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DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY BETWEEN 



gation of the interior streams and lakes, together with all the appliances of travel 

 in the Northwest. 



On these accounts, we were advised to proceed to Crow Wing, as the most likely 

 place at which to obtain good voyageurs and canoes suitable for the country we 

 were about to traverse. But, before we could reach that place, most of the clerks 

 had come in and made their " returns," and nearly all the voyageurs acquainted 

 with the section of country I was directed to explore, had left the post. My only 

 chance, therefore, was to wait for the arrival of Mr. Chaboeuliez, who, with several 

 men, was daily expected to arrive from Ked Lake. Mr. C. had been highly recom- 

 mended for the situation Mr. Morrison was to have filled, and it was hoped that his 

 arrival would enable the corps to take the field under the most favourable circum- 

 stances. He reached Crow Wing on the 13th of June, when he accepted the situa- 

 tion, and engaged to join the corps at Fond du Lac, in July. 



On the 15th of June, we completed our arrangements, by the purchase of two 

 half-worn canoes, the best that could be procured ; and left Crow Wing at nine 

 o'clock next morning, with four of the best voyageurs in the Northwest, to begin 

 the reconnoissance of the district of country designated in my instructions. 



As the country bordering the Mississippi between Crow Wing and Sandy Lake 

 has been partially described by Lieutenant Allen and Mr. H. R. Schoolcraft, and 

 subsequently by M. Nicollet, a very brief outline will be given of this part of our 

 journey. 



Between Crow Wing and Rabbit River, the general features of the country differ 

 very little from those of the region immediately around Crow Wing, except that 

 the soil on the general level appears to be thinner and more sandy, and bears a 

 thick growth of small pine. There is also less prairie to be seen from the river. 



Eleven miles above Crow Wing, where we encamped on the 16th, I made an 

 excursion of several miles into the country, and found the forest, over much of the 

 tract traversed, destroyed by fire. Most of the trees had fallen to the ground, and 

 in the course of two or three years, if the annual fires are kept up, the whole tract 

 will be prairie, and not a vestige of the forest which once occupied it will remain. 

 A succession of fires are required to kill the trees, but after that is done, succeeding 

 fires and the wind soon bring them to the ground, and they disappear in a short 

 time. From facts which have come under my observation in several parts of the 

 territory, I am led to believe, that if, after the clearing of the pine forests, the annual 

 fires cease, a growth of oak springs up in some places, and aspen in others. 



Up to Rabbit River there is but little bottom land. The bottoms which occur 

 are rich, and support an excellent growth of oak, bass-wood, elm, aspen, and some 

 soft maple, but most of them are narrow and subject to overflow during high freshets. 



About four miles above the mouth of Rabbit River, good second-rate pine occurs 

 on the ridges on both sides of the Mississippi. The river bottoms also begin to 

 widen, and in addition to the timber just named, butternut, ash, and birch are 

 common. Two miles further up, White Bearskin River comes in from the west. 

 The shores of this stream, as well as those of the lake from which it flows, are 

 represented as being covered with first-rate pine. The pinery of which this forms 

 a part, extends beyond Pine River, which enters the Mississippi from the west, 



