lelt theio, had reached Fort Snclhng eight (^^ ten '- ben^re me, hay.ng founc} the prairies dry,a.Kl the roads°in fine orS ^ There are six rapids in the Mississippi betwecii tlie falls of St An. h.. and the mouth of Crow- Wing river, o'nV two of wh^^^^^^^ Sauk or second rapids,) in ordinary stages of water, offo a^y obs ruct n^^ o the .navigation. I again urge upon the government the^piWtvo^^ inakinga smal appmpriation for improving the navigation of th^ese^Ss^ not only as being of great and i.nmediate1ldvantage^o tl e 'fSor^ bm t:::s?:?^^^:^r'''''''''^ --^^^y of transp^S;,^^ After completing my business at Fort Snellin- I left that place for t) it cl^/be proved tluu\hcrc is scarcely an acre o t - who e of e i^rlbeastcrn portiin of Minnesota whieh is not as near to the market. If the interior of the States of Iowa, Wisconsm, or llhnois. ''t e Siar conformation of the whole region c^f country between ho «4„r'c unrl ATi";*:!*!. As the numerous navigable tributaries of the St. Peter s and INI ssis siDPi r n t^a rthe south, cast, and west, they would cross the railroad E 1 Imve r^^^^^^ at numerous points, and the clio.ce, therefo e, ruld brgivenT the farmer or manufhcturer of throwing, his aricles for export dther into the eastern or southern market, as might be most ^^The villev of the Red river of the North is further still from the mar- ked LdsWefo re more open to this objection. The railroads 1 have Stioned hav^nireen constm^ the productions of the whole valley S ° been delfvcred at the head of navigation of Red river, can be ^hZl to L ke rpeli and the St. Peter's from that point within twen- tv four hours The valley of the Red river, therefore, will possess the Scabradvamie o^ connexion with either southern or eastern Trkets, as may Se Srost advantageous, with equal expense of transport- "t'Xh^oS;tll,ratt,:|d/«^r me consiaeraUons I. have Urns ^. van' ^'^^Z^JTi^Z re;"rt toellugra.e to l"c°d;a;jSn"brr;.h« aiil-caio couae,,,., iuc fur having sa.a .00 little Ihau too much. APPENDIX. Tiiblc of distances h:j the land nnito from the mouth of the St. Vclr,.> From Fort Snclling— To flilla of Si. Anthony To Uiiiifill's, nl moutli of Kice To mouih of Uiim river To mouth of Elk river ToHi^hilfr To Uiij nil allows, creek. To GilmunV, near Sitiik rnni'dV To David lake ' lake. ****■•••••••••••« To White IJ^or ToPikclakc. To main branch of Chipptwa river.' '.,', lo Pomme de lerrc or Potato river. . . .'.*.*.'.' Jo Kabbit river To first crossinof of Rrd rVvrrVVihe North'.*.! •p" IV m'I,*:'""'"''!' S °'"^^<''' "ver of the North. i o Wild Rice river To Sitayenne river !!!!!!! To Maple river. To Rush river '.*.'.*.'.'. To second point of Rush' t'i'vc'r' .' '.'.'.'. To point of rid^e To main branch ..f Elm river*. '.'.'.',*.*.**. To Bonth branch of Goose river..*.*,* .'. To Salt lakes To main branch of Goose river.*.'.*.*.*.*.' To crossing of Goose n ver ...'.*.*.* To Turtle river To Big Salt river '."..*!!!.'.*! To Little Salt river '.."**. To Little Ilili river '.' '.'.*.'.' '.*. To Steep Hill river '. .*.*.*.*. !!!.'.' To Martshorn river *.*.".*.*!.' '.'. To Mud river and Poplar island.*.*.*.*.*.' To branch of Tongue river... ' To mouth of Pembina river *•••••••• ••••«,,, 9 1.1 «; !?' S9 39 8 II 10 12 18 20 13] 11 17 18,» 91 16 ^ 8i m n 18 19i 9 7 IG lOJ Total. %} C51 76 105! 144 1621 If 31 1731 Its 2(3 2v3| 237 248 2(5 2f3i 293 3(9 3161 3v5 3.^31 344 3461 3(41 3f4 3P3 4(5i 410 4 3 4i0 436 4-i6| Tabic ofsoundhiffs of Red river of the North. rwZ vTf f ^"'"''T '''" *" ""^ '»«»''' of Red Lake river. *rom Red Lake river above mouth .... Worn Red LaI.e river to mouth of Goose 'rivc'r*.*.*.* *.*. liver rapid near mouth of Sand Hill river.... Goose river above mouth From mouth of Goos*, river fo'iJ,'o'uth"of 's'h*a*yc*nric.* .'.'.*.'.*! ' * *' ohayennc river above mouth . . Prom R'-nyenne to mouth of Wild'RiJe 'rivc'r.'.'.'.'.*.".'.* *rom Willi Rice to SionxWcol river.: Biriux Wood river above mouth Ottcrtiiil lake Feet. l.i 14 13 6 6i 11 S' 8 6.4 3 19 43 A1'PI:N1J1X— Conlimicd. t42] T^dWe of distances by water from Peviliiia sctllemciit to head of iiavijra- Hon of Jlfd river of the North. From mouth of Pembina river — To Black rivrr (mouth)... To mouth of Coulfi" «le Boia pcrcte To rivifrc eux F>.siiiec3 To mouth of Park river To mouth of nvil-re au Marais (No. 1). To mouth of Sail river To mouth of riviere no Mnrais (No. ii). To mouth of Turtle river. To mouth of riviCre au Marnis ^No. 3) To mouth of Coulep do L'Anglni^ To mouth of Red Lake river To mouth of Coonrrcck To mouth of Iji Grande Coulee To mouth of Coulee do jeunc bceuf To mouth of riviere au Marais (No. 4) To mouth of Coulfe du " nczrougc" To mouth of Coulee do " la batto dc sable". . To mouth of Coulee dca vachcs To mouth of Sand Hiil river To mouth of riviere au Marais (No. 5) To mouth of Goo»e river To mouth of Wild Rico river from the cast, . To mouth of Kim river To campnicnt O'Ours To mouth of Buffalo river To mouth of 8hayenne river To mouth of Wild Rice river from the west. , To mmth of Cut-off , To mouth of Sioux Wood river To Lske Travers To touthwestcrn extremity of Lake Travera. Miles. Total, S4 3 27 28 55 3 5*i 18 76 13 8'J 4 93 28 121 It 132 18 15rt 4 154 4i 158' 8 1G6| 2i 169 3 172 8 150 4i ld4i 1 185J 5 191 23 2141 215 23 237 i 6 24t 12 266 9 SG5 10 275 45 330 5 325 93 417 30 447 15 463 Variations of the compass. ieg. min. $te. At tlia mouth of the St. Peter's river G. 10 28 40 At the mouth of the Sioux Wood river E. 12 27 15 At the mouth of the Pembina river E. 13 16 3^.5 Tables of latitude and longitude. Mouth of St. Peter's, latitude 44° 52' 46" ; longitude 93M' 54" Nicollet. Mouth of tlie Osbkis, latitude 45<> 35' 35" i longitude 94'' 1^ da. [42] 44 A. M. Ohscrvattons at AividM-e, June 21, IS 10. Double nhituilcs of Bun'a uj.pcr limb.—Por lime. fc. min. ifC 9 ai 38 9 28 5 n 34 40 9 40 9 4 b' 31 9 52 5 Anglo. "S min. 1 ite 4.'i 95 IG 97 32 10 99 3;'> 15 101 9 30 lu.-) 13 30 Index error, 2 min. 525 sec. • Longitude of David lukc, 94 dcg. 48 min. 15 sec. P. IVf. h. miH. lee. 3 34 40 3 27 51 3 20 Lost. 7 3 10 12 3 3 41 11 II 11 11 At David laic, Jutie 24, 1849. Double altitudes a Bootes (Arcturus) west of meridian. mitt. JW 34 39 44 $te, n 58 13 4 Deg. 89 87 85 83 Index error, 9 min. 52.5 ecc. Latitude of David lake, 45 dcg. 30 min. 7.5 sec. mtn. 4 6 49 ite. 30 45 45 30 David lake, June 24, 1849. Double altitudes a Aquilac (Altair) eu6t of meridian. Dtg' min. 87 43 88 45 89 48 Index error, 2 min. 25.5 sec. Latitude of David lake, 45 deg. 34 min. 37 5 sec. Mean of resulu from two stars, 45 deg. 35 min. 22.5 sec k. min. tee. 11 50 29 11 54 28 11 59 34 Mte. 30 15 30 At Lightning la/ce, June 29, 1844. For lime.— Double altitudes of sun's upper limb. A. Bitn. ue. 9 16 34 9 22 4 9 27 59 9 33 40 9 37 39 9 43 37 Index error, 2 min. 45.5 sec. Longitude of Lightning luke. *#• mm. $ee 68 39 10 90 33 45 99 27 45 94 7 30 95 46 45 97 S6 30 94 dcg 57 min. 55 sec. H '-i-umm'*tw^ 45 At Ligfttnhig loI:c, June 30, 1815. For Umc— DouUc aliiludcs of cun'o upper limb. k. min. «'«• 8 43 2 8 44 ^^> 8 48 16 8 51 ^4 8 56 ' 21 8 59 24 Index error, 2 min. 45.5 bpc. Longitude in nrc, U 1 drg. 57 ir.in. 11.5 sec. Mcu. of observations lor longitude, 91 dcg. 57 min. 32.3 sec. ^9?' 93 94 95 97 98 [42] m'n. $ee. 12 45 15 30 23 10 35 15 4 45 1 80 \ \ f \ At Lightiiing lake, June 30, 1849. Pbr latitude-Double altitudes of a Aquite (Allair) east of meridian. Btg. 79 80 82 83 Index error, 2 min. 52.5 sec. Latitude of Lightning lake, 45 deg. 3C mm. 51.5 see. ft. mm. tte. 10 16 25 10 20 27 10 2G 41 10 3U 33 min. ttc 13 45 39 45 S3 15 27 At Ughtning lake, Jane 30, 1849. For latitude-Double'alt.tudes of a Bootes (Arcturus) west of meridian. k. 11 11 11 mill. 2 6, 10 $ec. 54 SO S7 "■It 74 73 mm. 47 36 13 we. 30 45 30 Index error, 2 mm. 52.5 sec. Latitude of Lightning lake. 4d ^cg- JOr,'%^-^^_% 5 ^ec. Mean of observations for latitude, 45 dcg. 38 mm. --».» At mouth of Sioux Wood river, Scptetnber U, 1819. For lati.«de._Doub!e altilttdes of a Aquilx (Altair) cast of meridian. h. 6 6 e 6 6 8 6 6 6 mm. 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 39 $tc. 39 50 65 57 53 55 44 43 6 Dtg. 99 99 100 100 100 100 iOO 100 101 mm. 44 54 4 13 S7 36 43 49 1 $ee. 30 30 45 30 30 15 AS 30 15 Latitude deduced. 46 dcg. U min. 21.5 ecc Index error, 1 min. 52.5 sec. [42] 40 T>oMc iiirrMii\n nl-iliulr. a Afinil.T (AKiiir) ^'f!- ""ii. J-ftliludc by nif ridiaii ntdiude .."'.'.*.! '"^ '-^^ Doi.l.le «lliiudr. of ,/ Urs.-u Mnjoris, w. rt of iiirridmn. ' " " J't. k. 6 6 « 6 6 6 6 mtn. I'f. 61 ar. («• lee. fi 57 34 1 1 31 7 S 50 1 4 36 1 e 15 i 9 8 7 10 45 7 13 13 7 - 15 4 mm. 39 16 36 40 . 55 18 39 43 59 ue. 30 45 45 15 45 30 45 15 ['i2] 48 At mouth of Sftdi/ninc, l^vflcmhvr 5, IS 19. l-'or Intiliiilc- l>.)ul'lo. nltiluilu* v Vrm Mnjnria, west ofmrritlinn I w« ttiin. $n. SI M 24 J. 5 y(i 1 arf fi 2J 21 30 2:J 31 37 33 23 35 45 Ihp.. «iin. tfC 7!» A-i 45 7!l 5 15 78 35 45 78 1 45 77 40 45 77 2;j II) 7C 3 30 7« 34 30 75 6C 15 II . I' I Do.tMcofl Intiiutlo, 47 (?r-. 11 min. 43.5 sec. Intltx f iror, 2 nun. 2(1 dec. • Mcftii of results froiu 2 bUwh, 47 (lex. 9 '"'"• 49 see. Observations for time at the cainpvirnt D'Ours, a short dlstamc below the mouth of the Shni/cime, September 5, 1819, Double altitudes of A. mifl. $tc. 8 25 43 8 • 2(1 37 8 27 29 8 «28 33 8 29 33 8 30 28 8 31 12 8 32 56 8 33 43 8 35 20 lun'a upper limb. Dtg. 7(f min. i«e. 12 30 70 27 45 70 41 45 70 59« 45 71 17 15 71 89 45 71 45 30 72 14 15 72 28 15 72 53 10 Deduced longitude in nrc, 9G dcg. 32 min. 15 bcc. Index error, 2 min. 10 sec. At mouth of Goose river, September 3, 1819. For Intitudc—Double altitudes of a Aquilx (Altair) east of meridian. Dt 9i 96 96 96 96 17 97 97 97 Deduced latitude, 47 dcg. 26 min. 52. 7 eec. Index error, 2 min. 52.5 kcc. Double meridian altitude of a Aquil.x, 102 dcg. 7 min. 45 sec Deduced lulitudc, 47 dcg. 2d min. 30 ace. k. min. $ee. 3 27 4 55 6 S3 7 40 8 32 9 45 10 51 13 91 13 10 tnin. uc 9 15 S4 45 37 15 50 15 59 15 8 80 18 45 90 80 88 45 49 M vioulh of CJooic riocr, Hrplcmhcr 3, ISl'J- Tor l.ii.u.lo.-D.uhlc aUitudc« ., Urnx M«jorm west of mcrldinn. 7 7 7 f 7 tnln. 84 26 S'J 32 34 KC. 31 44 la 7 39 81 81 80 19 tntn. 35 6G If. «9 44 30 15 15 15 30 [42] Deduced Ini:iu.!c, 47 dr,'. 30 n.in. 52.5 ncc i^S of ^S^.X.S^o IrH, 47 dog. 28 min. 43 «cc ^i eiimmpmvM of Scptemhcr 2, 18d9. Forlamudc-Douhlc .cndinn aUitudc c Aciuii-x. (Altair.) 101 dog. 59 .nin. 15 see. Deduced lutitudc, 47 dcg. 32 mm. 15.o ecc. Index error, 2 nun. 62.5 ace ! At rapids of Red river. For Umc-Doublc ftUitudea of sun'e lower Hmb. ft. 9 9 9 9 9 9 17 18 19 90 90 99 10 50 44 16 43 13 '»' 71 79 79 79 79 71 win. 7 54 40 30 26 55 uc. 10 45 45 30 15 15 Deduced longitude, 96 dcg. 49 min. 95 eec. Index error, 2 min. 52.6 sec. o^...w>.««.a»^or'Srx:s:'™'''"'^^^ Double Rhiludea of eun's upper limb. 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 8 9 Deduced longitude in nrc, 90 dcg Index error, 2 mm. 52.5 sec Ex. — » min. ««• 5 36 . 6 61 I 50 8 S3 9 S6 10 19 II 10 13 S9 16 85 " !S 18 48 53 min. 12.5 bcc. 60 60 81 81 81 61 81 63 82 82 82 83 83 83 mm. 35 46 1 14 S4 39 50 2 10 26 57 13 27 45 tee. 45 15 45 30 15 30 45 10 30 45 45 45 45 45 [42] 50 At mouth of liid Lnhc river, August 31, IS 10. For lalitiitlo. — Double iilliluilca a Aqiiilm (Allnir) canl of nicriJinii. *. nitn. $ie. JUK. viin. tft. 31 8 97 U 15 .16 fit 97 2.1 45 37 4!) 97 37 15 3'J 44 97 60 15 41 10 98 45 4-2 10 98 8 15 44 15 98 23 15 45 15 98 37 45 4G 35 98 37 15 47 48 98 44 30 Dcilufcd htitudr, 47 i\rs- 46 ruin. 51 ace. Index error, 1 min 5'J.5 see. Poublo mcridinii nliiuidc n Aquilw, 101 drg. II min. 45 aec Deduced Jatitude, 47 drg. 4'J min. 1W.5 ecc. k. 9 • 9 9 9 9 At mottth of Red TmUc river, August 31, 1849. For latitude. — Double altitudes a Ursrc Minoris, (Polaris.) uiin. 6 7 10 13 15 18 ite. 39 43 21 5 45 37 Dig. min. we. 96 46 30 9G 47 10 96 «. 30 96 61 45 96 63 30 96 65 45 Deduced latitude, 47 dcg. 48 min. 5.5 ecc. Index error, 1 min. 53. 5 sec. Mean of results from two stars, 47 dcg. 48 min. 8.3 sec. il Observations for time a short distance above encampment of August 2^. 1849. -^ " ' Double olliCudea of sun's upper limb. k. min. lee. 8 ' 68 68 9 15 9 1 14 9 9 10 9 3 5 9 4 39 9 5 54 9 6 41 9 7 37 9 8 25 Dcifuced longitudp, 9G drj. 50 min. 10 occ, IndiVX error, 1 min. 52. 5 ace. Dtg. min. $te. 78 7 45 78 27 10 78 45 45 78 67 30 79 13 30 79 35 45 80 64 45 80 8 45 80 21 15 80 37 15 61 [42] At encampment of Au^mt 20, '"19, 7ienr Bis ««" '■«""•• For ialitudc. I nouWc meridian ultiludc a Aquil.x (AUalr.) 100 dec- 27 rnln. 45 sec. KUd laliludc, 48 (leg. 17 mm. 28. 5 Dtc. Xt encampment of August 27, 1849. For latitude-Double allitudoa a Aquilx (Altair) cast of meridian. 94 94 95 95 95 95 95 96 9G Deduced latitude, 48 dcg. 34 min. 23.7 bcc. Index error, 2 min. 5 tec. Double meridian altitude « Aquilx, (Altair.) 99 dcg. 50 mm. 30 sec. Index error, 2 min. 5 BCC. , Deduced latitude, 48 deg. 37 mm. 7 Bee. JL mi'n. ue. 49 6 51 10 52 44 54 7 56 28 57 57 59 29 R 1 13 8 3 7 tnin. ue. 34 15 52 15 3 30 IG 30 36 15 47 30 57 45 11 30 20 45 Double meridian altitudes n Ursx Majorie, west of meridian. A. min. tte. 8*8 12 8 10 48 8 15 39 8 17 7 8 18 33 Deduced latitude, 48 dcg. 39 min. 17.5 see. Index error, 2 min. 5 sec. Mean of results from two stars, 48 deg. 37 mm. -J see. Dig. 83 83 83 81 80 80 mm. 13 46 3 21 59 36 15 30 30 45 30 30 Ohsci^mtions for time near encampment of August 27j 1849. s 8 9 9 8 9 9 9 3 Double altitudes of sun's upper limb. tnin. SG 87 98 99 29 30 31 33 33 Deduced lonpitudc in arc, 90 dcg Index error, 2 min. 5 sec. ue. 10 81 4 1 45 35 27 39 23 , 59 min, 13.5 sec. Deg. 77 77 76 76 76 76 75 75 75 Miin. 17 8 43 32 21 5 53 33 20 30 15 45 30 45 45 30 30 45 [42] 52 Observations for time a short distance ahovc cncammmnt of Aum.-, -,-. i: I ' k. mill. $ee 9 3 5 d 4 36 9 6 ]r> 9 7 20 9 8 18 9 9 SG 9 10 ac, 9 11 32 DeUuced longitude in arc, 97 dcg. 23.5 nee. 1849. Double altitudes of sun's upper limb. Dig. will. 78 24 78 47 79 91 79 39 79 51 80 8 80 25 80 45 $ee. 45 4b 45 30 45 45 15 Mouth of Pembina river, at Pcvihimj August 21, 1S49. h. 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 For Umc—Double altitudes of sun'a upper limb. »»««• «c. Dtg. mm. 59 20 93 4 25 5 38 ft ii »5 o 55 95 10 22 • 95 11 38 96 12 51 96 14 30 96 16 2 97 17 39 97 Deduced longitude in are, 97 deg. 15.5 sec. Index error, 1 min, 2. 5 sec. Magnetic bearing of sun's centre for last observation, S. 44 dcg. E. 39 58 (Error.) (Error.) 28 38 58 14 28 47 6 28 tte. 15 45 45 45 15 50 15 45 30 15 n* mm. uc. 44 31 45 48 47 50 48 10 50 2G 51 21 59 30 53 51 55 6 Same day, August 21, 1849. Double altitudes of sun's lower limb. Deduced longitude in arc, 97 dcg. 1 min. 7.5 sec. Inocx error, 1 min. 2.5 sec. Magnetic bearing of sun's centre, S. 38 dcg. W. 99 93. 91 91 91 90 90 90 min. 44 30 43 95 19 57 37 17 Me. 30 15 45 15 30 50 SO J5 4S fi3 [42] At Pcinhina, August 21, ISIO. For latitude— Double nltitudcB of o Aquil.x (Altnir) cast of mcritlian. A. min. $tf.. 7 55 4'2 7 69 5 8 1 S5 8 8 30 8 5 8 8 7 45 8 9 84 8 13 34 8 • 15 7 min. «e. 1 45 37 45 2 15 22 45 41 45 8 15 22 30 53 4U 18 45 90 91 91 91 93 93 93 93 Pcduccd Intiludc, 48 dcg. 58 min. 27.5 sec. ' Index error, 2 min. 62.5 bcc. .Double meridian oltilude a Aquiite (Allair,) 99 dcg. 4 min. 30 sec. Deduced latitude, 48 dcg. 58 min. 38 sec. In(|cx error, 3 min. 52.5 sec. I' At Pejjibina, August 21, 1849. For latitude— Double altitudes of o Ursrc Minoria (Polaris) east of meridian. k. min. we. ^!? 8 SO 9 97 8 94 43 97 8 30 41 97 8 34 43 97 8 39 18 97 Deduced latitudcj 48 dog. 57 min. 27. 5 sec. Index error, 2 mm. 52.5 see. mm. 34 37 40 4-i 45 wc. 45 15 45 Doubtful. 45 30 At Pembina, August 21 , 1 819. For latitude —Double altitn ' of j? Ursaj Majoris west of meridian. Dtg. 79 78 78 77 77 76 75 75 Deduced latitude, 48 dcg. 59 min. 23.5 sec. indexcrror, 2min. 59.5 8ec. . Mean rceull from three stars, 48 «lcg. 50 mm. 29 sec. *. min. $ee. 8 53 38 8 57 10 8 58 16 9 1 24 9 3 40 9 6 SI 9 7 89 9 9 15 mtn. ue. 42 10 49 45 17 30 3V 15 30 29 54 50 30 29 55 [42] 54 9 9 9 9 9 9 » 9 9 9 9 9 A. M. tni'n. 1 3 4 5 6 6 8 8 9 10 11 At Pcmfnna, Au 55 )4 25 9 8 48 13 48 31 13 8 78 7m 79 70 70 80 60 80 60 81 81 niin. 35 63 It 33 43 2 10 34 45 fifi 11 SC Deduced longitude in arr, 97 dog. 32.5 sec. Index error, 3 min. 52. 5 tec. tie. 45 45 15 30 45 15 45 45 45 45 45 30 h. 2 S 9 2 2 9 9 9 Lost. 2 LoGt. 2 P. M. nin. 33 tu. 55 32 47 31 35 30 28 29 23 S8 40 28 3 2G 40 25 38 S3 25 At Pembina, August 22, 1849. For latitude—Double aliitudca of c Aquil.T (Ahair) cast of mcridi k. 8 8 8 8 8 8 6 8 6 tnin. 3 7 9 11 14 15 17 18 90 $tc. 30 49 32 59 10 59 SO 43 40 9 93 93 93 93 94 94 94 94 Deduced latimde, 48 dcg. 53 min. 5fi.5 sec. Index error, 2 min .V3. 5 sec. Double meridian oliituic a Aquite, 99 dcg. 4 min. 45 sec. min. 7 45 4 27 47 9 IG 96 41 iian. ttc. 30 45 15 30 30 15 15 15 15 , At Pemhiiiay August 22, 1849. For latitude.-Double altitudes of a Ursa Minoria (Polaris) cast of meridian. «. min. ue. 8 S3 49 8 27 22 8 31 22 8 34 5G Deduced latitude, 48 dr£^. 57 min. 49.5 ecc. Index error, 2 mm. 52.5 sec 97 97 97 mm. 39 42 44 46 ttCn 15 15 15 For latin ijp. — Double nitil A. tnin. iee. 10 UQ 35 10 98 5G 10 31 4 10 33 40 10 36 33 JO 89 6 10 43 31 10 45 1 10 49 31 55 At Pcmhhw, August 22, IS 10. Double nlliludco of a Aquihc (Altair) west of nicridinn. [42] Liijmdc deduced, 48 dc». 59 mi«i. 34.5 sec. Index error, 2 min. 53. 5 ccc. 'iffT- «iin. $te. !)4 69 . 30 94 42 30 94 26 15 94 2 45 93 41 15 93 15 15 92 42 15 92 19 15 91 56 30 Same place and night ^ August 22, 1819. Double aUitudes of^ Ursn: Majoris, west of meridian. ». mm. $ee. Dtt;. tnin. $tc. 8 3!> 38 82 21 45 8 42 34 81 S8 80 8 44 27 80 58 45 8 46 25 80 94 15 8 48 2 79 £9 , 15 8 49 48 79 33 IS 8 51 13 79 7 45 8 S3 37 78 99 45 Deducrd latitude, 48 drg. 59 min. 2 5 sec. Index error, 2 min. 52.5 sec. Same place and night, August 22, 1849. Double altitudes of a (Lyrsc) west of meridian. k. min. «c. Dtg. min. we. 10 51 35 12U 45 10 55 5 118 62 15 10 57 45 117 68 15 1 50 116 38 15 4 58 115 36 45 9 28 114 7 45 11 25 113 28 45 13 40 112 44 15 16 15 111 55 15 Latitude deduced, 43 drg. 59 min. 10.5 sec. Index error, 2 min. 52.5 sec Mean result of 4 siars for August 22, 48 dog. 58 min. 40.6 sec. Mean of results for 2 days, ond lalitudc of mouth of Pcmtiinn river, 48 dcg. 58 min. 34.5 sec Mean of longitudes fur mouth of Pembina livcr, 97 deg 38.1 sec. At mouth of Pelican river, September 14, 1849. Double altitudes of a Aquiltu (Altair) cast of meridian. For latitude.— Do uble al k. tnin. $ee. 6 29 Id 6 30 41 6 31 60 6 34 8 6 34 55 6 36 6 36 55 6 3v 2d 6 3d 54 Dtg. min. ite. 101 51 15 101 59 30 102 5 45 102 21 30 102 25 45 102 30 30 102 37 45 102 41 45 102 45 30 Deduced Intiludc, 4G do/:. 17 min. 52.5 sec. Index error, 2 min. 7 sec. [42] 60 At mouth of Pelican rwcr, September 14, IS 10. For latituilc—Doublc nllituilca ;/ Ura.x Miijoiin, west of nirridioi h. mill. Iff, 6 43 45 6 Ab 12 5 47 29 6 4!) 1 6 60 Yi 6 61 4U />r