lb'3 EXPEDITION TO THE 



of a still later origin, has produced a lower level that 

 is filled with a newer alluvion probably resulting from 

 the action of causes which still continue to operate to 

 this day ; as we had an opportunity of remarking in the 

 prairie east of the trading house v.hich we visited pre- 

 viously to our arrival at the Carey station. To these 

 ridges succeeds a broken country consisting of insulated 

 hills of a soil still inferior, but having more trees ; among the 

 oaks, that grow here, we observed for the first time the 

 hickory interspersed. 



Fort Dearborn is situated in the State of Illinois, on the 

 south bank, and near to the mouth of Chicago river; the 

 boundary line between this state and that of Indiana strikes 

 the western shore of Lake Michigan ten miles north of its 

 southernmost extremity, and then continues along the 

 shore of the lake until it reaches the forty-second and a 

 half degree of north latitude, along which it extends to 

 the Mississippi. The post at Chicago was abandoned a few 

 months after the party visited it. Its establishment had 

 been found necessary to intimidate the hostile and* still 

 very powerful tribes of Indians that inhabit this part of the 

 country ; but the rapid extension of the white population 

 to the west, the establishment along the IMississippi of a 

 chain of military posts which encloses them, and at the 

 same time convinces them of the vigilance of the govern- 

 ment, and of the inevitable destruction which they would 

 bring upon themselves by the most trifling act of hostility 

 on their part, have, it is thought, rendered the continuance 

 of a military force at this place unnecessary. An Indian 

 agent remains there, in order to keep up amicable relations 

 with them, and to attend to their wants, which are daily 

 becoming greater, owing to the increasing scarcity of game 

 in the country. 



We were much disappointed at the appearance of Chi- 



