102 



.NARRATIVE, &c. 



Corbcau river. To have stopped short of it, would have seri- 

 ously broken in on the labors of the following day ; and the 

 knowledge that the series of portages terminated there, and 

 the downward passage commenced, buoyed up the men to 

 make exertions. The day was particularly severe upon the sol- 

 diers, who were less accustomed to this species of fatigue- 

 Never were the shadows of night more grateful to men, who had 

 employed the morning, and the noon, and the evening of the day, 

 in hard labor. We had now reached the fourth source of the pri- 

 mary rivers of the Mississippi, and all heading on the elevation of 

 the Hauteur desTerres, within a circle of perhaps seventy miles. 

 These sources are Itasca Lake, its primary, Ossowa, east fork, 

 Shiba Lake and river, source of Leech Lake, and the present 

 source, The Long Water, being the source of the De Corbeau, 

 or Crow-wing river. 



Gueule Plat, with his Indian secretary, so to call him, or 

 Mishinowa, and their families, came and encamped with us. 

 The chief said that he had many things to speak of, for which 

 he had found no time during my visit. I invited him to sup 

 with the party. Conversation on various topics ensued, and the 

 hour of midnight imperceptibly arrived, before he thought of 

 retiring to his own lodge. I was rather confirmed in the favor- 

 able opinions I have before expressed of him, and particularly 

 in the ordinary, sober routine of his reflections, and the habitual, 

 easy manner, which he evinced of arriving at correct conclu- 

 sions. I could not say as much for his companion and pipe- 

 lighter, Maji Gabowi, a very tall, guant, and savago looking 

 warrior, who appeared to be made up, body and mind, of sen- 

 sualities. And although he appeared to be quiet and passive, 

 and uttered not a single expression that implied passion or vin- 

 diction, I could not divest my mind of the recollection that I 

 was in company with the murderer of Gov. Semple. Who- 

 ever has given much attention to northwestern affairs, will re- 

 collect that this event occurred in the fierce strife carried on 

 between the North West and Hudson's Bay Company. And 



