34 THE GEOLOGY OF MINNESOTA. 



[Keating, 1823- 



in a work of two volumes, published in 1825, in London. The appendix 

 embraces a general list of animal species observed by Thomas Say, and a 

 list of plants by Lewis D. de Schweinitz, also astronomical and meteorological 

 data by J. Edward Colhoun and Dr. Joseph Lovell, concluding with a vocab- 

 ulary of Indian words by Mr. Keating.* 



This work may be correctly pronounced the first attempt to apply the 

 accurate methods of modern science to the exploration of any portion of 

 Minnesota. Although the progress of the party was much too rapid for 

 geological examinations, yet the collections made, the notes on geographical 

 features recorded, and the few geological facts stated, constitute a good 

 preliminary account of the western portions of the state. The party 

 returned to lake Superior from lake Winnipeg, by way of a route through 

 British territory to the lake of the Woods ; thence following the northern 

 boundary line to the west end of Hunter's island, they again turned north- 

 ward, and reached lake Superior at Fort William, by way of the route of 

 Sir Alexander McKenzie. The map accompanying the report is an embodi- 

 ment of information from several sources, besides the observations of the 

 party, chiefly the report of Lieut. Pike on the upper Mississippi, Buchett's 

 map of Upper and Lower Canada, statements by officers of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company, and by Dr. J. J. Bigsby, of the English Commission for deter- 

 mining the boundary between the United States and the British possessions. 

 On this map are given for the first time the names and positions of numer- 

 ous streams in the western part of Minnesota, and in eastern Dakota, and 

 of some flowing north in the northern part of the state. 



KEATING'S VISIT TO THE FALLS OF ST. ANTHONY. 



On the 6th of July we walkedf to the falls of St. Anthony, which are situated nine m iles 

 along the course of the river, seven by land) above the fort. The first glimpse which we caught 

 of the fall was productive of disappointment, because it yielded but a partial view ; but this was 

 amply redeemed by the prospect which we obtained of it when the whole fall opened itself before 

 us. We then discovered that nothing could be more picturesque than this cascade. We had been 

 told that it appeared like a mere mill-dam, and we were apprehensive lest a fall of sixteen feet would 

 lose all its beauty when extended upon a breadth of several hundred yards, but we soon observed 

 that this was by no means the case. The irregular outline of the fall, by dividing its breadth, 

 gives a more impressive character. An island stretching in the river, both above and below the 

 fall, separates it into two unequal parts, the eastern being two hundred and thirty yards wide, and 

 the western three hundred and ten. The island itself is about one hundred yards wide. From 



*Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of the St. Peter's river, lake Winnepeek, lake of the Woods, &c , per- 

 formed in the year 1823, under command of Stephen H. Long. Compiled by Wra. H. Keating. In two volumes. 

 London, 1825. 



tFrom FortSnelllng. 



