180 EXPEDITION TO THE 



to be liigMy pleased with the double-barrelled guns of 

 some of the gentlemen of our party ; one of them even 

 drew Mr. Say's hunting knife from the sheath, and after 

 having examined it, returned it ; he then took Mr. Say's 

 hat, which was a white beaver one, and after having also 

 examined this with care, tried it on his own head. All this, 

 however, appeared to proceed rather from childish cu- 

 riosity than from any intention to give offence. After 

 some time, they began to beg for bacon, which soon com- 

 pelled us to leave them. 



In order to avoid all further importunity, we travelled 

 ten miles before night, and encamped on a fine piece of level 

 ground, which was watered by a small stream that discharg- 

 ed itself three miles below into the Kishwake. The ther- 

 mometer was observed, at six o'clock, P. M. to be at eighty- 

 two degrees in the shade, but no inconvenience was felt 

 from the heat, owing to a fine westerly breeze which pre- 

 vailed during the day. 



On the 14th of July, the party reached Rock river, 

 which is the most important tributary of the Mississippi, 

 between the Illinois and the Wisconsan. Rock river is 

 termed, in the languages derived from the Algonquin, 

 Sin-s6-pe, and in the Winnebago, We-ro-sha-na-gra, both 

 which names have the same signification as the Eng- 

 lish term. It forms the division between the hunting 

 grounds claimed by the Potawatomis, on the eastern side, 

 and those of the Sauks, Foxes, and Winnebagoes on 

 the west. At the place where we crossed the river, 

 it was about one hundred and twenty yards wide ; and its 

 depth was such that it could not be forded at that time, 

 though we were informed that it is customary for horses 

 loaded with furs, to cross it without difficulty. We were 

 ferried over in a small canoe, sent for us from an Indian 



