Pike's Explorations in Minnesota, 1805-6

This volume was published in 1872.

Excerpts from the book:

With the history of Minnesota there is intimately associated
the name of General Zebulon M. Pike, U.S.A. who fell in
battle at York, Canada, April 27, 1813. While a lieutenant,
he was ordered by his commanding officer, the once notorious
Gen. Wilkinson, to visit the Indian tribes of the Upper Mississi-
ppi, and expel the British traders. The party under his command
was small, and his conveniences few, yet his work was well
and heroically performed. In the preface to his book he sasy:

"In the execution of this voyage, I had no gentleman to aid
me, and I literally performed the duties of astronomer, sur-
veyor, commanding officer, clerk, spy, guide and hunter
frequently preceding the party for miles, in order to recon-
noitre, and returning in the evening, hungry and fatigued,
to sit down in the open air, by firelight, to copy the notes,
and plot the courses of the day".

It has been the aim of the editor to make judicious extracts
from his journal.

SEPT. 1st, 1805, Sunday. Embarked early; wind fair; arrived
at the lead mines at 12 o'clock. We were saluted with a field
piece, and received with every mark of attention, by Monsieur
Dubuque, the proprietor. There were no horses at the house,
and it was six miles to where the mines were worked; it was
therefore impossible to make a report by actual inspection.
I therefore proposed ten queries, on the answers to which
my report was founded. Dined with Mr. D., who informed
me that the Sioux and Saulteurs were as warmly engaged
in opposition as ever; that not long since the former killed
fifteen Saulteurs, who, on the 10th of August, in return,
killed ten Sioux, at the entrance of the St. Peters; and that
a war party, composed of the Sacs, Reynards and Puants,
of 200 warriors, had embarked on an expedition against the
Saulteurs, but that they had heard that the chief having had
an unfavorable dream, persuaded the party to return, and
that I would meet them on my voyage. At this place I was
introduced to a chief called the Raven of the Reynards. He
made a very flowery speech on the occasion, which I answered
in a few words, accompanied by a small present.

I had now given up all hopes of my two men, and was about
to embark, when a peroque arrived, in which they were,
with a Mr. Blondeau and two Indians, whom that gentleman
had engaged above the rapids of Stony River. The two
soldiers had been six days without anything to eat except
muscles, when they met Mr. James Aird, by whose humanity
and attention their strength and spirits were in a measure
restored, and they were enabled to reach the Reynard village,
where they met with Mr. B. The Indian chief furnished them
with corn and shoes, and showed his friendship by every
possible attention. I immediately discharged the hire of the
Indians, and gave Mr. Blondeau a passage to the Prairie des
Chiens. Left the lead mines at 4 o'clock. Distance 25 miles.