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sociated this name with that of the Trappist monks [inoines de la Trappe) 

 who resided on the Indian mounds of the American bottom. It was then 

 conchided that the true reading of the riviere des Moins was the '• riviere 

 des MtAnes^'' or river of the monks, by which name it is designated on ail 

 the modern maps. 



The Des Moines empties into the Mississippi in 40*^ 22' lat. N. ; and its 

 sources, heretofore supposed to be in 43°, are extended on my map to 44^^ 

 3' N. It is fed from the beautiful group of lakes, previously described as 

 the Slieiek lakes, towards the middle of the plateau of the Coteau des Prai- 

 ries, at an elevation of 1,580 feet above the level of the sea. The waters of 

 these lakes flow from NW. to SE., sweUing themselves by innumerable 

 tributaries until they enter the Mississippi at an elevation of about 444 feet 

 above the Gulf of Mexico. 



The course of the Des Moines cannot be less than 400 miles ; whence 

 it would follow that the average of its descent is nearly three feet to the 

 mile, with a current approaching in velocity that of the Missouri. The 

 river flows constantly in a deep valley, from its sources to within a i^^ 

 miles of its confluence with the Mississippi, where it spreads over low 

 grounds. In its upper part, its bed is upon sand, rolled pebbles, and shin- 

 gle, (gallets.) 



Like most of the rivers in this region, it has its sources in lakes and 

 swampy grounds, and has a tortuous and sluggish course until it reaches 

 a greater declivity about 43° of latitude, where it becomes much more 

 rapid and direct, and frequently pitches impetuously over rocky beds of 

 carboniferous limestone forming frequent bluffs on alternate sides. This 

 rock, which might furnish an abundance of excellent building materials, 

 is overlaid in some places by deposites of coal. Penned up, as it were, 

 between the valleys of the Mississippi and the Missouri, and those of their 

 adjacent tributary streams, the Des Moines has no large tributary of its 

 own. Flowing through a wide and deep valley, the principal waters 

 which it receives are the drainings through deep and long ravmes, inter- 

 secting its shores, and rendering the travel along them inconvenient and 

 painful. The only tributary streams of any consequence, are Racoon Fork, 

 and perhaps Lizard and Cedar rivers, on the right ride ; Boone's river and 

 Moingonan's Brother, on the left. Yet, in the spring of the year, the Des 

 Moines may be navigated by flat-boats that would carry the produce of the 

 upper country to the head of steamboat navigation, v/hich maybe one hun- 

 dred and fifty miles from its mouth. But as my assistant, Lieut. Fremont, 

 iias made the surveys to ascertain the spot to which steamboats of different 

 burdens may ascend from the Mississippi, I refer to his report for more am- 

 ple details. 



The Sioux or Ndakotalt Indians call the Des Moines Lii/ansha-s/ia- 

 7oa(pa, or Redstone river — from inyan, stone ; sha s/ia, reduplication o( sha^ 

 red ; and watpa, river. They call the upper east fork lay an sha sha icatpa- 

 sunkaku, the brother of Redstone river. This is the tributary which I 

 have precedingly called Moingonan's Brother. 



The union of the Moingonan with its brother forms what is also called 

 the upper fork, which is in the midst of a fine grove, embracing an area of 

 several miles, affording good soil and water-power. This grove will soon 

 be the centre of a populous settlement. 



Whilst writing these pages, I am informed that all the lands on the 



