The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-10-17
COMMUNICATED.
The journal of lie SueuT's Voyage up
the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers
inI7CO.
NUN Der II.

On the 10th at daybreak, they heard an
elk whistle OIL the other side Of the river.
A Canadian crossed in small SciOux ca
noe, which they had found, and shortly re-
turned with the body of the animal which
was very easily killed, quand il est en- :rut,
that is from the beginning Of September IN
til The end of August The hunters at this
time make a whistle Of piece of wood or
reed aud when they hear an elk whistle
| they answer il. The animal believing it
| to he another elk, approaches and is killed
with ease.
From the 10Th to the 14,h, NJ. lie Sueur
made IL l2 leagues, passing the Rivers.
Raisin and Paquilenettes, (perhaps the
Wazi Ozu and Buffao.) The same day
he left on the east side of the Mississippi,
beautiful and large river, which descends
from the very far north and called Bon Sc
cours, on account of the great guam
THY OF buffalo, elk, bears and deer, which
are found there. Three leagues up this
river there is a mine lead, and seven
leagues above on the same side, they found
another long river, in the vicinity Of which
there is a copper mine from which he had
taken lump of GO lbs. 10 former voyage
In order TO make these mines Of any ac-
Scioux and Outagamis (Foxes) because the
;. latter who dwell on the east side ofthe Mis-
sissippi, pass this road continually when
going to war against the Scioux.
In this region at l-2 leagues on the
| \. w. side commenced a Lake which is
six leagues long and more than one broad,
called lake Pepin. 1t is bounded on the
west by chain of mountains. On the east
is seen a prairie, and on the northwest of
the lake there is another prairie tw o leagues
long and one wide. In the neighborhood is
chain of mountains quite 200 feet high and
more than l l-2 miles long. ln these are
found several caves 10 which The bears retire
in winter. Most Of the caverns are more
than 20 feet in extent and 8 or feet high
There are several Of which the entrance
is very narrow and quite cY0sed up with
saItpeter. 1t would be dangerous to enter
them in the summer for they are filed with
ratllesDakes, the bite Of which is very dan
gerous. LIE Sueur saw some of these snakes
which were 6 feet in length, but generally
they are about feet. They have teeth re-
selnbiing those of the pike, and their gums
J; are full of small vessels in which their poi
son is placed. The Scioux say they take
it every morning and cast it away at night.
They have at the tail a kind of scale which
makes a noise and this is called the rattle
LIE Sueur made on this day g leagues
and passed another river called Hamboux-
ecate' Ouataba, or the river of Flat Rocks.
(This is evidently the lnyan-bosndara or
Cannon riyer.)
On the 5th he crossed small river and
saw in the neighborhood several ca
noes filed with Indians descending the Mis-
sissippi. He supposed they were Scioux
! l. 4
their canoes were large or small.
The arms were placed in readiness, and
soon they heard the cry Of the savages,
which they are accustomed to raise when
they rush upon their enemies. He caused
them to he answered in the same manner,
and after having placed all the men behind
the trees he ordered them not TO fire until
they were commanded. He remained on
shore TO see what movement the savages
could make and perceiving that they placed
two on shore, on the other side, where from
an eminence they could ascertain the
strength of bis forces he caused his men to
pass and repass from the shore to the wood
in order to make them believe that they
were numerous. This ruse succeeded for
as soon as the two descended from the emf
hence, the chief of the party came bearing
the calumet, which is signal Of peace
among the Indians.
They said that never having seen the
French navigate that river with boats like
the feluccs' they had supposed them to be
English, aud for that reason they had rails
ed the war cry, and arranged themselves on
The other side ofthe Mississippi; but having
recognized their flag, they had come with
out fear TO inform them, that one of their
number who was crazy, had accidentally
killed a French,nan and that they would GO
and bring his comrade who would tell how
the mischief had happened.
The Frenchnan they brought was Denis,
Canadian and be reported that his com
panion was accidentally killed. His name
was Laplace, q deserving soldier from
Canada who had taken refuge In this coun-
try.
lie .Sueur replied that 0non,is 1.-THE name
they give to all the Governors of Canada }
being their father and his, they ought not 10
to seek Justification elsewhere than before
him and he advised then, to GO and see him
"a soon as possible and beg hin. to wipe of
the blood of this Frrnehman from their
faces. ~
The patty was composed Of AZ mep OF
. I01llerent nations who dwell far to the
east, about the 44th degree Of latitude.
\ La Sueur discovering who the chiefs
were. said the King wLospfhey had spoken
Of in Canada, had sent him to take poses
sion Of the nagih Of ,h6kriyersand that he
wished thqpations who d,xetJ6n it, as well
as those Under HE SDsStecdon to live in
peace.
He made sbis-day 81 leagues, and on
the 10th Q6September he left a large river
on the east side named Saint Croix, because
a Frenchman OF that name was shipwrsck-
ed at its mouth. Ii comes from the ". n.
w. One fourth Of a league higher in 60
ing up is found a small lake, at the mouth
Of which IS very large mass Of copper
IL is on the edge Of the water, in q small
ridge of sandy earth on the west Of this
lake.
| From the 18th TO the 18th he advanced
Is 80 leagues. After having made from