CorreapoHdeiice. 325 
one valley, whose drainage, greatly obstructed by peaty accumulations 
and hid from sight, really should be called one stream. This is the view 
that has been taken by the Minnesota Historical Society, under the 
guidance of Nicollet and after the careful survey of Mr. J. V. Brower, 
superintendent of Itasca state park. Mr. Glazier, however, in his late 
publication traces Nicollet creek only up to the great "spring," thus 
giving it only a length as stated of 7,307 feet. On the contrary it may 
be recalled that in northern Minnesota such obstruction of the courses 
of streams is not uncommon. The writer has known many instances. 
Bogs sometimes cover the direct drainage courses of streams, and on 
these bogs Vjushes of considerable size are sometimes found growing. 
Streams disappear in such places, but they reappear at lower points. 
The St. Louis river, which enters lake Superior at Duluth, was formerly 
permanently hid from sight for the greater part of a mile in the vicinity 
of Cloquet, by passing under floating vegetable matter, a veritable raft, 
on which grew small birches and willows. All streams which drain a 
rich country in which vegetation is abundant and easily detached are 
liable to such interruption, or to such "suljterranean" passages. Such 
accidents do not destroy their identity and cannot be said to termi- 
nate their courses as continuous streams. It appears, according to all 
the* testimony, that Nicollet creek suffers such obscuration. If it be 
allowed its legitimate southward extension, according to Mr. Brower, 
its 'e.xtent is considerably more than the extent of the valley drained 
by Excelsior creek. Mr. Glazier entirely ignores the upper portion of 
Nicollet creek. 
In respect to the second question. Can Glazier be considered the dis- 
coverer of the lake to which he has given his name?, we can but answer 
No. It is a lake, of large size for the nature of the surrounding coun- 
try, and it is very singular that neither Schoolcraft nor Nicollet ever saw 
it. They had Indian guides and were in search of the same end — the 
source of the Mississippi — but they were not conducted to it. On the 
other hand their guides led them to the Nicollet valley. But in 1875 
this lake was discovered and its size was mapped by the officers of the 
United States land survey, under direction of Gen. J. H. Baker, of St. 
Paul. It was given the name which was current, viz.. Elk lake,* and 
as such it appears on the government plats. It has been supposed also 
that Julius Chambers entered the same lake in 1872, but Mr. Glazier 
makes it to appear quite doubtful, showing that the description given 
by Chambers applies better to one of the lakes of Nicollet creek. How- 
ever, that Glazier was antedated, by six years, by the U. S. Government 
surveyors even Glazier himself does not deny. He bases his claim to 
priority on the ground that their business was not to seek the source of 
the Mississippi, and that they did not trace out its feeders, and that 
they did not publish their exploits in a manner commensurate with 
*The statement has been made, apparently on the autliority of Schoolcraft, that 
Itasca lake was formerly called Elk or 0//i(As7i,/ofy.s lake. But it is diflicult to affirm 
that on th(^ authority of Schoolcraft when later authorities are considered. Oz.-iwin- 
dib, his Kuid(^ said "'(hiiosli.k-os" when Schoolcraft poiutcd up tlie west arm of Itasca 
lake, and lie seems now to liave referred to the lake beyond Itasca lake, wiuwe deer 
and moose tracks were found so numerous t).\ (il.izier. 
