Featherstonhaugh s Geological Report. 153 



northwest, where there are some large mounds, and following 

 the northwest branch of the St. Peter s, (now an inconsiderable 

 rivulet, running; in a very deep ravine, and often not more 

 than six feet across^ but very pure water,) I came quite in 

 front of the Coteau de Prairie^ separated from it only three 

 or four miles, covered by a vast number of sand-hills. 



In this part of the Northwest Territory it is very seldom that 

 trees are found where there is no water. The first care of 

 the traveller, in a region where there is nobody to assist him, 

 is self-preservation ; his principal attention, therefore, is di 

 rected to trees, especially at the setting in of winter ; without 

 fuel he would be frozen to death in the night, and fortunately 

 where there is fuel there is also water, unless it has been ab 

 sorbed. The course of the small streams which form the prin 

 cipal sources of the St. Peter s, is along the wooded lines on 

 the flanks of Chhray-tanka, or the Great Hills, the name given 

 by the Nacotahs to the Coteau. This word is pronounced 

 very guttural and rapid. Wherever those dark spots and lines 

 were seen on its side, water was generally found. On these 

 extensive plains objects are deceptive, from there being noth 

 ing to compare with them. An eminence at a distance will ap 

 pear two hundred feet high, which, when reached, will not be 

 fifty. A prairie-wolf looks, when running, like a deer; a small 

 rock like a buffalo. I have seen an antelope rear up on its hind 

 legs, as they always do to look at objects, and could have 

 thought it a camelopard. At a distance of fifteen miles the 

 Coteau looked like a lofty chain. Mr. Keating assigned to it 

 a height of one thousand feet.* The illusion was dispelled 

 as soon as I came near it. The ascent is so gentle at the 

 place where I began to ascend, that I was hardly aware I was 

 going up hill. The ascent perhaps continues two and a half 

 miles, and is not more than at the rate of one hundred and 

 sixty feet to the mile. I do not suppose the Coteau to rise 

 more than four hundred and fifty feet above the level of the 



* Vol. 1, page 360. 



