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Show .TOUJ{N AL OF A, VOYAGE sary to leave behind some of my other loading. At night we dug a hole, four feet deep, three feet wid"', and six feet long, in which we put one barrel of pork and one barrel of flour, after wrapping them up in seven deer skins, to preserve them from the damp, we then filled up. the hole, and built our fire immediately over it. 18tb December, Tbursday.-Did not get off until 8 o'clock, from the delay in bringing in our rneat. Ice tolerably good. Began to see the Chipeway's encampments very frequently, but had not entirely left the Sioux coun. try on the western shore. BLautiful pine ridges. I CJtb December, Thursday.-Were oblig ·d to take to the pnirie, from the rivers being open ; but the snow was frozen hard and the sleds did not sink deep, so that we made a pretty good days journey. Killed one deer and two otters. River still open. Distance 10 1nilcs. 20tb December, Friday.-Travclled part of the day on the prairie and on the ice. Killed one deer. :Heard three reports of guns just at sun set frorn the opposite side of the river. Deposited one barrel of flour. Dis· tancc 7 miles. 2 fst December, Saturday.-Bradley and rnysclf went on ahead, and overtook 1ny interpreter, who had I ft camp very early in hopes that he would be able to sec the river De Corb('au, w'1cre he had t'''ice wintered. l:Ic was immediately opposit0 to a large island, which he supposed to h:we great resemblancf' to an island, opposite the mouth of tiL above river; but nnall y he concluded, it was not the island, anJ re turn c~d to camp. Hut this was actually the river, as we discovered whon we got to the head 6f the island, from which we could see the river's entrance .... This fact expo~cs the ignorance and inattention of the French and traders, and with the exception of a few intelligent men, 'vhat little confidence is to be placed on their information. We ascended the Missis~ippi, about five TO THE SOURCES OF THE 1\liSSL.SIPPl 55 n1ilcs above the confluence; found it not frozen; but in m~ny plac~s, not tnore than one hundred yards over; Jmld and suB. Indeed all the appearance of a small river ~f a low country. R eturned and found my party, havmg broke sleds, &c. had only made good 3 miles, while I had marched 35. 22d December, Sunday.-Killcd three deer. Owing to the many diiiicult places we had to pa~s, n1ade b ut 'f. 1-2 1niles. 23d December, M onday.--Never did I unJergo mon' fatigue, i~ performing the duties of hunter, spy, guide, commandmg officer, &c. Sometimes in front ; ometimes in th: r ear; frequently in advance of my par ty 10 or 15 m1les; that at night I was scarcely able to n1ake my notes intelligible. Killed two racoons. From our sleds breaking down, and having to make so many portages on the road, n1ade bnt 4 mill!s. 24th December, T /{esday.-Took the latitude of the Isle De Corbeau, and found it to be in 45° 491 50"' N. The Mississippi becomes very nar!"ow above the river De Corbeau, and as if it were the forks, changes its direction from hard W. toN. E. generally. Distance 10 1-2 miles. 25th December, ~Vednesday.-lVIarchcd and encamped at 11 o'clo. ck. Gave out two pounds of extra n1eat two pound s of. ex tra flour, one gill of whiskey, and som' e to· bacco p~r man ; this, in urJL·r to dis tinguish Christma, day. D1~,taucc S miles. 2oth Dec mber, T br:r_,-../Lfv.-Brokc four sleds· broke J~lto the river four time·, a1~d had four carryin; places, smce we left the river DL: Cm·beau. The timber was all Yellow and "t I • f 1 · . p1 c 1 pmc, o · \\' 11ch there were scarcely any below. D1stance 3 miles. 27th December, Fridoy.-Aftcr two carrying places, w_e arr1ved where the river was completely closed with icc· Jfter which we proceeded with some degree of speed and |