[1] This remark is limited to the country south of about 46°. North of that point, there are no explorations known to me, except those of Lieutenant James Allen, who accompanied me above Cass Lake, in 1832, and those of J. N. Nicollet, in 1836, which were reported by him to the Topographical Bureau, and by the latter transmitted to Congress.--Vide _Senate Doc._ No. 237, 1843. These observations relate to the line of the Mississippi. Maj. Long's journey, in 1823, was _west_ and _north_ of that river. A word may be added respecting the period of these explorations. The year 1820 marked a time of much activity in geographical discovery in the United States. The treaty of Ghent, a few years before, had relieved the frontiers from a most sanguinary Indian war. This event enlarged the region for settlement, and created an intense desire for information respecting the new countries. Government had, indeed, at an earlier period, shown a disposition to aid and encourage discoveries. The feeling on this subject cannot be well understood, without allusion to the name of John Ledyard. This intrepid traveller had accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage round the world. In 1786, he presented himself to Mr. Jefferson, the American minister at Paris, with a plan of extensive explorations. He proposed to set out from St. Petersburg, and, passing through Russia and Tartary to Behring's Straits, to traverse the north Pacific to Oregon, and thence cross the Rocky Mountains to the Missouri Valley.[2] Mr. Jefferson communicated the matter to the Russian plenipotentiary at Paris--and to the Baron Grimm, the confidential agent of the Empress Catherine--through whose influence he received the required passports. He proceeded on this adventure, and had reached within two hundred miles of Kamschatka, where he was arrested, and taken back, in a close carriage, to Moscow, and thence conducted to the frontiers of Poland. On reaching London, the African Association selected him to make explorations in the direction of the Niger. Reaching Egypt, he proceeded up the Nile to Cairo, where, having completed his preparations for entering the interior of Africa, he sickened and died, in the month of November, 1788.--_Life of Ledyard_, Sparks's _Amer. Biog._ vol. xvi.