HISTORICAL SKETCH. 75 



1836, Nicollet.] 



NICOLLET ASCENDS THE MISSISSIPPI. 



In July. 1836, Mr. Nicollet ascended the Mississippi to its source in Itasca 

 lake. He says that above the falls of St. Anthony the rocky formations 

 assume another type, " being the several varieties of greenstone, and finally 

 passing into talcose slate," as seen at the falls of the Wabezi, or Swan river, and 

 the Omoshkos, or Elk river. Along with Schoolcraft, he mentions, among other 

 trees, the walnut, as one of those native to the Mississippi valley above the 

 falls of St. Anthony. He mentions, as a prominent geological feature ot 

 the country, the outcrop of syenitic rock on the east side of the river, a little 

 below the Pik-irabik, with a flesh-colored feldspar, extending a mile in length, 

 with a breadth of half a mile, and an elevation of eighty feet, known as 

 little rock* At the foot of Knife rapids, f higher up, on the same side of the 

 river, "there are sources that transport a very fine, brilliant and bluish sand, 

 accompanied by a soft and unctuous matter. This appears to be the result 

 of a decomposition of a steaschist, probably interposed between the sienitic 

 rocks previously mentioned. The same thing is observed at the mouths of 

 Wabezi and Omoshkos." From Crow Wing river Mr. Nicollet pursued a 

 new route to Itasca lake. At a distance of three miles from its mouth he 

 ascended GayasJtk, or Gull river, and the lake having the same name. Then 

 portaging northeast, he reached Pine river and visited Whitefish lake. 

 Ascending the east fork of Pine river, he reached Kwiwisens, or Little Boy 

 river. This he descended through a succession of lakes and over small 

 rapids, as far as Leech lake, where he spent a week, and was befriended 

 from the Indians in an emergency, by Rev. Mr. Boutwell, who had accom- 

 panied Mr. Schoolcraft in 1832. From Leech lake he passed westward, 

 through lake Kabekonany and Kabekonang river, and made a portage of five 

 miles to the La Place river, which is the same that Mr. Schoolcraft called 

 the East Fork of the Mississippi, in 1832. He ascended this to lake Assawa 

 where he found an old camp of Mr. Schoolcraft. The last portage, one of 

 six miles, to Itasca lake, was found to be very arduous, being across 

 numerous sloughs, with low intervening ridges. The soil was found to be 

 sandy and gravelly, overspread with erratic blocks, with a great variety of 

 evergreens. The last of the series of ridges, being also the highest, is 120 

 feet above the waters of lake Itasca. 



* The same ae Schoolcraft's peace rock, situated in See 27, Watab, Benton county. 

 t Pike Rapids. 



