Library of Congress A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... 2 362 3137 THE PILOT KNOB London: Richard Bearley, 1846 A CANOE VOYAGE UP THE MINNAY SOTOR; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE LEAD AND COPPER DEPOSITS IN WISCONSIN; OF THE GOLD REGION IN THE CHEROKEE COUNTRY; AND SKETCHES OF POPULAR MANNERS; &c. &c. &c. BY G. W. FEATHERSTONHAUGH, F.R.S., F.G.S. AUTHOR OF “EXCURSION THROUGH THE SLAVE STATES.” SMITHSONIAN IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty. 1847. F353 .F28 LONDON: Printed by S. & J. BENTLEY, WILSON, and FLEY, Bangor House, Shoe Lane. CONTENTS TO THE FIRST VOLUME. A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress CHAPTER I. PAGE The Author proposes to make a Tour of Exploration to the Côteau de Prairie, at the Sources of the Minnay Sotor, or St. Peter's River, a N. W. Tributary of the Mississippi 1 CHAPTER II. Embarks upon the Canal at Georgetown, near Washington.—Beautiful Scenery of the Potomac.—Action of the River upon the Rocks near the Great Falls.—A sociable Quaker. —Fossil Plants in Silurien Sandstone.—Calcareous Breccia formed by the eastern Ridge of the Alleghanies coming up through the Limestone.—Harper's Ferry.—Characteristic story of a German Settler. 5 CHAPTER III. William's Port.—Clear Spring.—Bath Springs.—Arrive at Cumberland.—Fucoidal Fossils in place.—Frostburgh.—Great Bituminous Coal-field.—Remarkable Section of Coal Seams on the Potomac. 14 CHAPTER IV. Interesting Escarpment on the Banks of the Potomac.—A singular Public Dinner.— The Gorge of Will's Mountain.—Bedford Springs.—Valuable Mineral Waters.—Cross the Backbone Mountain.—The Contorted Strata become horizontal to the west of the Alleghanies.—Arrive at Pittsburg 23 iv CHAPTER V. Visit Braddock's Field.—Events which led to the Expedition of that General 36 A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress CHAPTER VI. His ill-judged March to the Ohio.—Reaches the Mononghahela 47 CHAPTER VII. The Influence which that Defeat had in producing the Revolt of the British Colonies in 1776 56 CHAPTER VIII. Visit to the German Society of Economy.—Its Origin 62 CHAPTER IX. Count St. Leon, a singular Adventurer.—Sows Dissension in the Society, with the Intention of plundering it 70 CHAPTER X. Prosperous State of the Society.—Interview with its Head, George Rapp 79 CHAPTER XI. Reach Ravenna, the Summit Level of the Country.—Cross the Lake Ridges, and reach Cleveland on Lake Erie.—Reach Detroit. 90 CHAPTER XII. Agreeable American Society.—Manners of the French Canadians residing at Detroit. 101 v CHAPTER XIII. A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress Domestic Connexion of the French with the Aborigines.—Their early Explorations of the West.—Pondiac, a celebrated Ottaway Chief.—Massacre of the English Garrisons.— Death of Major Dalyell 105 CHAPTER XIV. Embark for Lake Huron.—Intelligence in Pigs.—Great Lacustrine Deposit.—Christian Indians.—Embark on Lake Huron 122 CHAPTER XV. Captain and Mrs. Dingle and Co.—Reach Michilimackinac.—Fine Salmon Trout.—Voracity of Fish 134 CHAPTER XVI. Embark for Lake Michigan.—Violent Storm.—Reach Navarino.—Flux and Reflux of the Waters of Green Bay.—Fort Howard.—Purchase a Bark Canoe and engage a Company of Voyageurs 148 CHAPTER XVII. Ascend Fox River.—Voracity of the Voyageurs.—Drunken Winnebagoes.—Explanation of the Arrangements for a Canoe Voyage.—Lake Winnebago 160 CHAPTER XVIII. Droll Disaster of an Indian Chief.—Butte des Morts.—Remedy against Mosquitoes.— Immense Fields of Wild Rice 172 CHAPTER XIX. A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress Reach Fort Winnebago.—Meet with the first Tetrao.—Slight Elevation of the Land separating the Eastern and Western Rivers.—Embark on the Wisconsin.—Horizontal Sandstones.—A Shot Tower excavated in the Rock.—Beauty of the Valley of the Wisconsin.—Reach the Mississippi 188 vi CHAPTER XX. Reflections on the Policy to be observed for the Development of British North American Commerce, and for the Protection of our Colonies 204 CHAPTER XXI. Kindly received by the Officers of the American Garrison of Prairie du Chien.—An Assiniboin Irishman.—Talent of the Indians for imitating the Cries of Night Birds. 213 CHAPTER XXII. An intelligent Indian and his Family.—Reach Wabeshaw's Band.—Scaffolds for Dead Bodies.—Carver's supposed Fortifications 228 CHAPTER XXIII. Reach Lake Pepin.—Hear the Cataract of St. Anthony.—Reach Fort Snelling.—Engage Milor as a Guide, and get into very bad Lodgings 247 CHAPTER XXIV. An Evangelical Pretender to Sanctity.—The Falls of St. Anthony 263 CHAPTER XXV. A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress On the ancient State of the Mississippi and other American Rivers, and the manner in which their present Channels have been modified 270 CHAPTER XXVI. Embark on the Minnay Sotor.—Reflections on the Ruin impending over the Indians.—The proper Name of the Sioux, “Nahcotah.”—The Geomys, or Mus bursarius 278 vii CHAPTER XXVII. Pass Chagnkeeoota.—Trees taking the Autumnal Tint.—Traverse des Sioux.—Immense Abundance of Boulders.—Reach the Makatoh.—Le Sueur's Copper-Mine, a Fable 292 CHAPTER XXVIII. Ascend the Makatoh again.—The Voyageurs unwilling to proceed.—Milor's good conduct. —Minday Mangwah, or “Swan Lakes.”—Pahkah Skah, a beautiful Half-breed, abandoned by her Father.—Cameron's Grave.—Milor's Escape from Starvation.—Granite in Place 305 CHAPTER XXIX. How to cook a Racoon.—Make a Cache of our heavy Articles.—A Granite Country.— Prowlers about our Camp.—The Grand Portage 321 CHAPTER XXX. Camp nearly burnt.—Reach Lac qui Parle.—Turbulent Conduct of the Savages.—Danger of being plundered.—The Author's Speech to the Chief 335 CHAPTER XXXI. A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress The Chiefs present their Pipes in token of Friendship.—Huggins, a Yankee Missionary.— Three Objibways scalped.—A Scalp-Dance.—Pleasing Music of the Squaws 346 CHAPTER XXXII. The Author permitted to see the Braves attire themselves for the “Dance of the Braves” in honour of his Arrival.—Dance of the Squaws.—Matrimonial Negotiations 358 CHAPTER XXXIII. Leave Lac qui Parle—Exposed to the Danger of being frozen to Death.—Excellent Conduct of Milor.—Reach a few Trees, and make a Fire. 372 viii CHAPTER XXXIV. Reach the Summit Level dividing the Waters which flow into the Gulf of Mexico from those flowing into Hudson's Bay.—Migration of Musk-rats.—Two Buffaloes killed by One Draft of an Arrow.—Leave Lake Travers.—Buffalo Skeletons.—Reach the Sources of the Minnay Sotor on the Côteau du Prairie.—Milor advises our Return 382 CHAPTER XXXV. Reach Big Stone Lake on our Return.—Symptoms of Winter.—Immense Masses of Granite, from whence the Lake takes its name.—Prairies on Fire.—Supposed Origin of the Word “Missouri.”—Reach the Wahboptah.—Egregious Pride of the male Indians 396 CHAPTER XXXVI. Reach Lac qui Parle.—An Indian Marriage.—Dependence of the Indians upon the Traders. —Re-embark on the Minnay Sotor.—Immense Quantities of Wild Fowl.—Reach Mr. Moore's and find Pahkah Skah there 405 A canoe voyage up the Minnay Sotor; with an account of the lead and copper deposits in Wisconsin; of the gold region in the Cherokee country; and skethes of popular manners; &c. &c. &c. Volume 1. By G. W. Featherstonhaugh ... http://www.loc.gov/resource/ lhbum.6643a Library of Congress INTRODUCTION. The criticism of the Public is sometimes deprecated by travelled Authors, upon the plea that their original notes were not made with a view to publication. Without claiming any indulgence upon this ground, the writer of the following pages can truly state, that they are almost literally transcribed from the Journals he kept during the period of his observations; and he hopes that he may claim some confidence upon this point, since it is obvious, that, if he had been particularly anxious to appear as an Author, he would scarcely have permitted so many years to elapse before presenting his narratives to the public; for ten years had already passed away when his “Excursions through the Slave States” were published, and this “Canoe Voyage” was commenced the same year that those Excursions terminated.