THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST 
Vol. VIIT. DECJ^MBER, 1891. Xo. G. 
JEAN N. NICOLLET. 
X. II. WiNTiiELi,. ^Miiiufapolis.* 
Of that little coterie of earnest geologists, who in the fourth 
decade of the present century inaugurated the system of public 
surve3''s in the TTnited States, and from whose occasional meet- 
ings together sprang the American Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science, and thence much of the popular interest in 
geolog}^ which characterizes the present decade, Jean X. Xicollet 
Avas one of the most learned and enthusiastic. In his inteix'onrse 
with others, whether on the frontier among the rude settlers of 
the prairies, the officers of the frontier forts, or at the meetings 
of the Association of (leologists, his bearing was that of a cult- 
ured and modest scientist, and he won his rapid recognition by 
*For authorit}' for the historic statements of this sketch, the reader is 
referred to the following: Transactions of the Association of American 
(leologists and Xatunilists, 1840-42. IJoston, 1843, pp. 33-34: Ivcport in- 
tended to illustrate a map of the hydrographical basin of the Upper 
Mississipjii river made by .1. N. Nicollet, while in employ' under tlu* 
bureau of Topographical Engineers, Fel). 1(5. 1841, Washini;ton, 184:1. 
[Doc. 237, 2(;th Cong. 2d Sess.'l; Pacitic K. R. Reports. Vol." xi, p. 41: 
Minnesota Historical Collections, ISriO-.jfi, ^'ol. i, p. 183: Ditto, Vol. xi, 
])\). 242-45, 1801: Am. Jour. Sci. (1), xlvii, 130, Sketch by Prof. II. I). 
Rogers. Of all tliese pul)llcations, that in the Vol. of the ^Minnesota His- 
torical Society's publications, l)eing a memoir of Nicollet by Gen. H. H. 
Sibley, is the most important, touching liis personal history. ^lemoirs 
of my Life, by .Tolin Cliarles Fremont, Vol. i, pp. 30-72, contains some 
interesting details of Nicollet's plans and life at Washington. Compare 
also Wheeler's (ieographical Survey west of the lOUtli Meridian. \'ol. 
I, p. .j4S, Washington, 18S0, and tlie Annual Report of tlie Smitlisonian 
Institution, 18T0, p. 104. The autograph seen under his portrait is taken 
from a letter dated St. Anthony Falls, Jan. 27, 183(», nowin the possession 
of Dr. E. D. Neill, St. J^iul, l)y whose courtesy it is used. 
