The Red Cloud chief., 1895-01-25
DOES THISSETTLE IT?
HAS THE SOURCE OF THE Mlssls.
slPPl BEEN POSITIVELY FIxeOi

h Story of the Search For Il During
Two Centurics-Lake Itasca and the Lit
tie Stream That Nicoilet Christened the
"Cradied Achilles"
II have stepped across the Mississippi
siver, said DR.. Coues. at was easy, for
the stream was only about 8 inches wide
and 2 inches deep. I have seen the Fa.
ther Of Waters where he rises literally
out of tho ground and starts rs an infant
rivulet, destined to cut the United States
In twain with the mighty volume Of his
adult food.
1.-THE story Of the search for the source
Of the Mississippi reads like a romance.
After the discovery Of the upper river in
1878 by Joliet and Marquette, and the
discovery Of the falls Of st. Anthony in
1880, by Hennepin, little more was
known Of the Father of Waters for near
~ century. In 1896 Captain Jonathan
Carver assembled the stream a. far as the
mouth Of Rum river. In 1898 the ia
nous English astronomer and surveyor.
David Thompson, in the service Of the
Northwest company, reached Turtle
lake. This lake, which sends a tributary
to the Mississippi, was for some time
supposed to DO the source.
1.-The first white man known to have
visited the neighborhood Of the actual
source Of the Mississippi was William
Morrison, q fur trader, who was certain.
ly ct Lake Itasca in 1903 or 1904. He
never published anything on the sub
ject, and it is only very recently that
his priority of discovery has been known.
The next explorer Of the sources Of the
river was Lieutenant Zebulon Mont
gomery Pike. He was the first American
citizen to carry the flag Of the United
States into northern Minnesota. He was
sent by the government to treat with
the Indians and stop the sale of liquor
in that region. Incidentally he purchased
for $3.50 and some whisky q tract Of
land nine miles square, which included
the present site of Minneapolis. Con-
gress subsequently voted al additional
payment to the Indians for this tract Of
81, 200.
"Lieutenan. Pike proceeded by boat
to the vicinity Of the present Little Falls
in Morrison county. Mimi. He got no
farther with boats. and SO continued his
journey through the winter Of 1866 on
snowshoes and with sledges northward.
He finally reached Leech lake. This lake
he mistook for the source Of the Missis-
sippi, and his report on this subject was
held to be correct for somo years after
ward.
I'm 1920 the Hon. Lewis Cass, &C.
companied by Henry r. Schoolcraft. the
historian, went on on exploring expedi.
| ton up the Mississippi as far as Cass
lake, so named at the time by School.
craft. In 1928 an Italian traveller, J. G.
Beltrami, went over David Thompson's
route to Turtle lake and reported that
lake to be thu true source. Evidently,
however. he heard from the Indians
about Lake Itasca. for he mapped 1t with
approximate accuracy, though he wa,
the Father Of Waters sprang thence.
Lake Itasca was rediscovered In
1882, when Schoolcraft. accompanied by
Lieutenant Allen, United States army
the Rev. Mr.. Boutwell, and others, wa
guided to the lake by q Chippewa In
dian, known as Yellow Head. On thi'
occasion Lake Itasca received its present
name. which vas made up Of parts Of
the words Veritas Caput, signifying thu
true head Of the river. The Latin wa.
bad, for IL ought to have been Verun
Caput. The lake had previously beer
known by the French name Of Lao u IL
Biches, meaning Elk Lake. This was {
translation Of the Chippewa OmoshkoI
Sogingon.
"Schoolcraft's party made an exami
nation Of Lake ltasca. being satisfied
that they had found the true source o.
the Mississippi. Not again until 1885,
did any scientific man visit the spot
This was o Frenchman, J. N. Nicollet
who tried to ascertain the source Of tn,
feeders Of Lake Itasca. Exploring south
ward. he reached the springs from which
the infant river takes its rise. It shouli
be understood that the Mississippi rum
from its sourc directly northward for ,
distance Of 80 miles before turning abou'
In o sort Of fishhook bend and startins
southwark. To the baby stream, before i
enters Lake Itasca, Nicollet gave the 20
etio name Of Graded Achilles.' he es
tablished its course in connection will
three small lakes, since named Upper,
Middle and Lower Nicollet lakes-tha'
Is to say. he found that tho little rive
ran through two Of these small lake
and connected with the third. This OK
plorer mapped the whole Of the Itascal
basin and determined the latitude, lon
gitude and altitude with such accurac,
that subsequent surveys have only con
frmed and amplifed his observations.
1.-THE whole subject Of which I hav'
been speaking was befogged and thrown
into dispute recently by q certain Cap
tain Glazier. who. apparently for n,
other purpose than to advertise himself
published his alleged discovery Of anew
and true source Of the Mississippi. B,
reducing the size Of Lake Itasca, ignor
ing Nicollet's Graded Achilles, magni
flying q small side lake which he called
Lake Glazier, and by stretching out ON