52 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



" It is only necessary to cast a glance over the map, to 

 form an idea of the importance of Tchansansan river. It 

 takes its rise on the plateau of the Missouri, beyond the 

 parallel of 47° N. ; and after pursuing nearly a north-and-south 

 course, empties into the Missouri River below 43°. It is 

 deemed navigable with small hunting canoes for betw^een 500 

 and 600 miles ; but, below Otuhuoju, it will float much 

 larger boats, and there are no other obstacles in its navigation 

 than a few rafts. When we turned away from the river in 

 latitude 46° 27', its breadth was from 80 to 100 feet ; and 

 we could discover by the water-marks on its banks, that, in 

 the season of freshets, it widens out here to 100 yards, and 

 south of Otuhuoju to 200 yards. The shores of the river 

 are generally tolerably well wooded, though only at intervals ; 

 the trees consisting principall}'' of elm, ash, burr-oak, poplar 

 and willows. Along those portions where it widens into lakes, 

 very eligible situations for farms would be found, and if the 

 Indian traders have hitherto selected positions south of the 

 Otuhuoju, it was doubtless in consequence of its more easy 

 navigation into the Missouri." [From Otohuoju to tlie mouth 

 is from 250 to 300 miles. Very little is known to us of 

 this river beyond the above very scanty description of Mr. 

 Nicollet.] 



" I have already stated, I think, that the lower portion of 

 the Coteau des Prairies forms two spurs; one of which turns 

 off tlie rivers that have been precedingly described into the 

 Missisippi, the other into the Missouri. The divisional line 

 of these two spurs is plainly indicated by the course of the 

 Des Moines from 43° 30' of north latitude ; and the one now 

 referred to is a prominent ridge, separating the waters tliat 

 empty into the Des Moines from those that flow westwardly 

 into the Missouri. But, as it falls off in a gradual slope when 

 it has reached already 42*^ of latitude, the head-waters then 



