Narrative Journal of Travels Through the Northwestern Regions of the United States: Extending from Detroit Through the Great Chain of American Lakes to the Sources of the Mississippi River, Performed as a Member of the Expedition Under Governor Cass in the Year 1820Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (1793-1864) was an explorer, Indian agent, and early ethnologist of Native American culture who joined an expedition organized by Governor Cass of Michigan in 1819. Its purpose was to locate the Mississippi River's sources, to explore the Great Lakes region, and to describe its significant topographical features, natural history, and mineral wealth. Schoolcraft joined the expedition as a mineralogist, and this is the journal of his participation. He describes his preliminary journey from New York to Detroit, where the expedition embarks for Michilimackinac and presses on to Sault de Ste. Marie and Fond du Lac. Eventually the explorers locate Lake Itasca in Minnesota, where the Mississippi originates. Schoolcraft also highlights St. Peter's, Prairie du Chien, the lead mines at Dubuque, and Green Bay, and devotes a whole chapter to the Ontagenon River and its nearby copper mines. His journal blends narrative with historical, ethnographic and statistical information. |
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Page 22
... animals . After travelling fifteen miles through the Pine Plains , which present a succession of the most uninteresting views , the eye is relieved on emer- ging , somewhat abruptly , from the forest of pines , on entering the city of ...
... animals . After travelling fifteen miles through the Pine Plains , which present a succession of the most uninteresting views , the eye is relieved on emer- ging , somewhat abruptly , from the forest of pines , on entering the city of ...
Page 89
... animals , which have been transported from one hemisphere to the other . Several idioms , which now form the language of barba- rous nations only , seem to be wrecks of languages , once rich , flex- ible , and belonging to a more ...
... animals , which have been transported from one hemisphere to the other . Several idioms , which now form the language of barba- rous nations only , seem to be wrecks of languages , once rich , flex- ible , and belonging to a more ...
Page 103
... . Geolo- gists have yet to learn , however , that the fleshy part of snakes or other amphibious animals , has ever been discovered in a state of petrifaction ! gaged in the lake trade , and is occasionally resorted 103.
... . Geolo- gists have yet to learn , however , that the fleshy part of snakes or other amphibious animals , has ever been discovered in a state of petrifaction ! gaged in the lake trade , and is occasionally resorted 103.
Page 105
... animals now remaining in the forests along Lake Huron . Circumstances have been equally unpropitious in their attempts up- on the ducks , and other aquatic birds , which have occasionally , although not in large flocks , been seen along ...
... animals now remaining in the forests along Lake Huron . Circumstances have been equally unpropitious in their attempts up- on the ducks , and other aquatic birds , which have occasionally , although not in large flocks , been seen along ...
Page 123
... animals continue to form the staple articles of the trade - whether the propor- tion of skins varies greatly in different years - and whether there is an increase or diminution of the total amount , are the secrets of a business of ...
... animals continue to form the staple articles of the trade - whether the propor- tion of skins varies greatly in different years - and whether there is an increase or diminution of the total amount , are the secrets of a business of ...
Other editions - View all
NARRATIVE JOURNAL OF TRAVELS T Henry Rowe 1793-1864 Schoolcraft,Joseph Meredith Toner Collection (Librar No preview available - 2016 |
Narrative Journal of Travels Through the Northwestern Regions of the United ... Henry Rowe Schoolcraft No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
alluvial animal appears ascended banks beautiful bluffs buffalo calcareous canoes Cass Charlevoix Chippeway colour commenced consists DAY.-(August DAY.-(September descended Detroit distance east eight elevated embarked encamped Erie expedition falls of St feet fish five foot forest forty four French garrison Governor granite Green Bay half head hornblende hundred Huron river Indians island Lake Huron Lake Pepin Lake Superior land leagues limestone Louis river Mackinac maple Michilimackinac mineral Mississippi Mississippi river morning Moss Island New-York northwest northwestern o'clock observed Ontonagon Ousconsing Peter's petrifactions pine portage Prairie du Chien present quartz rain rapid region river rock sand stone Sandy Lake Sault de St savages scene shore Sioux six miles sixty soil species spot strata stratum stream tion town travelling trees tribes tributary twenty village voyage voyageurs weather width wild rice wind woods yards
Popular passages
Page 228 - Where slaves once more their native land behold, No fiends torment, no Christians thirst for gold. To Be, contents his natural desire, He asks no Angel's wing, no Seraph's fire; But thinks, admitted to that equal sky, His faithful dog shall bear him company.
Page 210 - In all her length far winding lay, With promontory, creek, and bay, And islands that, empurpled bright, Floated amid the livelier light ; And mountains, that like giants stand, To sentinel enchanted land.
Page 326 - Though much defaced by time, every angle was distinguishable, and appeared as regular and fashioned with as much military skill as if planned by Vauban himself. The ditch was not visible, but I thought on examining more curiously, that I could perceive there certainly had been one. From its situation also, I am convinced that it must have been designed for this purpose.
Page 351 - Thus every good his native wilds impart, Imprints the patriot passion on his heart; And e'en those ills, that round his mansion rise, Enhance the bliss his scanty fund supplies. Dear is that shed to which his soul conforms, And dear that hill which lifts him to the storms; And as a child, when scaring sounds molest, Clings close and closer to the mother's breast, So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind's roar, But bind him to his native mountains more.
Page 57 - ... to be beneficial, she should be rewarded for it, she informed him, that at the council to be held with the Indians the following day, ' Pontiac and his chiefs intended to murder him ; and, after having massacred the garrison and inhabitants, to plunder the town. That, for this purpose, all the chiefs who were to be admitted into the...
Page 288 - The United States promise, on their part, to permit the Sioux to pass and repass, hunt, or make other use of the said districts as they have formerly done without any other exception than those specified in article first.
Page 115 - ... by the adversary. At such a moment, therefore, nothing could be less liable to excite premature alarm, than that the ball should be tossed over the pickets of the fort, nor that, having fallen there, it should be followed on the instant by all engaged in the game, as well the one party as the other, all eager, all struggling, all shouting, all in the unrestrained pursuit of a rude athletic exercise.
Page 59 - He then continued to tell them, that as he had given his word, at the time they desired an audience, that their persons should be safe, he would hold his promise inviolable, though they so little deserved it. However, he advised them to make the best of their way out of the fort, lest his young men, on being acquainted with their treacherous purposes, should cut every one of them to pieces.
Page 57 - ... pretence of trading, but privately armed in the same manner. Having gained from the woman every necessary particular relative to the plot, and also the means by which she acquired a knowledge of them, he dismissed her with injunctions of secrecy, and a promise of fulfilling on his part with punctuality the engagements he had entered into. " The intelligence the governor had just received gave him great uneasiness, and he immediately consulted the officer who was next him in command on the subject.
Page 57 - She told him, after much hesitation, that as he had always behaved with great goodness towards her, she was unwilling to take away the remainder of the skin, because he put so great a value upon it; and yet had not been able to prevail upon herself to tell him so. He then asked her, why she was more reluctant to do so now, than she had been when she made the former pair. With increased reluctance she answered, that she never should be able to bring them back.