SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 213 



bvit we afterwards found that we were nine miles higher 

 than our guides had reported us to be. The place where 

 we encamped, until means of transportation across the river 

 could be procured, was in a wood at the foot of a high and 

 steep bank ; it was almost the only dry place in the vici- 

 nity, the river bank above and below it being swampy. 

 The river was about a third of a mile wide, and the current 

 very rapid. 



About sunset we observed two boats advancing up the 

 river, in one of which Colonel Morgan, the commanding 

 officer at Fort Crawford, had come up with Lieutenant 

 Scott to meet our party. This polite attention on the part 

 of the Colonel gave us a foretaste of the hospitable recep- 

 tion which we met with during our stay in his quarters. 



Although it was late, yet as the weather was fine, the 

 party effected a crossing of the Wisconsan, and having 

 relieved their horses of all unnecessary baggage, the gentle- 

 men proceeded under Colonel Morgan's guidance towards 

 the Fort. It was eight o'clock when they left the Wis- 

 consan, and about eleven when they reached the Missis^ 

 sippi. This ride, at a late hour, was one of a most romantic 

 character ; the evening was fair and still ; not a breath 

 of wind interrupted the calmness of the scenery; the 

 moon shone in her full, and threw a pale light over the 

 trackless course which we travelled. Our way lay across 

 a beautiful country, where steep and romantic crags con- 

 trasted pleasantly with widely extended prairies, which, 

 seen by the uncertain light of the moon, appeared to spread 

 around like a sheet of water. Our party was sufficiently 

 numerous to form a long line, which assumed a more im- 

 posing character from the dark and lengthened shadows 

 which each cast behind him. All seemed to have their 

 spirits excited by the sublimity of the scene. Even tlie 



