Louisiana and Aaron Burr 367 



lived almost purely on game, and Pike, after the 

 first enthusiasm of the sport had palled a little, com- 

 mented on the hard slavery of a hunter's life and its 

 vicissitudes; for on one day he might kill enough 

 meat to last the whole party a week, and when that 

 was exhausted they might go three or four days 

 without anything at all. 6 Deer and bear were the 

 common game, though they saw both buffalo and 

 elk, and killed several of the latter. Pike found his 

 small-bore rifle too light for the chase of the buffalo. 



At the beautiful falls of St. Anthony, Pike held 

 a council with the Sioux, and got them to make a 

 grant of about a hundred thousand acres in the 

 neighborhood of the falls; and he tried vainly to 

 make peace between the Sioux and the Chippewas. 

 In his search for the source of the Mississippi he 

 penetrated deep into the lovely lake-dotted region 

 of forests and prairies which surrounds the head- 

 waters of the river. He did not reach Lake Itasca ; 

 but he did explore the Leech Lake drainage system, 

 which he mistook for the true source. 



At the British trading-posts, strong log structures 

 fitted to repel Indian attacks, Pike was well re- 

 ceived. Where he found the British flag flying he 

 had it hauled down and the American flag hoisted 

 in its place, making both the Indians and the traders 

 understand that the authority of the United States 

 was supreme in the land. In the spring he floated 

 down-stream and reached St. Louis on the last day 

 of April, 1806. 



' Pike's Journal, entry of November 16, 1865. 



