SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 59 



out much difficulty, at a rate which varied from forty to 

 one hundred dollars, averaging about sixty-six dollars. 

 This was, however, payable in services, stores, and such 

 goods as we required. Our mode of travelling in bark 

 eanoes obliged us to obtain an additional supply of men 

 accustomed to this kind of navigation. Of these we hired 

 several at Pembina; and it being thought that the rest of 

 them, as well as the canoes, &c. could be had on more ad- 

 vantageous terms at Fort Douglas, Major Long proceeded 

 by land to that place, while the other gentlemen availed 

 themselves of Mr. Nolen's polite offer to take a passage in 

 a barge which he was sending down the river with a load 

 of provisions. 



Mr. Snelling and Mr. Jeffries having volunteered 

 their services to this place only, and considering that, 

 as we had left the Dacota territory, we had no further 

 necessity for Sioux interpreters, resumed their march 

 homewards, the former gentleman to his father's garrison 

 on the Mississippi, the latter to his residence on Lake 

 Travers. As an escort they took with them corporal 

 M'Phail, and privates Newman and Irvine, three men 

 whose services were no longer required, and who behaved 

 themselves well while with us. We are happy to add that 

 this party reached its destination without accident. 



On the 9th of August, Major Long left Pembina, and 

 reached Fort Douglas the second day after. He estimated 

 the distance by land at sixty-one miles. It had generally 

 been rated at seventy-five miles, which is undoubtedly too 

 much, as it has often been travelled in one day on horse^ 

 back, and even in a light carriage, on the snow. After tra- 

 velling about fifty miles on the west side, he crossed over 

 to the east bank, which he followed until he came to the 

 confluence of the Assiniboin and Red rivers, when he 



