HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT. 



303 



seemed to be the bottom step of a ladder which I ought to 

 climb." 



Mr. Schoolcraft left New York in March, 1820, reached 

 Niagara Falls on the ist of May, and Detroit by steamer a 

 week later. While waiting for the completion of arrangements 

 for embarkation, he attended to the correspondence which had 

 been provoked by the publication of his work on the mines 

 and the resultant awakening of interest in the varied resources 

 of the Mississippi Valley and the subject of geographical and 

 geological explorations. He determined to reply to all letters 

 that appeared to be honest inquiries for geographical facts, 

 " which I only, and not books, could communicate." The 

 route of the expedition " lay up the Detroit and St. Clair 

 Rivers and around the southern shores of Lakes Huron and 

 Superior to Fond du Lac, thence up the St. Louis River in its 

 rugged passage through the Cabotian Mountains to the Savan- 

 nah summit which divides the Great Lakes from the Missis- 

 sippi Valley. The latter was entered through the Cantaguma 

 or Sandy Lake River. From this point the source of the 

 Mississippi was sought up rapids and falls and through lakes 

 and savannahs, in which the channel winds. We passed the 

 inlet of Leech Lake, which was fixed upon by Lieutenant Pike 

 as its probable source, and traced it through Little Lake Win- 

 nipeg to the inlet of Turtle Lake in upper Red Cedar or Cass 

 Lake in latitude 47. On reaching this point the waters were 

 found unfavourable to proceeding higher. The river was then 

 descended to the falls of St. Anthony, St. Peter's, and Prairie 

 du Chien. From the latter point we ascended the Wisconsin 

 to the portage into Fox River, and descended the latter to 

 Green Bay." At this point the expedition was divided. The 

 party to which Mr. Schoolcraft was attached proceeded to 

 Chicago, thence traced the eastern coast of Michigan, and 

 rejoined the other party, which had gone north to trace the 

 shores to Michilimackinack. About four thousand miles were 

 traversed. Reports were made to the Government by Mr- 

 Schoolcraft on the mineralogy and geology of the region ; on 

 the copper deposits of Lake Superior ; on the botany, fresh- 

 water .conchology, zoology, and ichthyology; soil, productions, 

 and climate received attention ; and the Indian tribes were 

 subjects of observation by General Cass. " In short, no ex- 

 ploration had before been made which so completely revealed' 



