NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 145 



CHAPTER XII. 



Description of the descent from Pine River — Pine tracts — Confluence of the Crow- 

 wing River — Enter a sylvan region — prairies and groves, occupied by deer, elli, 

 and buffalo — Sport of bufi"alo hunting — Reach elevations of sienitic and meta- 

 morphic rocks — Discover a pictographic inscription of the Sioux, by which they 

 denote a desire for peace — Pass the Osaukes, St. Francis's, Cornielle, and Rum 

 Rivers — St. Anthony's Falls — Etymology of the name — Geographical considera- 

 tions. 



The night dew was heavy on this elevation, and a dense fog 

 prevailed at the hour of our embarkation (5 o'clock A. M., on 

 the 27th), The pine lands come in with the valley of Pine River, 

 a large and important stream tributary from the west, which has a 

 connection with Leech Lake. These lands characterize both banks 

 of the Mississippi to the entrance of the River De Corbeau. We 

 were seven hours, with a strong current, in passing through this 

 tract. It is to be observed that ancient fires have been permitted 

 to run through these forests, destroying immense quantities of 

 the timber. It was twelve o'clock, A. M., when we came opposite 

 to the entrance of the great Crow-wing River.* This stream, 

 which has a large island in its mouth, is a prime tributary with a 

 large, full-flowing current, and must bring in one-third of the en- 

 tire volume of water to this point.f Such is the eflect of this 

 current on the opposite shore, that, at the distance of a couple 



* Crow-wing Riveb. — In returningfrom Itasca Lake, in 1832, 1 passed from Leech 

 Lake by a series of old Indian portages into Lake Ka-ge-no-ge-maug, or Long Water 

 Lake, which is its source ; and from thence descended it to its entrance into the 

 Mississippi. — Vide Exj^ to Itasca Lake. N. Y., Harpers, 1834: vol. i. Svo. with 

 maps. 



f The Indian name of this river is Kagiwegwon, or Raven's-wing, or Quill, which 

 is accurately translated by the term Aile de Corbeau, but it is improperly called Crow- 

 wing. The Chippewa term for crow is andaig, and the French, cornielle — terms 

 which are appropriately applied to another stream, nearer St. Anthony's Falls. 



10 



