242 APPENDIX. 



any bursts of feeling, or appeals to the passions or prejudices of 

 the young men, who only looked to the war-path as the avenue 

 of personal distinction. I brought these principles back to their 

 minds, and enforced them by obvious appeals to facts. I told the 

 chief that his political sentiments should be faithfully reported to 

 the government, whose object it was, in the employment of sub- 

 ordinate officers, to accumulate facts, which might form the basis 

 of future action. 



So far as related to the traders withdrawing the article of 

 whiskey from the trade, I felt it due to say that no hard feelings 

 should be entertained towards them. That it was excluded by the 

 office. That the Indians should, in justice blame me, or blame 

 the government, and not the traders. I was satisfied that the use 

 of whiskey was very hurtful to them in every situation, and felt 

 determined to employ every means which the control of the 

 Agency of the North-West gave to me, to exclude the article 

 wholly and rigidly from the Chippewas, and to set the mark of 

 disapprobation upon every trader who should make the attempt 

 to introduce it. 



Having an engagement to meet the Sandy Lake Indians on the 

 22d (after a lapse of five days), and an unknown route to ex- 

 plore, I terminated the council by the distribution of provisions 

 to the Rainy Lake Indians, guides, and chiefs, requested fresh 

 guides for the route into the Ka Ga Gee, or De Corbeau River, 

 and immediately embarked. We encamped on the southern shore 

 of Leech Lake. During the following day (18th), we accom- 

 plished the whole route from this lake to the head waters of the 

 De Corbeau. It consists of five portages of various length, sepa- 

 rated by ten small lakes and ponds. The last of the portages 

 terminates on the handsomely elevated banks of a lake called 

 Kagi Nogum Aug. This lake is the source of this fork of the 

 Mississippi. The Guelle Plat, with the secondary chief of his 

 band, overtook me at the commencement of the fourth portage, 

 and accompanied me to my encampment. He said he had many 

 things which he still wished to consult me on, and spent the even- 

 ing, until twelve o'clock, in conversation. I found him to pos- 

 sess a reflective intelligent mind. He stated to me his opinions 

 on the Sioux war, the boundary line, the trade, location of trading- 



