ITINERARY OF ROUTE FROM ST. PAUL TO FORT UNION. 
July 18.—Shayenne river, southern fork; forty feet wide; two feet deep; gravelly 
bottom, and easily crossed ; river flows deep below the prairie, with high banks, 
and without wood. 
Rolling, hilly prairie ; passing Butte de Morale on the right. 
Undulating country; pass a long, narrow lake on the right, some four and a half 
miles long; night camp on an extensive, high knoll, with wood, excellent water, 
and grass. 
July 19.—Prairie with marshy spots, and ponds, and knolls, as usual; seven 
and three-quarter miles from commencement of march ; cross a small brook ; camp 
by a small pond, with water and grass. 
July 20.—Rolling prairie, with gravelly, barren knolls, small marshes and ponds; 
cross Wintering river, a small, sluggish stream, with a muddy bottom, and difficult 
of passage; water some four feet deep at crossing; nearly motionless, and one hun¬ 
dred feet wide; goods taken over partly in boat; wagons drawn through half 
loaded ; prairies covered with marshes and ponds to camp by a small pond ; no 
wood ; water tolerable ; grass good.. 
July 21.—Reach Mouse river in about six miles’ march, and camp on the edge 
of a coulee making down to the river on its west side. Mouse river is some one 
hundred and twenty feet wide and quite deep—too deep to ford. It has an inter¬ 
vale one-half to one mile wide ; flows deep below the prairie—some two hundred 
feet below the general prairie level; is well wooded. The immediate banks are 
muddy and the water is turbid. The valley of Mouse river is cut up with deep 
coulees or ravines, reaching back from the river on both sides for fifteen or twenty 
miles. These deep coulees make the travelling very laborious and difficult, and 
wagons should keep far enough distant from the river to head these coulees, or to 
cross them where they are shallow and offer little obstruction. In these bottoms 
are small rivulets making down to Mouse river, and supplying running and cool 
water. Scattered trees, sufficient for camping, are also to be found in them. Night 
camp good in grass, water, and wood.. 
July 22.—Skirting the valley of Mouse river, crossing the coulees near their 
heads. The prairie between the coulees is level and dry. Night encampment 
near a small, sluggish stream making into Mouse river. Grass and water good ; no 
wood. A party from the second and larger band of Red River half-breeds visit 
this camp. 
July 24.—Undulating prairie country, with occasional small marshes and 
ponds. The route follows immediately under the rolling knolls and hills, making 
up the high ridge termed the “ Grand Coteau,” and crosses several coulees at their 
head. Camp near a small pond with water and grass ; no wood. 
July 25.—Route through an undulating and hilly country, approaching the Grand 
Coteau ; knolls stony, and scantily covered with soil or grass. Night camp by a 
small lake, with grass and water ; no wood. 
July 20.—Undulating prairie, with a smooth and good road, rarely broken by 
marshes or coulees. Night camp by a small pond ; good grass ; no wood. 
July 27.—Pass the Grand Coteau; a collection of high, stony, and barren knolls, 
with great numbers of small ponds lodged between the hills. About eleven miles 
from the morning camp are two lakes, between which the train passes ; the 
southern and larger of the two lakes is the source of one of the tributaries of White 
