306 APPENDIX 



impute to the skins of animals, which are preserved with religious 

 care, the power of gods. Their medicine institution is also a 

 gross and bold system of semi-deification connected with magic, 

 witchcraft, and necromancy. Their jossakeeds are impostors and 

 jugglers of the grossest stamp. Their wabenos address Satan 

 directly for power ; and their metais, who appear to be least idol- 

 atrous, rely more upon the invisible agency of spirits and magic 

 influence, than upon the physical properties of the medicines they 

 exhibit. 



On reaching Twelve-mile Creek, we found a yoke of steers of 

 H., in a pen, which had been tied there two days and nights with- 

 out water. He evinced, however, an obliging disposition, and, 

 after refreshing ourselves and our horses, we left him to complete 

 the labours of a " local habitation." The intermediate route to 

 Fort Winnebago afforded few objects of either physical or mental 

 interest. The upland soil, which had become decidedly thinner 

 and more arenaceous, after reaching the lake, appears to increase 

 in sterility on approaching the Wisconsin. And the occurrence 

 of lost rocks (primitive boulders), as Mr. B. happily termed them, 

 which are first observed after passing the Blue Mound, becomes 

 more frequent in this portion of the country, denoting our approach 

 to the borders of the north-western primitive formation. This 

 formation, we have now reason to conclude, extends in an angle, 

 so far south as to embrace a part of Fox River, above Apukwa 

 Lake. 



Anticipated difficulties always appear magnified. This we 

 verified in crossing Duck Creek, near its entrance into the Wis- 

 consin. We found the adjoining bog nearly dry, and drove 

 through the stream without the water entering into the body of 

 the wagon. It here commenced raining. Having but four miles 

 to make, and that a level prairie, we pushed on. But the rain 

 increased, and poured down steadily and incessantly till near sun- 

 set. In the midst of this rain-storm we reached the fort, about 

 one o'clock, and crossed over to the elevated ground occupied by 

 the Indian Department, where my sojourn, while awaiting the 

 expedition, was rendered as comfortable as the cordial greeting 

 and kind attention of Mr. Kinzie, the agent, and his intelligent 

 family could make it. 



