NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 271 



system, and were now to ascend a valle}^, in which a heavy dilu- 

 vial drift and boulder stratum rested on this broken and angular 

 basis.* On reaching the summit of the St. Croix, there are found 

 vast plateaux of sand, supporting pine forests; and on descending 

 the Misakoda, or Brul(? of Fond du Lac, the sandstone strata of that 

 basin are again encountered. This ascent was rendered arduous, 

 from the low state of the water. I reached Snake Eiver on the 

 30th, had an interview with the Buffalo chief (Pezhikee) and his 

 subordinates; finding the population 300, with thirty-eight half 

 breeds. The men, while here, cut their feet, treading on the trap- 

 rock debris, in the mouth of the river. The distance thence to 

 Yellow River is about thirty -five miles, which we accomplished 

 on the 31st, by eight o'clock in the morning, having found our 

 greatest obstacle at the Kettle Rapids, which discloses sharp 

 masses of the trap-rock. The river, in this distance, receives on 

 its right, in the ascent, the Aisippi, or Shell River, which origi- 

 nates in a lake of that name, noted for its large unios and ana- 

 dontas. 



At Yellow River, I halted to confer with the Indians in front 

 of a remarkable eminence called Pokunogun, or the Moose's Hip. 

 This eminence is not, however, of artificial construction. This 

 river, with its dependencies of Lac Yaseux, Rice Lake, and Yellow 

 Lake, contains a Chippewa population of three hundred and 

 eightj^-two souls. We observed here the unio purpureus, which 

 the Indians use for spoons, after rubbing off the alatce and round- 

 ing the margin. We also examined the skin of the sciurus tre- 

 dacem striatus of Mitchill. 



We reached the forks of the St. Croix about two o'clock P. M. 

 The distance from Yellow River is about thirteen miles; it re- 

 quired five and a half hours to accomplish this. The water Avas, 

 indeed, so low, that the men had often to wade ; and, on reaching 

 this point, we were to lose half its volume, or more, for the 

 ISTamakagunf fork, which enters here, carries in more than half 

 the quantity of water. 



* Vide Owen's Geological Report, for the first attempt to delineate the order of 

 the various local and general formations. Philada., Lippiucott & Co., 1852. 



f From nama, a sturgeon, and kagun, a yoke or wier. I explored this stream 

 in 1831, having reached it after ascending the Mauvais or Maskigo of Lake Su- 

 perior. Vide Personal Memoirs: Lippincott, Grambo, & Co., 1851. 



