HISTORICAL SKETCH. 25 



1805, Pike.] 



Captain Carver did not give up his design of reaching the " straits of 

 Annian" through the headwaters of the great streams flowing east and 

 west from Minnesota, and organized a party to carry out the purpose in 

 which he had failed, on his return to England. This was to be under the 

 auspices of Richard Wentworth, Esq., member of Parliament for Stafford, 

 and was to set out in 1774, when the troubles incident to the Revolutionary 

 war put a stop to the enterprise. 



II. PERIOD OF TERRITORIAL EXPLORATION, 1783 TO 1858. 



The war of the Revolution which left the east bank of the Mississippi 

 in the possession of the United States and the west bank in the possession 

 of the French, operated not only to terminate English and French explora- 

 tion, but to retard that of the United States. It was not till after the cession 

 of Louisiana by France that the United States government instituted meas- 

 ures for the exploration of the unknown country west of the Mississippi, 

 when, in 1805, Captains Lewis and Clarke were dispatched to explore the 

 Missouri river, and Lieutenant Z. M. Pike to ascend the Mississippi to its 

 source. Lieut. Pike found the upper Mississippi country occupied by trading 

 posts of the Northwest Fur Company, over which was still flying the English 

 flag, a fact which attests the isolation of that region since the peace con- 

 cluded in 1783. One of these posts was found at Red Cedar lake, (north of 

 Mi lie Lacs) one at Sandy lake and two at Leech lake, whose influence 

 extended " from the head of lake Superior to the source of the Mississippi 

 and down Red river." This company had employed Mr. David Thompson as 

 explorer and geographer for many years, and Lieut. Pike refers to his having 

 established the latitude of Red Cedar lake (now Cass L.) supposed to be 

 the source of the Mississippi, in 1798, finding this Post to be in latitude 

 47 38'. Mr. Thompson's maps and papers never having been published. 

 Lieut. Pike is to be accredited with the first authenticated examination of 

 the Mississippi valley from the St. Francis river to Red Cedar lake.* 



An account of expeditions to the sources of the Mississippi, and through the western parts of Louisiana * 

 P ^? r !f"v , b , y , r ='! er of the Government of the United States during the years 1805, 1806 and 1807, by Major Z 

 M. i ike. Jrtinaurlpmu, 181U. 



