SOURCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER. 333 



in them extended at full length, but in a country where 

 boxes and boards are scarce, this is overlooked. After the 

 corpses have remained a certain time exposed, they are 

 taken down and interred. Our guide, Renville, related to 

 us, that he had been a witness to an interesting, though 

 painful circumstance, that occurred here. An Indian who 

 resided on the Mississippi, hearing that his son had died 

 at this spot, came up in a canoe, to take charge of the re- 

 mains, and convey them down the river to his place of abode ; 

 but, on his arrival, he found that the corpse had already 

 made such progress towards decomposition, as rendered it 

 impossible for it to be removed. He then undertook, with 

 a few friends, to clean off the bones; all the flesh was 

 scraped off and thrown into the stream; the bones were 

 carefully collected into his canoe, and subsequently carried 

 down to his residence. 



The two parties having exchanged a few words at this 

 place, continued their journey. The boats proceeded but 

 three miles beyond this to an encamping ground. The na- 

 vigation had been an easy one except at the rapids. In a 

 few places, however, snags were seen, which partly im- 

 peded the main channel. The next day they were found 

 more numerous, as were also the sandbars, which some- 

 times rendered the navigation of the river troublesome. 

 The skiff, which had been obtained for Major Long and 

 the gentlemen's use, as more pleasant than a canoe, was 

 found very inconvenient, being leaky and slow of motion, 

 so that the party gladly embraced the opportunity of ex- 

 changing her for a fine canoe belonging to a trader whom 

 we met returning to Fort St. Anthony. The forests, which 

 had principally consisted of cotton-wood, birch, &c. were 

 observed to become more luxuriant, and to be replaced by 

 a heavy growth of oak and elm. The soil appeared ex- 



