320 EXPEDITION TO THE 



entered Lake Pepin, which is designated by that name in 

 the manuscript, although Hennepin had, in 1680, called it 

 the Lake of Tears, and notwithstanding the appellation of 

 Lac de Bon Secours, which Charlevoix applies to it. On 

 the 16th he passed the St. Croix, so called from the name 

 of a Frenchman, who was wrecked at its mouth. Finally, 

 on the 19th of September, he left the Mississippi, and en- 

 tered the St. Peter's river, which comes in from the west 

 bank. By the first of October, he had ascended this river 

 forty -four and a quarter leagues, when he entered the Blue 

 river, the name of which is derived from the blue earth 

 found on its banks. At the mouth of this river he made 

 an establishment, situated, as la Harpe states, in latitude 

 44° 13' north. He met with nine Sioux, who informed him 

 that this river had its course through the lands of the 

 Sioux of the west, the Jiyavois, (lawas,) and the Otoetata, 

 who lived further back. We infer that these were the same 

 streams which he had ascended in 1695, from the circum- 

 stance that they are mentioned as well known, and not as 

 recently discovered ; and more especially from the obser- 

 vation of la Harpe, that the eastern Sioux having complain- 

 ed of the situation of the fort, which they would have 

 wished to see at the confluence of the St. Peter and Mis- 

 sissippi, M. le Sueur endeavoured to reconcile them to it. 

 " He had foreseen," says la Harpe, " that an establishment 

 on the Blue river would not be agreeable to the eastern 

 Sioux, who are the rulers of all the other Sioux, and of 

 the other nations which we have mentioned, because they 

 were the first with whom the French traded, and whom 

 they provided with guns; nevertheless, as this undertak- 

 ing had not been commenced with the sole view of trading 

 for beavers, but in order to become thoroughly acquainted 

 with the quality of the various mines which he had pre^ 



