SOURCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER. 193 



ridge stretched on our left, in a direction nearly parallel to 

 our general course ; it appeared to be in some places from 

 one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet high, and from 

 six to eight miles distant. Soon after we entered the 

 prairie, a deer crossed our route about two miles ahead of 

 us ; Wennebea started in pursuit, but returned in the course 

 of an hour, after a fruitless and fatiguing chace. He 

 brought back, however, a curlew, (Numenius longirostris,) a 

 bird of which we occasionally roused a pair or two. We 

 frequently observed the majestic sand-hill crane, (Grus 

 Canadensis,) striding across the prairie. This animal, if 

 taken young, can, it is said, be domesticated with ease. Two 

 or three of them were kept last season at Chicago, being al- 

 lowed to pass freely before the sentinels ; but they never 

 failed to return to their nests. We also saw on the prairie the 

 fine swallow-tailed Hawk, (Falco [Milvus] furcatus,) flying 

 over us. Our guide showed us a spot where an action had 

 been fought, about sixty or seventy years ago, between the 

 Sauks and the Peoras ; the former were successful and lost 

 but one man, while they killed ten of the enemy. This 

 took place on an elevated hill, commanding an extensive 

 view of the prairie, and crowned with a forest in which the 

 engagement is said to have taken place. 



The country becomes interspersed with hills, which con- 

 tribute to vary the scenery ; among others which were very 

 distinct, we observed two, rising close alongside of each 

 other, forming two twin peaks insulated in the midst of the 

 prairie ; the distance between the two being about one and 

 a quarter mile in an east and west direction ; they 

 are visible for upwards of thirty miles, and constitute 

 one of the best landmarks we have ever seen. They 



2 



are called in the Sauk language E'n-n^«i-sh^6-t^'-n^6, (which 

 signifies the two mountains being composed of ^'n-n^es, 

 Vol. I. 25 



