SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 243 



charm of romance and fable some of its most beautiful 

 scenery. Among these, that, which is related of one of the 

 caverns on the banks of Kickapoo creek, appears to us to 

 deserve notice. It is said that, in one of the niches or re- 

 cesses formed by the precipice, there is a gigantic mass of 

 stone presenting the appearance of a human figure. It is so 

 sheltered, by the over-hanging rocks, and by the sides of the 

 recess in which it stands, as to assume a dark and gloomy cha- 

 racter. They relate, on this subject, that long since, a battle 

 was fought on the banks of the Mississippi between the 

 inhabitants of the prairie and their enemies; in which con- 

 flict the latter were victorious, and succeeded in killing a 

 srreat number of the former : that an inhabitant of the 

 prairie, who was a very good woman, having received 

 several wounds during the engagement, effected her escape 

 and withdrew to the hills, where she was near perishing 

 with hunger; that while wandering along the banks of 

 this stream, a kind spirit took pity of her, and converted her 

 into this monument to which he, moreover, imparted the 

 power of suddenly killing any Indian that approached near 

 it. This power was exercised until the spirit, tired of the 

 havoc which he had committed, ceased to display his 

 vengeance any longer. Although the natives may there- 

 fore, at present, approach the statue with impunity still 

 they hold it in fear and veneration, and none passes near 

 it without paying it the homage of a sacrifice of tobacco, 

 &c. 



There are at present but few Indians in the immediate 

 vicinity of the foi't, and none can give an account of the 

 works which are so abundantly scattered over the coun- 

 try. They say that the only means by which they can ac- 

 count for them is to suppose that the country was probably 

 inhabited, at a period anterior to the most remote traditions, 

 by a race of white men, similar to those of European origin, 



