istributed presents
of provisions, ammunition, and tobacco. I purchased a canoe of small
draft from an Indian named Shoga, and immediately embarked on my return
up the St. Croix. That night we lodged in our camp of the 31st. The next
morning we were in motion by five o'clock, and reached the grand forks
by nine. We entered and began the ascent of the Namakagun.

INDIAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.--We soon met a brother of Kabamappa, called
the Day Ghost, and four other heads of families, with their families,
on their way to the council at Yellow River. Informed them of what had
been done, and gave them tobacco, whereupon they determined to re-ascend
the Namakagun with us. There were ten persons. One of the young men
fired at a flock of pigeons, hitting and killing two. A distance above,
they went through a cut-off, and saved a mile or more, while we went
round, showing their superior knowledge of the geography. At the great
bends, the women got out of the canoes and walked. The old men also
walked up. We reached their lodges about 4 o'clock. I exchanged canoes
with Day Ghost, and gave him the difference. We encamped at a late hour
on the left bank (ascending), having come about forty-two miles--a
prodigious effort for the men. To make amends, they ate prodigiously,
and then lay down and slept with the nightmare. Poor fellows, they
screamed out in their sleep. But they were up and ready again at 5
o'clock the next morning, with paddle and song.

PICTOGRAPHY.--At 11 o'clock we landed, on the right bank, at the site of
an old encampment, for breakfast. I observed a symbolic inscription, in
the ideographic manner, on a large blazed pine--the _Pinus resinosa_. It
consisted of seven representative, and four symbolic devices, denoting
the totems, or family names, of two heads of families, while encamped
here, and their success in hunting and fishing. The story told was this:
That two men, one of whom was of the Catfish clan, and the other of the
clan of the Copper-tailed Bear--a mythological animal--had been rewarded
with mysterious good luck, each according to his totem. The Catfish man
had caught six large catfish, and the Copper-tailed Bear man had killed
a black bear. The resin of the pine had covered the inscription,
rendering it impervious to the weather.

NATURAL HISTORY.--The _nymphaea odorata_ borders the edge of the river.
Dr. H., this morning, found the _bidens_, which has but two localities
in the United States besides.