PART IV. 



Society. — Laws. — Pursuits. — Life. — Habits. — Health. 



— Public Lands. 



The population of the Upper Missisippi is of various origin 

 and mixed character. The germ is French. Colonies from 

 France, and from the French stock in Canada, were first 

 established at several points in this valley ; and, from time 

 to time, the voyageurs, or French boatmen, and the coureurs 

 des bois, or traders, have visited nearly every part of this 

 extensive region, some of whom fixed a temporary residence, 

 and others a permanent dwelling, among the native tribes, 

 with whom they became mingled, and frequently connected 

 by marriage. The descendants of these French, both of the 

 unmixed and the mixed blood, are numerous in the country, 

 and to them many accessions from the same race have been 

 made in modern time by emigration from Canada. A great 

 part of this population is illiterate : though among them are 

 many persons of good education, fine intellect, and a refine- 

 ment, peculiar to their nation, beyond that of the best of the 

 other population. Such may be found in the humble and 

 laborious occupation of digging in the mines. I lodged in 

 the house of a farmer, one of these people, on the banks of 

 the Missouri, opposite to St. Charles, having the refinement 

 of the French gentleman, and a mind capable of discharging 



