SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 67 



■accommodation of the ascending navigation. This im- 

 provement is now completed, and afiFords them a fine 

 water-power, with a fall of nine feet. This, together with 

 the fertility of the adjoining country, which is represented 

 as formed of a very rich prime soil, of a chocolate colovn*. 

 will doubtless soon lead to the erection of extensive grist 

 mills at this place ; the capital of the company not being 

 adequate to the undertaking, the mills which they have es- 

 tablished are by no means suitable to the power of which 

 they can dispose. The Miami is fordable here at almost 

 all seasons of the year, but there is a very good bridge over 

 the river. The name of the town is derived from that of 

 one of the principal tribes of the Shawanese Indians, who 

 formerly roved through this part of the country, spreading 

 itself as far as the Pickawa plains, situated about seventy-five 

 miles to the south-east. This tribe is now nearly extinct, the 

 few remaining descendants of it have united themselves 

 with the Miamis, and are settled in the vicinity of Fort 

 Wayne. 



After spending a very interesting day in Piqua, in the 

 examination of its antiquities, we left this place with a feel- 

 ing of gratitude for the kind attentions shown to our party 

 by the inhabitants of the town, and particularly by the 

 Register of the Land-office, Major Oliver, late of the Army, 

 whose acquaintance with the country made him a very in- 

 teresting companion in our investigation of the antiquities 

 of the vicinity. 



The country through which we travelled lies near the 

 head waters of Loramie's creek, one of the tributaries of 

 the Miami. We entered this day upon what may be term- 

 ed the table land, that divides the waters of the Lakes from 

 those of the Gulf of Mexico, and continued on it or in its 

 immediate vicinity, until we reached Prairie du Chien on 



