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Show • t' 52 ,, APPENDIX TO PART I. standing the •·apidity of the current, one of my invllicls, who was oR the \\. shore waded to the E. (where we were encamped.) Tl.e E . bank at the J apic!s is a very high prairie; the \V. scrubby wood Jand. The Sac l'iYer is a considerable stream, which comes in on the \ V. and bears abont S. \.V. and i-; 200 yards wide at its mouth. The quantity of g·ame still increasing from the Sac ri,·er to Pine c reek, (the pl<\cc where I built my stockade, and left part of my party) the borders arc prairie, wit!. groves of pine on the edge of the bank; but there arc some exceptions where you meet with small bottoms of oak, ash, maple, and lynn. In this distance there is an intermission of rn1 ·ids for about 40 miles, when they commence a~:ain, <Pld arc full as cliflicult as eYCI'. There arc three small creeks c~1ptying in on the \V. scarcely wol'thy of notice, and on the E. arc two small rivers called Lake aud Clea1' Rivers; the former quite a small one, bears N. \V. and is about 15 yard5 wide at ih mouth; about 3 miles from its entrance, is a ucatitiful small lake, arountl which, re5ort immense herds of elk <mel buffalo. Clear rivet· is a beautiful little stream, of about 80 y<wds in wid th, and heads in some swamps and small lakes on which the Sautcaux of Lower Red Cedar Lake, and Sandy Lake feequently come to hunt. The soil of the prairies ft·om above the falls is sandy, hut would raise small grain in abundance ; the bottoms rich, and fit for corn ot· hemp. l'ine creek is a small stream which comes in on the \V. shore, and bears nearly vV. It is bordered by large grove~ of 'White and red pine. From Pine creek to the Isle De Corbeau, (or river of that name) two small rivers tome in on the ,V. 5hore. The first is bf little conseCJUchcc; but the second called J·.lk river, is entitled to h10re consideration, from its communication with the river St. Peters. They first ascend it to a small lake, tross it, then ascend a small stream to a lat·ge lake ; fl'om which they ri1nkc a portage of four miles ,V. and fall into the Sautcaux river, which they descend into the river St. Peters. On the E. side is one small stream which heads towards Lower Red Cedar Lake, and is bounded by hills. The whole of this distance is remad~ably difficult to navigate, being one contimlccl succession of rapid shoals and falls; but there is onr deserves to be mo1·e particularly noticed, viz: The place cnlled by the French Le Shute de J,, Hoche Peintnre, "hich is certainly the 3d obstacle in point of naYigation, which I met with in my whole route. The shore whct·e there is not }H'Ui1·ic, is a continued succession of pine 1 idges. The entrance of the river De Corhcau, is partly bid by the island of that name, and disc har!;cs its wate1·s into the Mississippi '{)bove a11d below it: the lowest channel bearing from the l\tli$sissippi APPENDIX TO PART I . 53 '~. 65°, \V. the uppet· due \V. This (in my opinion) should be termed the F01·ks of the Mississippi, it being nearly of eqtnl magnitude, and heading· not far from the same source ; although taking a much more cli•·ect course to their junction. It may be; observed en the chart, that, from St. Louis to this place, the course or the ri,·er kid generally been N. to the \V. and, that fl'Om he re it bore N. E. This river affords the best and most approved communication with the Red river; and the navigation is as follows: You ascend the riv e t· De C01·bcan 180 miles, to the entrance of the ri vc1· Des Feuillcs, which comes from the N. ,V, This you U!iccnd 180 miles also ; then muke a portage of half a mile into the Otter T ail Lake, which is a principal source of Red river. The other branch of the 1·iver De Corueau bearsS. vV. and approximates 'dth the ~t. Peters. 'I he whole of this river is rapid, and by no means a ffot'ding so much watet· as the Mississippi. Their conflucuce is in latitude 45° 4·V 50" N. In this division the elk, deer, and bnfl'alo. were probably in greater quantities than i ta any other part of my whole voyd~c. From thence to Pine river the Mississippi continues to becotllc narrowc1·, and has but few islands. In this distance I cli'icove rcd but one rapid, whici1 the force of the fl'Ost had not entirely cover{'d with icc. The shores in general presented a dreat·y p•·ospect of high bat ren nobs, covc1·cd with dead and fallen pine timbc1·. To this there were some exceptions of l'idges of yellow and pitch pine ; also some small bottoms of lynn, elm, oak, and ash. The adjacent countJ·y is (at lea'St two thirds) covered with small lakes, some of which at·c S miles in circumference. This r·enclers the communication impassible in summer, except with small b;:n·k canoes. In this distance we first met with a species of pine called the sap pine. It was equally unknown to myself and all my party. It scarcely ever exceeds the height of 35 feet, and is very fuU of projecting branches. The leaves are similar to other pines; but pt·oject out ft·om the branches on each side, in a direct line, thereby rendering the branch flat ; and this formation occasions the natives and voyagers to give it the preference on all occasions to the branches of all other trees for their beds, and to cover their temporary camps; but its greatest virtue arises from its medicinal qualities. The rind is smooth, with the exception of little protuberances of about the size of a hazel nut; the top of which being cut, you squeeze out a g lutinous substance of the comistence of honey. This gum or sap gives name to the tree, and is used by the natives and traders of that counn·y as a balsam for all wounds made by sharp instruments, or on p arts frozen, and almost all other 'external injuries which they receive. My poor fellows e ·pcricnced |
