262 RED RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 



recalling to mind the appearance of the ponds in Bed 

 Eiver and the Assinniboine valleys. In the woods we 

 met sixteen carts from St. Paul, bound to St. Joseph's, and 

 laden with tea, sugar, powder, and dry goods. We de- 

 scended the successive steps of the southern slope rapidly, 

 and soon reached a warmer climate ; passed little Eed 

 Eiver at noon, and camped in the middle of the prairie, 

 hearing, not without pleasurable feelings, the barking of 

 dogs during the night, which, besides indicating our ap- 

 proach to settlements, was suggestive of pleasant thoughts 

 and delightful anticipations. The prevailing character of 

 the soi], hitherto, is light, but the country is truly beau- 

 tiful. 



On Wednesday, 21st, we arrived at a house near Leaf 

 Eiver, called by its occupants Leaf City, and so repre- 

 sented on the official map of Minnesota ; it is within a few 

 miles of Otter Tail city, on Otter Tail Lake. Otter Tail city 

 contains half a dozen log-houses, and is intended by its 

 present proprietors to become a town of importance. 

 Leaf Eiver connects the waters which flow into Eed 

 Eiver with those which seek the Mississippi basin, and 

 during floods a canoe can pass from one watershed to 

 the other without difficulty. South of Leaf Eiver the 

 country becomes rolling with deep valleys and extensive 

 swamps between the hills. Leaf Eiver is fringed with a 

 magnificent forest, in which we recognised many trees 

 not seen since leaving Canada. 



Camped on the 22nd seven miles from Crow Wing 

 Eiver. During the day we met the Eoman Catholic bishop 

 and two priests, together with some French Canadian 

 emigrants bound to Eed Eiver. Early the next morning, 

 after passing through a poor country, we arrived at Crow 

 Wing Eiver, where we found a new store well-stocked with 



