follows in a few words of true Indian eloquence: 'My brother, I
have come with you through many lakes and rivers to the head of the
Father of Waters. The shores of this lake are my hunting-ground. Here I
have had my wigwam and planted corn for many years. When I again roam
through these forests, and look on this lake, source of the Great River,
I will look on you.'

"The latitude of this lake is not far from 47 deg.. Its height above the sea
is an object of geographical interest which, in the absence of actual
survey, it may subserve the purposes of useful inquiry to estimate. From
notes taken during the ascent it cannot be less than seven feet above
Lake Itasca. Adding the estimate of 1,575 feet submitted by Schoolcraft
in 1832, as the elevation of that lake, the Mississippi may be said to
originate in an altitude of 1,582 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Taking
former estimates as the basis and computing reasonably through the
western fork, its length may be placed at 3,184 miles. Assuming that the
barometrical height of its source is 1,582 feet, it has a mean descent
of over six inches per mile.

"At Lake Bemidji the Mississippi reaches its highest northing, which is
in the neighborhood of 47 deg. 30'. The origin of the river in an untraveled
and secluded region between Leech Lake and the Red River of the North,
not less than a degree of latitude south of Turtle Lake, which was for a
long time supposed to be the source, removes both forks of the stream
outside the usual track of the fur-traders, and presents a good reason,
perhaps, why its fountain-head has remained so long enveloped in
uncertainty."

The information imparted in the foregoing extract brings the whole gist
of the important discovery within the compass of a few paragraphs, and
it will be readily seen from this clear description of the new-found
lake that the source of the Mississippi is at last correctly located.
Many others have attempted to find it: Schoolcraft was sent out by the
Government especially for its discovery, but it remained for Captain
Glazier to successfully accomplish an undertaking which had hitherto
baffled the most determined explorers. This, too, he did entirely at his
own expense, and with no other motive than such as an ardent search
after truth inspires in ambitious minds. He had long doubted that Itasca
was the source of our greatest river. He knew no other way of satisfying
his doubt than by going himself to the remotest head