APPENDIX. 573 



3. Official Refport of the Exploratory Expedition to the Actual Source 

 of the Mississippi River in 1832, 



Office of the Indian Agency of Sault Ste. Marie, 



Sept. 1, 1832. 



} 



Sir : I bad the honor to inform you, on the 15th ultimo, of my 

 return from the sources of the Mississippi, and that I should com- 

 municate the details of my observations to you as soon as they 

 could be prepared. 



On reaching the remotest point visited heretofore by official 

 authority, I found that the waters on that summit were favorable 

 to my tracing this river to its "utmost sources. This point having 

 been left undetermined by prior expeditions, I determined to 

 avail myself of the occasion to take Indian guides, with light 

 canoes, and, after encamping my heavy force, to make the ascent. 

 It was represented to be practicable in five days. I accomplished 

 it, by great diligence, in three. The distance is 158 miles above 

 Cass Lake. There are many sharp rapids, which made the trial 

 severe. The river expands into numerous lakes. 



After passing about forty miles north of Eed Cedar Lake, during 

 which we ascended a summit, I entered a fine large lake, which, 

 to avoid repetitions in our geographical names, I called Queen 

 Anne's Lake. From this point the ascent of the Mississippi was 

 due south ; and it was finally found to have its origin in a hand- 

 some lake, of some seven miles in extent, on the height of land 

 to which I gave the name of Itasca. 



This lake lies in latitude 47° 13' 25". It lies at an altitude of 

 1,575 feet, by the barometer, above the Gulf of Mexico. It affords 

 me satisfaction to say, that, by this discover}'-, the geographical 

 point of the origin of this river is definitely fixed. Materials 

 for map's and plans of the entire route have been carefully col- 

 lected by Lieut. James Allen, of the U. S. Army, who accom- 

 panied me, with a small detachment of infantry, as high as 

 Cass Lake ; and, having encamped them at that point, with my 

 extra men, he proceeded with me to Itasca Lake. The distance 

 which is thus added to the Mississippi, agreeably to him, is 

 164 miles, making its entire length, by the most authentic esti- 



