46 NARRATIVE OF 1853. 
deep, and the bottom miry. Our road lay through a beautiful prairie. The shores of Lake 
Henry are heavily wooded. In two miles anda half further we found two very wet places, 
one hundred yards apart. In two miles further we came to a long marsh, where the ground 
was very soft and where our wagons stalled. By leaving the trail, however, and taking 
between two mounds an excellent wagon road may be secured. Three-quarters of a mile 
beyond, we encountered a very deep, muddy slough, to cross which we had recourse to a long 
rope, and all our force pulled on it. A branch of Crow river is then reached in a mile or little 
more. It is about twelve feet wide and two deep; both sides are overflown marsh, making 
the place very diffieult to.cross. To avoid breaking bulk we again used the long rope, 
and attaching three pairs of mules to it, all our men pulling on it at the same time, we got the 
wagon through. We arrived about noon at Crow-wing river, nine miles from camp. It was 
four or five feet deep and twenty feet wide where we crossed it, and at this time overflowing 
its usual banks. Broke bulk here, the men packing our stuff across. Near its west bank 
Evans found a fine spring, having a temperature of 529, while the river was 66°, and the air at 
779, Passing Crow river we find a continuous grove of oak trees to our left, and in five miles 
a series of small lakes to our right, not wooded but abounding in game. Within three miles of 
Lightning lake we passed a large lake without name, and as Boutineau informed me that there 
Governor ] ы mse y lost his horse on the way to Pembina, we named it Ramsey lake. 
Arrived at camp on Lightning lake about 82 p. m., the train coming up an hour after. 
Distance travelled, eighteen and three-quarter miles. The frequent sloughs and bad cross- 
ings in our march to-day added much to the labors of the men and animals. Found that 
Lieutenant Grover and the other advanced parties had moved forward to Pike lake. After the 
hard day’s march we enjoyed our supper of game, cooked in hunter’s style on sticks before 
the fire, although it was midnight before we could have it ready. 
? | LIGHTNING LAKE, | 
June 19.—Sunday.—Lightning lake (see accompanying sketch) is a very beautiful sheet of 
water; so called from the fact that during Captain Pope’s expedition, while encamped here, 
one of those storms so fearfully violent in this country occurred, during which one of his party 
was instantly killed by a stroke of lightning. Its northern shore is thickly studded with timber, 
and the southern side, upon which we are encamped, is more thinly wooded, but affords an 
ample supply for all camping purposes. The water is excellent, as is also the grass. Pickerel, 
pike, and bass fill the lake, numbers of which our parties caught; and ducks, geese, swan, 
plover, and prairie chicken, abound in the vicinity. At such a camping place, we determined 
to spend the Sabbath and await the coming up of the wagons, which I had ordered to push 
ahead of the train. Received, late in the evening, a note from Lieutenant Grover, announcing 
that Messrs. Lander and Tinkham were encamped with him near White Bear lake; that to- 
morrow he would move forward to Pike lake and then reconnoitre the country in advance. 
Everything in camp was in good condition. | 
The day of rest was enjoyed by the whole party; some fishing, washing and mending their 
clothes, others trying various modes of cooking the game and fish which abounded. Evans 
succeeded admirably in roasting a fish in the ashes, first rolling it up in brown paper dampened, 
which, when removed, brought off the scales with it, leaving the white meat clean and well 
