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Show I I 30 JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE day ; passed three rapids ; killed one goose and two ducks. This day the sun shone after I had left tht:: falls; but whilst there, it was always cloudy. Distance 17 n1iles. 2d Ort. JiVcdncsday-Embarked at our usual hour, and shortly after passed some large islands and remarkably hard ripples. Indeed the navigation, to persons not deter~ mined to proceed, would have been deemed impracticable. W c waded nearly all day, to force the boats off shoals, and draw them through rapids. Killed three geese> and two swans. Much appearance of elk and deer. Distance 12 miles. Sd Oct. Tbursday-Cold in the morning. Mercury at 0°. Catnc on very well ; some ripples. Killed three geese and one racoon, also a brclaw, an animal I had never before seen. Water ripply, and shoal::;. Distance 15 1-2 miles. 4tb Oct. Friday - Rained in the morning, but the wind serving, we embarked, although extremely raw and cold. Opposite to the n1outh of Crow river we found a bark canoe, cut to pieces with tomahawks and the paddles broken on shore ; a short dis tance higher up , we saw five more; and continued to see the wrecks, until we found eight. l4'rmn the form of the canoes, my interpreter pronounced them to be Sioux ; and some broken arrows, to be the Sauteurs. The paudlcs were also marked with the Indian sign of men and women killed. From all these circumstances, we drew this inference, that the canoes had been the vessels of a party of Sioux, who had been attacked and all killed or taken by the Sauteurs. Time may develope this transaction. My interpreter was much alarmed, assuring 1ne that it was probable that at our first rencounter with the Chipeways, they would take us tor Sioux traders, and fire on us before we coulJ come to an explanation ; that they had murdered three Frenchmen, TO THE SOURCES OF TilE MISSISSIPPI. 31 whom they found on the shore about this time last spring ; but notwithstanding his information, I was on shore, all the Jfternoon in pursuit of elk. Caught a curious little animal on the prairie, which my Il r enchtnan termed a prairie mole, but it is very differ ent fr01n the mole of the States. Killed two geese, one pheasant, aud a wolf. Distance 16 miles. Stb Oct. Saturday-liard water and ripples all dav. PasseJ several olJ Sioux encampments, all for titied .... Found five litters, in which sick or wounded men had been carrieJ. At this place a hard battle was foug ht betwe n the Sioux and Sauteurs in the year l 800. Killed one goose. Di ~ tance 1 l miles. 6tb Oct. Sunday-Early in the morning discover ed four elk, they swam the river, I pursued them, and wounded one, who made his escape into a mar~h ; ~aw two droves of elk. I killed some small game, and joined the boats ncar nig ht. Found a small red capot hung upon a tree ; this my interpret r informed me was a sacrifice by some Indians to the bon Dicu. I deter minctl to lay by and hunt the next day. Killed three prairie h<'ns, and two ph asants. This Jay saw the first elk. l )istance 12 miles. 7th Oct. Monday Lay by in order to dry my corn, doathing, &c. and to have an investigation into the conduct of n1y sergeant, against whmn some charges were exhibited. Sent several of n1y men out huntjng. I went towards evening and killed some prairie hens ; the hunters were unsuccessful. Killed three prairie hens and ix pheasants. 8th Oct. Tuesday-Embarked early and made a very good day's march ; had but three rapids to pass all day. Some woodland on the W. side, oak; but the whole bottom covered with the prickly ash. I made a practice, to oblige every n1an who complained of indisposition, t |