NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITIOX. 171 



The Kettle chief's village is situated fifteen miles below the 

 entrance of the Little Makokety Eiver, consisting of nineteen 

 lodges, built in two rows, pretty compact, and having a popula- 

 tion of two hundred and fifty-souls. There is a large island in 

 the Mississippi, directly opposite this village, which is occupied 

 by traders. I first landed there to get an interpreter of the Fox 

 language, and obtain some necessary information respecting the 

 location of the mines, and the best means of accomplishing my 

 object. Meantime the rain had ceased. I then proceeded across 

 the Mississippi to the Kettle chief's lodge, to solicit his permission 

 to visit the mines, and obtain Indian guides. I succeeded in getting 

 Mr. Gates, as interpreter ; and was accompanied by Dr. S. Muir, a 

 trader, who politely offered to go with me. On entering the lodge 

 of Aquoqua, the chief, I found him suffering under a severe attack 

 of bilious fever. As I approached him, he sat upon his pallet, 

 being unable to stand, and bid me welcome; but soon became 

 exhausted by the labor of conversation, and was obliged to re- 

 sume his former position. He appeared to be a man of eighty 

 years of age, had a venerable look, but was reduced to the last 

 stage of physical debility. Yet he retained his faculties of sight 

 and hearing unimpaired, together with his mental powers. He 

 spoke to me of his death with calm resignation, as a thing to be 

 desired. On stating the object of my visit, some objections were 

 made by the chiefs who surrounded him, and they required fur- 

 ther time to consider the proposition. In the mean time, I learned 

 from another source, that since the death of Dubuque, to whom 

 the Indians had formerly granted the privilege of working the 

 mines, they had manifested great jealousy of the whites, were 

 afraid they would encroach on their rights, denied all former 

 grants, and did not make it a practice even to allow strangers to 

 view their diggings. Apprehending some difficulties of this 

 kind, I had provided myself with some presents, and concluding 

 this to be the time, because of the reluctance manifested, directed 

 one of my voyageurs to bring in a present of tobacco and whis- 

 key; and in a few moments T received their assent, and two guides 

 were furnished. One of these was a minor chief, called Scabass, 

 or the Yelling Wolf; the other, Wa-ba-say-ah, or the White Fox- 

 skin. They led me up the cliff, where I understood the Indian 

 woman, Peosta, first found lead ore ; after reaching the level of 



