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Show S.J pleased me more, for we would now be enabled to walk three times our usual distance in a day. l was much surprized that we faw no Indians. AftC'r our return to the camp, was told that a Fols Avoin Indian had n1et my party and inform ~d them, that in the rear of th' hills, that bordered the prairie, there were small lakes which by portages comtnunicated with Lake Superior. Th~t in one days march, on that course, we would tind English trad. ing houses. 'I'hat the Chipeways were there hunting. That the Sioux who had vi ited my camp on the 29th ult. on hearing the firing, had prudently returned, with his companions, to the west side of the Mississippi, agreeably to my advice. I-Iow persons unacquainted with the search· ing spirit of trade, and the enterprize of the people of the north west; would be surprized to find people who had penetrated from Lake Superior, to lakes little more than mar hcs. And it likewi~e points out the difficulty of putting a barrier on their trade. All n1y sleds and peroques did not get up until half past 10 o'clock. Saw a vel'y beautiful fox, red back, white tail and breast. My inter· preter called them Reynard d' Argent. I had no opportunity of shooting him. Killed six racoons and one pOl<' cupine. Fine day. Distance 7 miles. 13tb December, Friday.-Madc double trips. Em· barked at the upper end of the ripples. lt commenced snowing at S o'clock. Bradley killed one de r, another man killed one racoon. Stonn continued until next morn· ing. Distance 5 miles. 14:tb December, Saturday.-We departed from our encampment at the usual hour, but had not advanced one mile, when the foremo t sled, which happened unfortu· natcly to carry my baggage and ammunition, fdl into the river. We were all in the river up to our middle~, in rc· covering the things. Halted and made a fire. Came on to where the river was frozen over. Stopped and en· I TO TilE SOURC~S OF TilE MISSISSIPPI. camped on the west shore, in a pine wood. Upon examining my things, found all my baggage wet and son1e of n1y books materially injured; but a sti ll gn:ater injury was, that all rny cartridges, and four pounds of double battle Sussex powder which I had brought for tny own usc, was destroyed. Fortunately my kegs of powder were pn'scrvL·d dry, and some bottles of common glazt;d powder, which were so tightly corked, as not to admit water. Uad thi~ not been the case, my voyage 1nust nccessanly have bc·cn terminated, for w could not have sub~istc<l without arnn1umtwn. During the time of our misfortune, two FoJs Avoin Indians came to us, one of whom was ,tt my stockade, on the 29th ult. in company with the Sioux. I ~ignifi ccl to them by signs the place of onr intended encampml'nt~ and invited them to come and encamp with us. Th<'y left 1ne and both arrived at my cunp in the evening, having each a deer which they prcs<'nted me; I gave them my canoe, to keep until spring ; and in the morning at parting n1ade then1 a small present. Sat up until ~3 o'clock P. M. drying and assorting my ammunition, baggage, &c. Killed two deer. Distance 4· miles. l5tb Dcccmh~.·r Sunday.-Rcmained at our camp mak .. ing sleds. Killed two deer. Crossed and recrossed ~everal Indian trails in the wood~. l6tb December, Monday.-Rcmaincd at the same camp. Employed as yesterday. KillC'd thr 'C deer. l wounded a bu[alo in the shoulder, and by a fair race overtook him in the prairie and gave him another shot ; but it being ncar night left him till morning. l7tb December, Tuesday.-Departcd ti·om our agreeable enrampmcnt at an early hour. Found our sleds to be very heavily loaded. Broke one ~led runner, aud were detained by other circumstances. Bradley, Ros, can (the interpreter) and rnysdf killed four d 'Cr and wounded five others. Having eleven on hand already, I found it neccs- |