SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 237 



running parallel with the course of the river at a distance 

 of about a mile and a half: on the western bank, the bluffs 

 which rise to the same elevation are washed at- their base by 

 the river. Pike's mountain, which is on the west bank, im- 

 mediately opposite to the mouth of the Wisconsan, is about 

 five hundred and fifty feet high. " It has received its name 

 from having been recommended by the late General Pike, 

 in his journal, as a position well calculated for the construc- 

 tion of a military post to command the Mississippi and Wis- 

 consan. The hill has no particular limits in regard to its ex- 

 tent, being merely a part of the river bluffs which stretch 

 along the margin of the river on the west, for several 

 miles, and retain pretty nearly the same elevation above 

 the water. The side fronting upon the river is so abrupt 

 as to render the summit completely inaccessible even to 

 a footman except in a very few places, where he may as- 

 cend by taking hold of the bushes and rocks that cover the 

 slope. In general the acclivity is made up of precipices, 

 arranged one above another, some of which are one hun- 

 dred and one hundred and fifty feet high. From the top 

 we had a fine view of the two rivers, which mingled their 

 waters at the foot of this majestic hill."* The Prairie has 

 retained its old French appellation, derived from an In- 

 dian who formerly resided there, and was called the Dog. 

 The village consists, exclusive of stores, of about twenty 

 dwelling houses, chiefly old, and many of them in a state 

 of decay; its population may amount to one hundred 

 and fifty souls. It is not in as thriving a situation as it for- 

 merly was. Carver tells us, that when he visited it, in 

 1766, it was " a large town containing about three hun- 

 dred families; the houses," he adds, " are well built after 

 the Indian manner, and pleasantly situated on a very rich 



• Major Long's MS. 1817, No. I, p. 37. 



