272 NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 



I found the chief Kabamappa and his followers encamped at 

 the forks, awaiting my arrival, who received me with a salute. 

 He disclaimed all connection with the movement of the Black- 

 hawk. He stated facts, however, which showed him to be well 

 acquainted with the means which that chief had used to bring 

 the Indians into an extensive league against the United States. 

 He readily assented to the measures proposed to the upper bands, 

 for bringing the Sioux and Chippewas into more intimate and 

 permanent relations of peace and friendship. 



With respect to the ascent of the St. Croix, in the direction of 

 the Brule, his exclamation was iskutta-iskutta^ meaning it is 

 dried up, or there is no water. Dry the channel, indeed, looked, 

 but by leading the canoes around the shoals, all the men walking 

 in the water, and picking out channels, we advanced about seven 

 miles before the time of encampment. The next morning (Aug. 1) 

 a heavy fog detained us in our encampment, till five o'clock, 

 when we recommenced the ascent of a similar series of embarrass- 

 ments from very low water, rapid succeeding to rapid, till two 

 o'clock P. M., when we reached the summit of a plateau, and 

 found still water and comparatively good navigation. Five hours 

 canoeing on this summit brought us to Kabamappa's village at 

 the Namakowagon, or sturgeon's dam, where we encamped. The 

 chief gave us his population at 88 souls, of whom 28 were men, 

 including the minor chief, Mukudapenas,* and his men. We 

 had now got above all the strong rapids, and proceeded from our 

 encampment at four o'clock, A. M., on the 2d. The river receives 

 two tributaries, from the right hand, on this summit, namely, the 

 Buffalo and Clearwater, and, at the distance of about ten miles 

 above the Namakowagon, is found to be expanded in a handsome 

 lake of about six miles in extent, called Lake St. Croix. This is 

 the source of the river. We were favored with a fair wind in 

 passing over it, and having reached its head debarked on a 

 marshy margin, and immediately commenced the portage to the 

 Brul^, or Misakoda River.f 



* From mukuda, black, and penaisee, a bird, the name of the rail. 



■f From misk, red or colored, muscoda, a plain, and auk, a dead standing tree, as 

 a tree burned by fire or lightning. From the French translation of the word, hy 

 the phrase Brule ; the Indian meaning is clearly shown to be burnt, scorched, or 

 parched — a term which is applied to metifs of the mixed race. 



