SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 329 



We proceeded up the river, and, at a distance of about 

 twenty miles, Mr. Say was spoken tO on shore. Instruc- 

 tions were sent through him to the land party, to meet 

 Major Long, at a village two miles higher, in order to take 

 advantage of the canoes, for the transportation of the bag- 

 gage across the river, as the right bank becomes here bet- 

 ter for travelling than the left. The flotilla reached this 

 village about twelve o'clock, and waited five hours, during 

 which the land party did not join them; men were sent 

 out in various directions and guns fired, but no answer be- 

 ing returned, we concluded that they had proceeded higher 

 up the river. We re-embarked and ascended ten miles to 

 a small wood, where we encamped for the night. The vil- 

 lage at which we had expected to meet the other party, is 

 called Tao^pa ; it consists of fifteen large bark lodges, in 

 good order; they were arranged along the river. Some of 

 them were large enough to hold from thirty to fifty per- 

 sons, accommodated as the Indians usually are in their 

 lodges. The ground near it is neatly laid out, and some 

 fine corn-fields were observed in the vicinity. There were 

 scaffolds annexed to the houses, for the purpose of drying 

 maize, &c. ; upon these we were told that the Indians sleep 

 during very hot nights. 



The river banks had thus far been low, and covered 

 with a fine rich vegetation ; the trees attained a large size 

 near the river, but they were not found far into the interior 

 of the country. Near Fort St. Anthony there is a fine piece 

 of bottom, exposed to occasional inundations. The line 

 of bluffs, which borders upon the Mississippi, does not ex- 

 tend far from that stream, but gradually sinks in height, 

 until it finally disappears near the village of Oanoska. The 

 soil along the river is of the best quality. After ascending 

 about thirty miles, the bluffs reappear, and rise to an ave- 



Vol. L 42 



