134 NARRATIVE* &c. 



distance, the Akeek or Kettle River, from the left, and the Ais- 

 sippi, or Shell River, from the right. The latter takes its rise 

 in a lake, which is noted for the number and large size of its 

 fresh water shells. Hence its name. We met a number o^ 

 Indians, on this day's journey who evinced a friendly feeling. 

 We encamped at eight o'clock, with a party of Indian boys, 

 who had come down the river hunting. They were rejoiced on 

 seeing us approach, and spent much of their ammunition in salu- 

 ting us, which a colder feeling of foresight, might have induced 

 them to reserve for the chase. And they offered us some of the 

 scanty products of their evening's labour, thus evincing the truth 

 of the remark, 



"Yet is he free; a morsel though his fare, 

 " That morsel will he, unrepining, share; 

 "A kind companion, and a liberal friend, 

 "Not prone to hoax-d, nor cautious to expend, 

 " Thence, often poor; but not that craven kind, 

 " The low-born meanness of a stingy mind." 



One of the canoemen lacerated his foot on the angular masses 

 of greenstone, which form a shore of angular pebbles, near 

 Snake River. And this rock appeared again distinctly, in 

 place, on the Kettle rapids. Masses of it, were frequently seen 

 in the bed of the river and incumbering its shores, below that 

 point. They were observed to decrease in size and frequency 

 above these rapids, from which it may be inferred, that the 

 rapids themselves are situated near the limits of the formation. 



At Yellow River, we found a considerable assembly of In- 

 dians, who, as they saw our approach for some distance, ranged 

 themselves along the shore, and fired a formal salute. 

 I had visited this place, the same month and nearly the 

 same day, in 1831, and then entered the mouth of the 

 river to form my encampment. But on attempting again 

 to reach the same spot, the water was found so low, that it was 

 impracticable, and I came to the landing in front of a naked 

 eminence, which, the Indians call Pokonokuning, or Place 



