SOURCE OV ST. PETER S RIVER. 149 



portance. There is a communication between it and the 

 Thousand lakes, similar to that which we noted as existing 

 between those lakes and Dog lake. That from the Kama- 

 natekwoya passes more to the south, and confirms the con- 

 clusions which we had drawn from the existence of the 

 former ; it is said to offer a more easy navigation. The 

 White-fish river, which unites with the Kamanatekwoya 

 below the Great Falls, affords, as it is said, a communica- 

 tion wdth the waters of the Grand Portage route. 



From Rainy lake to Fort William we saw no Indians 

 except one Chippewa and his wife, whom we met on Dog 

 river ; they were near an otter's hole, and were in hopes 

 of a successful hunt. We are informed that the otters 

 found on these streams are very good ; indeed, the quality 

 of the furs generally improves as the animals are obtained 

 in more northern latitudes. While on the Missouri in 

 1820, Mr. Say was told by Manuel Lisa, one of the most 

 extensive fur-traders in Louisiana, that the otters of the St. 

 Peter were preferable to those of the Missouri. Lisa was 

 impressed with the belief that he could distinguish the one 

 from the other, even when obtained from interlocking 

 streams. He had made up at one time a pack of otter 

 weighing one hundred lbs. although it contained but forty- 

 five skins ; they were all, however, from a tributary of the 

 St. Peter. The Missouri skins are inferior both in size 

 and in intensity of colour. When the otter is pursued in 

 winter, it attempts to escape by alternately springing and 

 sliding upon the ice. It subsists upon fish, and meat of 

 almost any kind ; it eats frogs, muscles, muskrats, &c. The 

 otters sometimes emigrate in numbers ; they seem to be 

 well acquainted with the neighbouring lakes and water- 

 courses. We were told by Mr. Jeffries that they had been 

 known to winter with the beaver, as had been ascertained 



Vol. II. 20 



