326 EXPEDITION TO THE 



merit of the division of the year by the Indians into twelve 

 moons, with the addition at the end of the thirtieth, of 

 what they term the lost moon, &c. is extracted, and in 

 some places copied almost verbatim, from Lahontan's ; 

 his account of the qualifications of men is undoubtedly 

 drawn from the same author ; and a comparison of chapter 

 12th of Carver's Description of the Indians, with Lahon- 

 tan's "Account of the amours and marriages of the Sa- 

 vages," will show too close a coincidence to consider it as 

 merely accidental. Yet no reference is made by Carver to 

 the work of his predecessor. We have introduced these 

 observations upon the work of Carver, because as he was 

 the only traveller that published an account of the St. 

 Peter, he has been frequently quoted as an authority. We 

 might have enlarged the list of errors, whether wilful or 

 unintentional, into which this author has fallen, but we 

 have said enough to show that his statements cannot be re- 

 lied upon as correct. 



Major Long's party ascended the river five and a half 

 miles, and stopped for a few moments at a village called 

 ^Oainoska., (which signifies the great avenue or stretch,) situ- 

 ated on the right bank ; they then proceeded about one mile 

 higher up, where they lay by in a deserted cabin on the left 

 bank. The cabin having been carefully closed in order to 

 secure it against injury from wild animals ; they took down 

 the skins which hung at the door, and made themselves 

 comfortable in it. While at supper, they received a visit 

 from an old squaw, who came from the village below, to 

 see what they were doing. The lodge, as she informed 

 them, was her's, but as the men had all gone out hunting, 

 she had removed down to live with her daughter. Having 

 observed a fire near her cabin she was apprehensive that 

 some injury would be done to it ; they however satisfied 



