SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 173 



party next came to the River des Plaines, which is one of the 

 head branches of the Illinois; it receives its name from a va- 

 riety of maple, which by the Canadians is named Plaine. In 

 Potawatomi the river is termed Sh6-shik-ma-6-shi-ke Se-pe, 

 (which signifies flumen arboris quae mingit.) This appel- 

 lation is derived from the great quantity of sap which flows 

 from this tree in the spring. We crossed the Des Plaines 

 about four miles above the Portage road; it was forty 

 yards wide, and so deep that part of our baggage was wet 

 while fording it, but fortunately none materially injured. 

 The length of the Des Plaines from this ford to its source 

 is about fifteen miles, that to its confluence with the Kan- 

 kakee about forty miles. 



We encamped on the east bank of a small stream, about 

 eight yards wide, designated by the Indians under the 

 name of 6-t6-k&-ke'-n6g, which means the uncovered breast. 

 The voyagers call it De Page's river, from a Frenchman 

 of that name, who died and was buried on the banks of 

 this stream. The De Page enters the Des Plaines about 

 half a mile above its junction with the Kankakee. From 

 Chicago to the place where we forded the Des Plaines, the 

 country presents a low, flat, and swampy prairie, very 

 thickly covered with high grass, aquatic plants, and among 

 others with the wild rice. The latter occurs principally 

 in the places which are still under water; its blades float- 

 ing on the surface of the fluid like those of the young do- 

 mestic plant. The whole of this tract of country is over- 

 flowed during the spring, and canoes pass in every direction 

 across the prairie. Near the fording of the Des Plaines 

 there is a Potawatomi village, some of the inhabitants of 

 which came to converse with us, while we were encamped 

 at noon, during a thunder storm. The birds we saw to-day 

 consisted of prairie hens or grous, (Tetrao cupido) reed- 



