mpassable wilderness. Indeed, it was well-nigh
impossible to find even an Indian who had visited it. But at last
one was found in the person of Chenowagesic, a Chippewa brave, who
consented to pilot the party to that lake.

"On July seventeenth everything was in readiness, the three birch
canoes were launched on Leech Lake, and the voyage had fairly
commenced. After crossing Leech Lake the voyagers pushed up the
Gabecanazeba River, which was filled with rushes and wild rice.
Laboriously paddling through these, they reached another lake, and
encamped for the night. Next morning this lake was crossed, and the
first real hardship of the expedition confronted them in the shape
of a portage. The provisions and luggage were taken out of the
canoes and transported on the backs of the Indians across the
country, a distance of three miles, through underbrush so thick
that they could not see ten feet in advance. Five days were spent
in this manner--first paddling across a little lake, and then
making a long portage, until at last Lake Itasca was reached, and
the party encamped on Schoolcraft Island. By this time the Captain
felt convinced from the talk of the guides, particularly of
Chenowagesic, the chief guide, whose words were translated to him,
that Itasca was not the source of the Great River.

"Determined to ascertain the truth, he proceeded at once to make a
thorough exploration of the headwaters of the river, guided in a
great measure by Chenowagesic, who had hunted and trapped for years
in this region. Various streams joining the infant Mississippi were
examined, and found to contain less water than that stream, thus
establishing the fact that Itasca is on the main stream. Then a
thorough exploration of the shores of the lake itself was made.
Several creeks were found to enter it, the chief of which came in
at the southern end of the south-western arm of the lake. Itasca,
at this point, is filled with bulrushes, through which, with great
difficulty, the explorers forced their way, but were rewarded by
finding themselves in a clear, swift-running stream, having an
average depth of about ten or twelve inches, and a width of about
five feet. Up this tortuous stream the canoes were pushed and
dragged, and finally the voyagers shot out upon the surface o