a speech, and presented Mr. Pike with a pipe, pouch, and buffaloe skin. They encamped opposite to the Indians, on an island in the river, the chief having promised to accompany them to the river St. Peter. He appeared to be a sensible man; saluted the party, and received a small present. They reached the St. Croix river, at noon on the 19th, and in the evening encamped on a prairie on the east side of the river, where stands a large painted stone. On the morning of the 21st, they arrived at the Sioux village, situated at the head of an island and just below a ledge of rocks. It was unpeopled, the Indians being absent. Two miles higher, they saw three bears cross the river. Here was another camp of Sioux, consisting of four lodges; they saw but one man, named the Black Soldier. The garulity of the women was astonishing, since at all the other camps they had been silent; here they flocked round the strangers, all talking together, which could only be accounted for by the absence of the men. Three miles below the mouth of St. Peter's river, they passed the encampment of Mr. Ferrebault, who had broken his perogue. The Mississippi was so narrow in this day's course, that they crossed it in a batteaux with forty strokes of the oars. The water of the Mississippi, above lake Pepin, appears red, and where deep, nearly as black as ink. The water flowing in from the St. Peters, and St. Croix rivers, give it a blue appearance for a considerable distance below their confluence. Observing a white flag on shore, they landed and found it to be of white silk it was suspended over a scaffold, on which lay four dead bodies: two were enclosed in boards, and two in bark. They were wrapped up in blankets which appeared yet new. They were the bodies of Sioux women, a child of one of them, and some other relative. Some of them had died on the St. Peter's, others on the St. Croix, but were brought and deposited on this scaffold together. It is the mode in which the Sioux bury those of their people who die a natural death: but those who are killed, are suffered to lie unburied. As a corroboration of this information Mr. Pike relates, that on the hills below the St. Croix he found the bones of a man which he supposed had been killed on the spot. Before the party reached the mouth of St. Peter's river, they were overtaken by Mr. Frazer and his perogues, who had been left behind at the head of lake Pepin with Mr. Cameron. A short time afterwards, the Petit Corbeau, at the head of his band, arrived with about 150 warriors. They honored Mr. Pike with a salute, in the Indian manner, with ball! after which it was agreed that a council should be held on the day following. Messrs. Pike and Frazer took a bark canoe, and went up St. Peter's river, to the Indian village, to see Mr. Cameron: he engaged to be at the council the next day. The current of St. Peter's river is very gentle. The Sioux had marched on a war excursion, but being informed, by express, of the arrival of the United States party, they returned by land. When at the village they were hospitably received, and bawled and halloo ed after, to enter every lodge to eat. On their return, they found their men and the Indians peaceably encamped. The council was held on the 23d, under a bower or shed, formed of the sails of the boats, on the beach, by the orders of Mr. Pike. Into it, only his gentlemen, (the traders) and the chiefs entered. He addressed them in a speech of considerable length; the principal subject of which was, the desire of obtaining from them a grant of lands at this place (the falls of St. Anthony,) and at St. Croix; and, the making peace between them and the Chipeways. He was replied to by the Fils de Penichon, Le Petit Corbeau, and L'Orignal levé. They gave the land required, 100,000 acres, and promised a safe passport for him, and any chiefs he might bring down; but spoke doubtfully respecting the peace. Mr. Pike then gave them presents AMERICAN STATE PAPERS. to the value of two hundred dollars. After the council was over, he per- An accident happened here which, for a short time, was likely to disturb their harmony. The morning after the council was held, Mr. Pike missed his flag; which had either been stolen, or had fallen over board. He sent for L'Orignal leve, and in his presence punished the guard for his negligence, and sent a party three miles down the river in search of the flag, to sirew his anger at the loss. In the night, however, he was awakened by Le Petit Corbeau, who had come from his village to see if any accident had befallen the party, as the flag had been found floating three miles below their village (15 miles from St. Peters) having concluded from this circumstance, that some affray had taken place, in which the flag had been thrown over board. Although the loss of the flag had been considered an unfortunate circumstance it proved the means of preventing an effusion of blood. A chief, called the Outarde Blanche, who had got his lip cut off, came to the Petit Corbeau in his village, and told him "his face was his looking glass; it was spoiled, and he was determined on revenge." Accordingly both parties were charging their guns, when the lost flag of the United States appeared in the midst of them. They were all astonished to see it there, with the staff broken. "A thing so sacred had not been takPetit Corbeau spoke to this effect. en from the boat without violence. It would be proper for them to hush their private animosities until they had revenged the cause of their eldest brother. He would immediately go up to St. Peter's to know what dogs had done the thing, and take steps to get satisfaction from those who had done it." They all listened to this reasoning; immediately put the flag to dry, and embarked for the camp of the United States party. Mr. Pike gave bim five yards of blue stroud, three yards of calico, a handkerchief, a carrot of tobacco, and a knife, in order to have the peace made up with the Outarde Blanche. He promised to send the flag to the falls, and make up the matter with his antagonist. Whilst detained by the loss of his flag, Mr. Pike sent a flag and two carrots of tobacco, by Mr. Cameron, to the Sioux, on the head of the St. Peter's; made a draft of the place, and, dispatched the boat he had obtained from Mr. Fisher at the village of the prairie des Chiens, to the village of the Saint Peters, to be exchanged for a barge with Mr. Duncan. The boat thus obtained, was a fine light vessel, eight men being able to carry her. After much labour and fatigue in getting the boat through the rapids, they reached the foot of the falls of Saint Anthony on the evening of the 26th, and began to carry their loading over the portage, to where Mr. Pike had pitched his tent above the shoot. The rapids below the shoot may properly be called a continuation of the falls of Saint Anthony: they deserve the appellation of falls equally with those of the Delaware and Schuylkill. lost flag was brought to them at this place by two young Indians. The While the men were at work transporting the barge over the portage, and three-fourths of a mile distant from the camp where they had left their arms, seven Indians, painted black, appeared on the height near them. They proved to be a part of the Sioux war party, who were too obstinate to return when the others came in. They were better armed than the Indians generally are having guns, bows, arrows, war-clubs and spears, and some of them pistols. As they made their appearance when the men of the party were taking a refreshing dram, Mr. Pike handed some to the Indian. The first emptied the cup, which was presented to him, which proved a caution as to the quantity to be given to the others. The interpreter was sent with them to the camp, as Mr. Pike wished to purchase one of their war-clubs made of elk's horn, and decorated with inlaid work ;-also a set of their bows and arrows. But the liquor beginning to operate, the Indian to whom they belonged, came back to the party for Mr. Pike. On his refusing to go until the boat was got over the portage, the Indian was probably offended, as he borrowed a canoe and crossed the river. After getting their boat nearly to the top of the hill, the props gave wav, and she slid down to the bottom, but without injuring any person. The day following, the large boat was got over the portage; after which, the men gave a very decisive proof of their fatigue, by throwing themselves down to sleep, instead of getting supper. Six of the men out of twentytwo, were at this time sick. The proper time for performing the voyage up the Mississippi appears to be,-to leave the Illinois as soon as the ice breaks up; but, if deferred even to June, it may be performed with great certainty; for then the water in the river would be sufficiently high. If it is ever possible to pass these falls in high water, which is a doubtful thing, it must be done on the eastern side, about thirty yards from the shore; where the fall is formed by three layer of rocks, one below the other the pitch of none of which appears higher than five feet. Above the falls, for forty or fifty miles, the navigation is much impeded by shoals and ripples; and would be considered impracticable by persons not determined to proceed; for the men must wade, and push the boat along, a great portion of the distance. Below Crow river, they killed an animal unknown to Mr. Pike, called a Blaireau. Opposite to the mouth of Crow river they found a bark canoe cut to pieces by tomahawks, and the paddles broken on shore. They continued to meet with the wrecks of canoes as they ascended,-eight in the whole. From the form of these canoes, the interpreter supposed them to be Sioux ; and some broken arrows found with them, he pronounced to be Sauteurs. These circumstances led to the conclusion that the canoes had belonged to a party of Sioux, who had been attacked by the Sauteurs, and all either killed or takeh. The interpreter was alarmed lest they might be attacked by the Chipeways, under the supposition of being Sioux traders, before an explanation could take place; three Frenchmen whom they had caught ashore near this place, having been killed the last spring. Notwithstanding this caution, Mr. Pike was frequently on shore in pursuit of game, which had become more plentiful since passing the falls of St. Anthony, than it was below. Elk, bear, racoons, pheasants, geese and prairie hens, were frequently met with. On the 5th of October they passed several old Sioux encampments, all of which were fortified; they found five litters on which the sick, or wounded had been carried. A hard battle had been fought here between the Sioux and Sauteurs, in the present year. On the next day when hunting, Mr. Pike found a small red capot, hung on a tree: this the interpreter said was an offering to the Bon Dieu. On the morning of the 10th they reached the place where Mr. Rienville and Monsr. Perlier wintered in 1797. Above it is a cluster of more than twenty islands in the course of four miles, which they named the Beaver islands from the great signs of those animals which were exhibited, there being dams on every island, and roads from them every two or three rods. In the evening they arrived at the grand rapids. These falls are dangerous and difficult to pass, from the inequality in the depth of the water, and number of rocks. The boats must be lifted over rocks not covered by one foot of water, while the next step plunges the boatman over his head. The The boats frequently swing on these rocks, to the great hazard of their bilging. Five miles higher than the rapids they found their large boat to leak so fast, as to render it necessary to unload her. Near a war encampment, at this place, was a painted buckskin and a piece of scarlet cloth suspended on the limb of a tree; supposed to be a Matcho Manitou, to render their enterprize successful; less superstitious than the Indians, Mr. Pike converted this donation to the evil spirit, to his own use. On the thirteenth they passed a handsome little river; which enters the Mississippi from the east. Here, on the only timbered land they had seen above the falls of Saint Anthony was discovered the first signs of buffaloe. On the day following, when hunting, Mr. Pike came on a trail which he supposed to be of savages; he pursued it with great caution for some time, when he started a large bear which had been feeding on the carcase of a deer. The river became shoal, rapid and full of islands as they ascended : it is skirted in some places by well timbered land, while swamps of hemlock and white pine frequently appear. On the morning of the 16th the ground was covered with snow, two inches deep, which had fallen in the preceding night. It continued snowing, and the party had to pass a rapid immediately above them by wading to their necks in the water. Mr. Pike having determined to reach Le Riviere de Corbeau, the highest point ever made by traders in their bark canoes, an attempt was made to get over the rapids. After some hours exertion they were obliged to put ashore, at about two thirds up the rapids, with their limbs benumbed by the cold. Their boats filled with water so fast, as to keep most of the hands employed in bailing. The serjeant, a very stout man, had broken a blood vessel, and discharged nearly two quarts of blood by the mouth one of the corporals evacuated nearly a pint when he attempted to void his urine. These circumstances, and four of his men having previously been rendered useless,shewed the necessity of abandoning the riv er with the large boats, and erecting huts for the winter, where some of the party might be left whilst the others proceeded to the source of the river. The beauty of the situation, plenty of game, and abundance of fine pine timber in its vicinity, were additional reasons for stopping at this place. Constructing small canoes for the purpose of continuing the voyage as far as practicable, and erecting the log huts, or station, for the party who were to remain here, occupied those who were not employed in hunting until the 2d of November. Before leaving this place Mr. Pike had determined to get an elk, the signs of which were numerous. For this purpose he went down the river about twelve miles to a prairie on the east side, accompanied by one of his detachment. They fell in with a large drove of elk, and followed them, until they were weary, without killing any: they shot at and wounded deer which they could not afterwards track, and closed their first day "hungry, cold, and fatigued!" Resuming their chase of the elk with the morning, they attemped to drive them into the wood, but the leader of the drove breaking past them, the others followed him fearlessly in the same track. Their fire on the passing drove produced no effect. Thus disappointed they attempted to reach the river, by pursuing a south course. carried them to Elk lake, which is about five miles long, and two miles wide, at the close of the second day. On both its banks they observed Vol. IV. Appendix, E It droves of elk; and about sunset, two bucks of a drove, which was crossing the prairie, came near them. One of them was killed; and, as it fulfilled the promise which Mr. Pike had made when he left the station, the death of this elk recompensed him for the fatigue of two days spent without food in the pursuit! Whilst carrying one half to their fire, at the distance of a mile, the wolves seized the remainder. One of the men having killed two deer about six miles below their encampment, and near the river, three of the party were sent in a canoe for them on the evening of the 6th with directions to return in the morning. It snowed all night; and the men not returning, Mr. Pike went in search of them to the place where he understood the game had been killed. Discovering nothing of his men there, and knowing the hostile disposition of the Chipeways to persons found on this part of the river, whom they suppose are traders, he became uneasy, as to their fate. The snow continued to fall very fast, it was near a foot in depth, and he could scarcely find wood enough to make a fire for the night. The ice was forming rapidly in the river. The men not arriving in the course of the evening, he determined in the morning to return to the station; and with a party resume the search for them. After writing on the snow directions to the lost men, should they arrive, and putting up his handkerchief as a flag, he took about ten pounds of meat, a bear skin, his gun and sword, and thus laden set out. Such was the anxiety of mind he laboured under that, notwithstanding the load he carried, he reached the bottom above their former hunting camp before night. In the course of the journey he passed several deer, and one elk, but declined firing, as it was doubtful whether he could have saved the meat had he been so fortunate as to kill any of them. While endeavouring to kindle a fire, he heard the sound of voices; OR looking up he discovered a corporal and three of his men passing. He call ed them to him, and they encamped together. They were going down the river in order to render what service they could to the party, whom they supposed had met with some difficulty from the ice, in ascending the river with their venison. They were very much hurt to find that Mr. Pike could give no tidings of the men. After experiencing some difficulty in crossing the river, they reached the station about neon. On the 11th two of the three men who were supposed to be lost, arrived; they had seen and understood the writing on the snow, and had left the other man at their camp to take care of the meat. Their detention was owing to their not being able to find the deer which had been shot, and losing themselves in the swamp the first night. In the afternoon of the 14th it rained with severe thunder and lightning which was followed by an extraordinary cold evening. Whatever charms there may be in the occasional pursuit of game, the life of a hunter is a slavish and precarious one. For although Mr. Pike had sometimes killed as much as six hundred weight in one day, at other times he spent three days, and only procured some small birds which he was compelled to shoot, to prevent his men from starving. To hunt the elk with success, the gun should carry a ball of a size not more than 30 in the pound;-an ounce ball would be preferable. We re these animals followed on horseback, by persons dextrous in the use of the bow and arrow, he supposes greater numbers might be killed than by any other means. The hunter might ride along side of them, lodge his arrow in what part of the body he pleased, and leaving the wounded one pass on to others. On the 27th the men were sent down the river for eleven deer which one of the hunters had killed. They returned with seventeen deer and two elk |
