The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-22

conGdered as an imprudent act.
| On the lssh of September the party pafIed the
mout OF Black-river, entering the Miffilippi from
the can. u, OF comfortable ze, and Indian trader,
have win,ered 100 mile. upit. A little diRance a.
! bove, and where the river of the mountain enters
there is hill in the NIiIifippi. which the French
term the mountain which foaks in the river" Here
they met theremainder of the party of the Sacs
and Reynards returning from their expedition agsina
the Santeurs. The interpreter enquired what num-
Der OF fcalps they had taken their reply was, none
Falling the mountain in the river, the party Popped
on the wet Gde, at the prairie L'Aile, when Mr..
Pike, Mr.. Frazer and Mr.. Sparks went OIL fhore to
hunt. Croiling dry Fat prairie they Attended the
hills from which the proipetf was very beautiful
On the right was the mountains pafled in the MORN
ing, and the prairie in the rear, alto the mountains OF
the prairie Ia Crohe. appearing like ditant clouds
On the ieft and under their feet the valley thro'
which the Mitlippi flows between two barren hills,
as Tar as the eye can diainguih. The river is di.
vided into numerous channels by beautiful inand.-
After palng very thick bottom, fordin- and twin.
ing three eranche. Of the river and croing feveral
morales they reached the boats. Signs of elk were
frequent, but they fortunate enough to
meet with any, although thofe in the boats had feen
three. The ne,> day they pafIed the river Embar-
ra', and L'E1u Clair which enter on the wet Eide,
and in the evening noPped oppoi,e to Butiaoe river,
running IN from the north ea. The frh of thefe RI
versi navgable l35 miles, and the la at the head
OF which the Chpeways refde, is navigable for pc
rogues, Tor As or so leagues.
AT noon, on the 10th of September they reached
tina grand encampment, below Lake Pepn: and in
the evening, paiied the Sautaux river, which flows
IN from the eat at the entrance of the lake. They
continued to fail in the evening, with the intention
OF croiiiHg the lake. The interpreter (Roneau9 faid
ne had Pahed this lake twenty times, but never in
the day time; alleging as 4 reafon, that the wind
frequently role and detained them in the day time
on the lake. Il is more probable, however, that
the true reaion why the traders generally fail
through 1t IN the night is their fear of the Sauteurs
as they have made feveral ffrokes at the mouth
OF TINS river, withou. danguihing between the 81.
oux and their traders.
ne exploring party entered the lake with mufic
playing; bat the iky foon couded and, from the a.
CITATION OF the water, they had feek harbour for
the night on the eat iide. The next morning thew
were aiiailed by tremendous form the perpendi-
eular lightning feened roll in balls of fire down
the iteep hills which border the lake. and it required
great eAerions 10 weather the point de Sable. Here
they found Mr.. Cameron, with one wooden and
ree Dark canoes, who had failed from the prairie on
iif Hi'h. his canoes were unladen, and turned up
or the habitations of the men His party exhibited
all the indifference of Indian traders Here they were
hewn point of rocks from which Sioux woman
Preepnaed heriell, and was daihed pieces on the
iones below. Her friends had rcfuled her the huff
land OF her choice and intended TO marry her 70 one
"hom lie defPiied. She flung her death fong. at
eended the HILL and, before her friends came up with
ner, took the lovers leap; and ended her dres and
lille together. AT the mouth of Canoe river, they
met with band of Sioux, under the command of the
RedEoing, the fecond chief of the nation. He made
ipeeeh, and prefented Mr. Pike with pipe pouch
and bufialoe kim They encamped oppolite tothe
Indians, on iland in the river, the chief having
Promiied to accompany them the river St Peter
lie appeared TO be feniibe man faluted the party
and received fmall preient
ihey reached the St. Croix river. at noon on the
isth' and III the evening encamped on a prairie on
the eait Hide Of the river, where ands large paint.
co tone. On the morning the of CIR, they arrived
at the Sioux village, ituated the head of an iland
and Jut below a ledge of rocks. 1t was unpeepled
the ineians being abient. Two miles higher, they
law three bears crofs the river. Here was another
camp OF siosx confifiing of four lodges they faw
but one man, named the Black Soldier. The garuli-
y OF the women was attonhng, fince at all the o.
Their camps they had been ient here they fooke ID
round the rangers, all talking together, which could
only De accounted for by the abience Of the men.
Three miles below the mouth of St. Peters river,
they paiied, the eneampment of Mr.. Ferrebault,
VINO had broken his perogue. The Mififlppi was
10 narrow in this days coufe that they croGed it in
patteaux with forty iirokes of the oars. The water
o! the MiiiiiPP, above lake Pepn appears red, and
where deep, nearly black al, ink The alter a ow
IT blue appearance for comfortable dilance be-
low their confluence.
Obierving white flag on fhore, they landed and
found 1t to be Of white fix it was frpended over
icaitold, on which lay four dead bodies two were
eheioiea III boards, and two in bark. They were
wraPpedu up in blankets which appeared vet new
They were the bodies OF Sioux women. a child IF
one OF them. and lone other relative. Some ofthem
had died onthe ST. Peters Others or the ST. Cruix but
were brought and depofted on this fcaffod toge-
Their. 1t is the mode in which the Sioux bury thofe
OF their people who die natural death but thofe
who are killed, are fuHered to lie unburied AS a
Confederation of this Information Mr. Pike relates.
that on the hills below the ST. Croix he fonnd the
bones OF man which he furpofed had been killed on
the fpot
Before the party reached the mouth of ST. Peters
river, they overtaken by Mr. Frazer and his pc
Toles, who had been left behind at the head OF lake
PePin with " r. Cameron. A fhort time afterwards,
the Petit Corbeau, at the head of his band arrived
with about so warriors, They honored Mr. Pike
with iaue, in the Indian manner with ball after
which 1t was agreed that council fhould be held on
the dsJ following. Meilrs Pike and Frazer took 4
Dark canoe, and went up ST. Peters river 20 the In
dan Vidge,to Zee Mr.. Cameron he engaged 70 be
at the council tie next day. The CURRENT Of ST. Peters
river is very gentle.
The Sioux had marched on war eycurfon. but
peng informed by exprels, of the arrival of the Unit
tea states party, they returned by land. When at
the village they were holptably received and bawled
ana hliiowed alter, to every lodge to eat On
their return, they found their men and the Indians
Peaceably eucamped.
The council was held on the 23d, under bower
or ihed, formed Of the fails of the boats nm be