The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-11-14
T Communicate for the Minntsota Pioaeer,]
Sketch Of the Life and Explorations of
Gen. Il. nj. Pike.
NUMBE I.

my, under the authority OF the UoVerhineh',
explored the Mississippi, to Gas he erroneous
ly supposedly its sources.
Pike, then only twenty-six years OF age,
was a brave accomplished officer, whose So
iidty of judgement, firinness OF purpose,
military hearing and chiva'rous disposition,
stamped him as u military man OF much
promise and more than ordinary merit
He was born at Lamberton in New Jersey,
Jan. 5, 1879. His first service was on the
western frontier as cadet. In 1910 he was
commissioned colonel. " lille he was ex-
ploriny the Mississippi, the government
sent Lewis and Clark on a similar voyage uP
the Missouri. On his return from the up
per Mississippi, he was ordered "to explore
The internal parts of louisiana" He traced
the Arkansas to its source, Travelled through
New Mexico, and was taken prisoner by
a company Of New Mexican dragons.
On the ninth of August at O'Clock T.
M, 1905, he left his encampment near ST.
Louis; aud, attended by Zone sergeant, two
corporais and seventeen privates, IN keel
boat, seventy feet long, provisioned for four
mouths" proceeded up the Mississippi
The next morning he breakfasted opposite
the mouth Of the Missouri, and proceeded
TO point opposite the Portage DE
Sioux" where, in consequences of having
been drenched by a storm, he was COM
PEELED to halt, spread out and dry his bag
gage.
On the twentieth Of the same month, he
reached the rapids "De MoyeH," which, in
consequence of the size Of his boat, he as
cended with difficulty. The river from the
foot to the head Of the rapids, ne describes
as being from three fourihs To mile wide.
s'rhe RAPIDS" he adds, ''are eleven miles
long, with successive. ridges and shoals ex-
tending from shore TO shore. The first has
the greatest fall and is the most difficult 10
ascend. The channel "a bad one) is on the
east side in passing the two first bars, then
passes under the edge Of the third; crosses
TO the west, and ascends on that side, all the
way to the Sac village. The shoals con-
tnue the whole distance" In the evening
/ he reached the house of Mr.. William Ew-
/ ing, an agent ''appoin,ed to reside with the
Sacs, to teach them the science of agricul-
ture, which was opposite their village"
/ Some of the Sacs assisted in unloading
some of the stores of his boat, and then pi-
loted i, UP the rapids. On the twenty-irst,
j the chief men of the village visited his
encanpment, where he held talk with
them.
/ On the first of September he reached the
/ lead mines of "Monsieur Dubuque" a
Frenchman, in honor of whom the city of
! Dubuque is named, who received him with
salute ''trom field piece" 1t was his
intention to visit and inspect that part the
mines in person where the operations of NJ.
Dubuque were then progressing; but as no
horses could be procured, and the place six
miles distant from the river, he "propOsed
zen queries" TO him, son the answers tO
II. 4, l. l.
ment. The following are the "querics
proposed to Nj. Dubuque with his answers:
!. What is the date of your grant of the
mines from the savages!
.4nsrer. The copy OF the grant is in Mr.
Soulard's office at ST. Louis.
9. What is the date of the confirmation
by the Spanards?
.1ns. The same rs to query first.
3. What is the extent of your grant!
fins. The same as above.
I a. What is the extent of the mines?
/ .issWer Twenty-eight or twenty-seven
leagues long, and from one to three broad.
! 5. Lead made per anuum!
FMS. From twenty to forty thousand
pounds.
6. Quantity Of lead per cwt. Of mineral?
fms. Seventy five per cent.
7. Quantity of lead in pigs?
fins. All he makes, as he neither manu-
features bar, sheet-lead or shot.
8. If mixed with any other mineral'
.3ns. We have seen some copper, but
having no person sufficiently acquainted
with chemistry to make the experiment
properly, | cannot say as to the proportion
it bears TO the lead.''
The first village of the Sacs, as we have
stated above, was ''abOve the rapids de
Moyen," situated on the west bank Of the
Mississippi, and numbered thirteen lodges.
/ On the east side of The river, on an exten-
sive prairie ssthe second Sac village was
located.
On the twenty eighth Of August he reach
ed Stony (Rock) river, three miles from
the mouth of which, on its southern bank,
he found the third village ofthe Sacs, which
a Mr.. James Airl, Il Scotch gentleman Of
Mchilimackinac, Informed him "was burnt
in the year 1871 or by about three hun
dred Americans, although the Indians bad
assembled seven hundred warriors to give
them batile''
On The west side of the Mississippi above
the rapids Of Rock river, he came to the
first village of the Reynards Foxes, which
numbered eighteen lodges. Nj. Dubuque
told him that the Sioux and Sauteurs
tCntppeWaS,) were SUI AT war, tuat u sEOri
time previous TO his arrival, the "fOrmeI
had killed fifteen of the latter, who, in re-
turn, had killed ten Sioux at the mouth ol
the St. Peter's;' and that war party, com
posed Of Sacs, Reynards, and Puants Win.
nebngoes,) Of two hundred warriors had
embarked on an expedition against the Sau.
teurs, but that they had heard, that the chiel
having had an unfavorable dream, persuad.
ed the party to return, and that he would
meet them on his voyage"
On the fifth of September he left Prairie
du Chen, and embarked in go Schenecfa
day boat" for the mouth of the Ouiscousine
river, to take the latitude and examine the
hills with view to the selection of a suita'
BILE spot whereon to establish a military
post.
He was accompanied by Judge Fisher
Mr.. Frazer, and Mr.. Woods, all residing
! presume, at Prairie due CHEN He says
awe ascended the hill on the west side o
the Mississippi, and made choice of .spO
which though. most eligible, being leve
OH the top, having a spring in the rear, AN.
commanding view Of the country around
marked four trees with A. B. G. ID. ant
squared the sides of one in the CENTRE
The site thus selected was never occupied
bv Eovarn.nent. xyhi,.h decided ON Prairie