200 
JOURNAL. 
lieve there are few men so completely master of that secret of 
doing much in a short space of time, which arises, from turning 
every moment to advantage, as Will appear in the course of the 
Journal. This panegyric is due to Mr Lisa, and it would be 
unjust in me to withhold it, after the many marks of attention 
I received from him. Unfortunately, however, from what cause? 
I know not, the majority of the members of the company have 
not the confidence in Mr Lisa, which he so highly merits; but 
on this occasion, he was intrusted with the sole direction of their 
affairs, in some degree, from necessity, as the most proper per¬ 
son to conduct an expedition, which appeared little short of des-* 
perate. The funds of the company were at so low an ebb, that 
it was with some difficulty a barge of twenty tons could be fitted 
out, with merchandise to the amount of a few thousand dollars? 
and to procure twenty hands and a patron. The members were 
unwilling to stake their private credit, where prospects were so 
little flattering. This was also the last year appointed for the 
continuance of the association? and there was no certainty of its 
being renewed. 
With respect to myself, I must own to the reader, that I had 
no other motive for undertaking a tour of several thousand 
miles, through regions but seldom marked, even by the wander¬ 
ing footsteps of the savage, than the mere gratification, of what 
he will term an idle curiosity: and I must confess that I might 
have employed my time more beneficially to myself, and more 
usefully to the community. Would that I were able to make 
some amends, by describing the many interesting objects which 
I witnessed, in such a manner as to enable the reader to parti¬ 
cipate in the agreeable parts of my peregrinations. 
We set off from the village of St. Charles, on Tuesday the 
2d of April, 1811, with delightful weather. The flood of March, 
which immediately succeeds the breaking up of the ice, had be¬ 
gun to subside, yet the water was still high. Our barge was the 
best that ever ascended this river, and manned with twenty stout 
oars-meh. As Mr. Lisa had been a sea captain, he took much 
pains in rigging his boat with a good mast, and main and top¬ 
sail ; these being great helps in the navigation of this river. Our 
equipage, chiefly composed of young men, though several have* 
