Narrative of an Expedition Through the Upper Mississippi to Itasca Lake, the Actual Source of This River: Embracing an Exploratory Trip Through the St. Croix and Burntwood (or Broule) RiversSchoolcraft, Henry Rowe
History
Narrative of an Expedition Through the Upper Mississippi to Itasca Lake, the Actual Source of This River: Embracing an Exploratory Trip Through the St. Croix and Burntwood (or Broule) Rivers
Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe
Dakota Indians; Indians of North America -- Government relations; Minnesota -- Description and travel; Mississippi River -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Minnesota; Ojibwa Indians; Ojibwa language; Saint Croix River (Wis. and Minn.); United States -- Discovery and exploration
8th. Did the disposition made of the liquor, which the Secretary of War
permitted the principal Factor of the Fond du Lac Department, to take
in last year, (1831,) embrace the post of Winnipec? Ans. It did not.
It was kept chiefly at Rainy Lake, and on the lines, to be used in the
opposition trade.
Another trader, inquired of, in the country below, observed that five
Chiefs had been invested with medals and flags, by the British trader
at _Lac le Pluie_.
The party traversed Lake Winnipec on the morning of the 10th, and
entered and passed up the sand-hill bordered valley of the Mississippi,
to Cass Lake, the entrance to which they reached about one o’clock,
being eleven days earlier in the season than this lake had been
visited by the light canoes of Gov. Cass, twelve years previous. The
outlet of this lake, was ascertained to be 172 feet in width, with an
estimated depth of eight feet; being over half the width of the river,
immediately _below_ the inlet of the Sandy Lake branch.
At this point, being the _ultima Thule_ of previous discovery,
our narrative may assume a more personal character. The day was
characterised by the striking warmth of the month of July in this
latitude. The fore part of it had been spent in a diligent ascent
of the Mississippi from Lake Winnipec; and the party reached the
point of entrance, with a feeling of gratification, arising from the
accomplishment of one of its objects. We halted a few moments, to allow
the hindmost canoes to come up, so as to enter the Lake together. Oza
Windib, or the Yellow Head, our Chippewa guide, had preceded the party
a little, as he often did, to get the first glance of little bays and
inlets, where water fowl are usually found. He had put his canoe ashore
behind a small point, where he met a party of the Cass Lake band. Of
this he kept us ignorant till turning the same point, that he might
surprise us with an unexpected salute. The Indians then approached
in their canoes in a body, with a welcome, which could hardly have
been more cordial, had we been old friends. They represented their
residence to be on a large island, bearing south-west from the entrance.
And for this island we set forward, with every appliance. The Indians
accompanied us, imparting a spirit of emulation to the men, by shouts
and firing. In making this traverse, we left the mouth of Turtle river,
(the spot of Gov. Cass’ landing in 1820,) on our right, and did not
come near enough to the shore, distinctly to recognise its features.
We were upwards of an hour in reaching the island, which is called
Grand Island, or Colcaspi. On approaching it, a number of Indians
were observed, running across an elevation, and pointing, with wild
gestures, to a bay beyond. It was the best place of landing. They were
assiduous in directing the men to the spot. They ranged themselves
along the shore, fired a salute, and then came eagerly to the water’s
edge, giving each one a hand, as he alighted from the canoe. He, who
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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