192 EXPEDITION TO THE 



sun in the heavens ; but we were satisfied, on more than one 

 occasion, of the inaccuracy of those who suppose that an In- 

 dian has an infallible method of discovering, at all times, the 

 direction in which he wishes to travel, and that he never can 

 be lost. His habits of observation, permit him, it is true, to 

 discover signs, which would probably escape the attention 

 of the less experienced white man. Thus, if the sun be 

 obscured, his keen eye will sometimes detect, from habit, 

 its place in the heavens ; at other times, it is said that he 

 can, by close inspection, discover very faint shadows, 

 which would elude the observation of a less practised eye. 

 When these characters fail, he may, in a forest, point 

 with certainty to the north from the circumstance, tliat 

 the tnoss grows more abundantly upon that side of a tree 

 than upon the others. But if left on a prairie, at a dis- 

 tance from trees, when the heavens are deeply overclouded, 

 or during the prevalence of a dense fog, the Indian, as well 

 as the white man, will often be unable to direct himself 

 properly. We frequently observed during the march, that 

 he skreened his eyes with his hands, and seemed to study 

 very attentively the distant points of woods and the sur- 

 rounding prairie, whether to make sure of the proper 

 route, or to discover signs of game or enemies, we know 

 not. 



Wennebea led us in a general north-westerly direction, 

 at first through thin woods, which gradually disappeared, 

 their place being supplied by an extensive and appa- 

 remtly boundless prairie, which occupied us a whole day 

 in crossing it. The woods consisted of small oaks with- 

 out undergrowth ; the prairie, upon which we were travel- 

 ling, was undulated, and extended itself along the base of 

 the dividing ridge between the streams tributary to the 

 Mississippi and those which fall into Rock river. This 



