the group of ladies, said, with due ceremony,
"This is the Queen, ladies; make room for the Queen;" but as this
specimen of royalty was almost too highly perfumed with a mingled odor
of fish and musk-rat to suit the cultivated taste of her entertainers,
they did not hail her advent with any marked enthusiasm.

When all was in order, Colonel Leavenworth stepped forth, and, through
an interpreter, formally requested of the Chief permission to pass
peaceably through their country. The Chief, a very handsome young
brave, advanced, and, with his right arm uncovered, said, with most
expressive gestures: "My brother, do you see the calm, blue sky above
us? Do you see the lake that lies so peacefully at our feet? So calm,
so peaceful are our hearts towards you. Pass on!" With this full
permission so gracefully bestowed, after resting and refreshing
themselves among their newly-made friends, the troops left among them
a liberal supply of beads and trinkets and passed on to that point on
the river, least distant from the Ouisconsin, where they made a
portage, transporting their boats and supplies, by the aid of Indians
hired for the purpose, a distance of a mile and a half. This was a
tedious process, but was at last successfully accomplished, and the
boats were again afloat on the stream, called by the Indians the
"Nee-na-hoo-na-nink-a," (beautiful little river), and by the whites
"Ouisconsin," the French orthography for what we now write
"Wisconsin." The place of transit from one river to the other was
known for years as the Portage. At the point where the troops made
preparations for crossing it was afterwards built Fort Winnebago, and
directly opposite the fort, on a pretty knoll, stood for many years
the Indian agency occupied for a long time by John Kinzie, agent,
afterwards better known as one of the first owners of Chicago, and
Mrs. Kinzie's "Waubun," or early day, gives a very pleasant and
reliable account of that locality and the surrounding country. The
point on the Wisconsin where the re-embarkation of the troops took
place has grown into Portage City.

In spite of heavy rains and other discouraging circumstances, the
tedious descent of the Ouisconsin was at length successfully
accomplished, and at its mouth stood old Fort Crawford and a
settlement of French and half-breeds called "Prairie du Chien." This
fort was simply a rude barracks, and far from comfortable. The two
months' journey from Buffalo had been very t