Soill'ri' (if fjir ^f/.ssissijijii Rii'ir. Jlioir, i\ '1\^ [ 
at a higher elevation a?s you pass up tlie respective vaUevs than 
the one below, and each valley is drained by a running stream of 
perennial flowage. while at the side of the west arm Klk lake is 
situated, connected with Itasca by Elk creek. 
Lines of measurements and of levels were run to and upllin>ugli 
each of these localities. 
The distances are as follows: 
KKKT. 
From the outlet of Itasca to the extreme southeast point at the 
mouth of 3Iary creek 22,G;:5U 
Up the channel of Mary creek to Mary lake , , . 3,658 
Total 26,297 
From the outlet of Itasca to the extreme southwest point at the 
mouth of XicoUet's Infant Mississippi , 1 7,926 
Thence up the channel to Nicollet's mifldle lake 8,5i:'> 
Total 26,4^9 
From the outlet of Itasca to the mouth of Boutwell creek lo.627 
Length of Boutwdl creek 8,7(J0 
Total 22.>]2T 
From the outlet of Itasca to the mouth of Elk creek 16,727 
Up the channel of Elk creek to Elk lake 1,100 
Total I7,s27 
These are the only streams entering Itasca lake worthy (jf any 
consideration. The vohnne of water, width, depth and tlowage of 
these several streams were carefully ascertained, and the largest 
and most important one. at all times they have been examined l)y 
me. in 1H8S. ISHf) and ISIH. is Xicollefs ■• infant Mississippi 
river. " which has been found to be the largest in volume of water 
and the larger and more important in every particular, with sev- 
eral perennial l>ranches augmenting its prominence above the south- 
west limit of Itasca lake where it discharges its waters into the 
lowest in point of elevation of the several lakes there situated. 
Selecting Mary valley and Nicollet valley as the two most remote 
water sheds within the Mississippi basin, the ordiiuirv rules of 
hydrography were applied, and it was found tiiat .>Iaiv valley con- 
tained the lesser ultimate reservoir and Nicollet \alley the greater 
ultimate reservoir of the Mississippi system, eac-li separate and 
distinct, (b-ained by natural surface flowage. Then came the ap- 
plication of nature's common rule as to whence canu' the waters 
supplying the streams draining these two ultimate wati-r systems 
at the source of the Mississippi. 
