Aside From The Official Fees, They Get
Much More For Private Services.
They have more or less evidence to
reduce to writing in nearly every preemption case, for which the
general land office permits them to receive private compensation.
It
is rather necessary that the local land officers should be lawyers, as
they have frequent occasion to decide on litigated land claims.
Many explorations have been made of the region around the head waters
of the Mississippi, the reports of which have conveyed to the world
attractive information of the country, but information which only
approximated to accuracy. In 1806, Lieut. Pike explored the river as
far as Turtle Lake, and returned, thinking, good easy man, full surely
he had discovered the real source of the river, and yet the source of
the river was more than a hundred miles off in another direction.
Lewis and Clarke had ascended the river previously. In 1820, General
Cass, accompanied by Mr. Schoolcraft, explored the river to Cass Lake;
being obliged to stop there on account of the low stage of water which
they heard existed a few days' journey beyond. Again, in 1832, Mr.
Schoolcraft, then superintendent of Indian affairs, made another
expedition, which resulted in his discovery of the true sources of the
river; it being a lake which he named Itasca. It has been said that he
manufactured this beautiful word out of the last syllables of veritas
and the first syllable of caput (the true head). But I have been told
that the word was suggested to his mind by an Indian word signifying
breast. Dr. Johnson says, that a traveller in order to bring back
knowledge should take knowledge with him. That is, that he should have
posted himself up to some extent on the country he visits. I hope it
will not require an affidavit for me to prove that I availed myself of
the suggestion. But I must say I have found great pleasure and profit
in perusing Mr. Schoolcraft's narratives of both his expeditions.
Though he had the encouragement of the government, his undertaking was
surrounded by many obstacles and some dangers. His account of the
whole country is pleasant and instructive to the reader, and shows
that all he saw produced on his mind a favorable impression. The
arduous services of this gentleman as an explorer have been of great
advantage to the country, and his fine literary talents have given his
adventures an historic fame. Not less deserving of applause either
have been his efforts to promote the welfare of the Indians. He now
lives in affluent circumstances at Washington, and, though suffering
under some bodily infirmities, appears (or did when I saw him) to
enjoy life with that serene and rational happiness which springs from
useful employment, and a consciousness that past opportunities have
been improved.
"For he lives twice who can at once employ
The present well and e'en the past enjoy."
There have been other explorations of this part of the country at
different times by Messrs. Long, Nicollet, and Pope. M. Nicollet was
accompanied and assisted by Mr. (then Lieutenant) Fremont. The reports
made of these explorations afford information which, if extensively
known among the people, would tend to direct a larger emigration into
the upper part of the territory. They often launch off into
exclamations as to the beautiful surface of the country; while their
account of native fruits and the bracing climate and fertile soil
picture to the imagination all the elements of a home.
M. Nicollet was a foreign gentleman who possessed superior scientific
knowledge and a rare zeal to prosecute researches. He made an
exploration through the valley of the St. Peter's and the Missouri;
and from thence to the sources of the Mississippi, in the year 1839.
The official report which he made is a valuable document, but
difficult to be obtained. I shall therefore make a few extracts from
it. I should here remark that M. Nicollet died before he had completed
the introduction to his report. "The Mississippi," he says, "holds its
own from its very origin; for it is not necessary to suppose, as has
been done, that Lake Itasca may be supplied with invisible sources, to
justify the character of a remarkable stream, which it assumes at its
issue from this lake. There are five creeks that fall into it, formed
by innumerable streamlets oozing from the clay-beds at the bases of
the hills, that consist of an accumulation of sand, gravel, and clay,
intermixed with erratic fragments; being a more prominent portion of
the great erratic deposit previously described, and which here is
known by the name of 'Hauteurs des Terres' heights of land.
"These elevations are commonly flat at top, varying in height from 85
to 100 feet above the level of the surrounding waters. They are
covered with thick forests, in which coniferous plants predominate.
South of Itasca Lake, they form a semicircular region with a boggy
bottom, extending to the south-west a distance of several miles;
thence these Hauteurs des Terres ascend to the north-west and north;
and then, stretching to the north-east and east, through the zone
between 47 degrees and 48 degrees of latitude, make the dividing ridge
between the waters that empty into Hudson's Bay and those which
discharge themselves into the Gulf of Mexico. The principal group of
these Hauteurs des Terres is subdivided into several ramifications,
varying in extent, elevation, and course, so as to determine the
hydrographical basins of all the innumerable lakes and rivers that so
peculiarly characterize this region of country.
"One of these ramifications extends in a southerly direction under the
name of Coteau du Grand Bois; and it is this which separates the
Mississippi streams from those of the Red River of the North.
"The waters supplied by the north flank of these heights of land
still on the south side of Lake Itasca give origin to the five
creeks of which I have spoken above.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 21 of 50
Words from 20373 to 21376
of 50597
