proceed myself to Neenaba’s village.  I stated my determination to the Yellow Lake Indians, and urged their concurrence in my plans, assuring them that I spoke the voice of the President of the United States, who was determined to preserve and carry out the principles of pacification which had been commenced and agreed to, as the basis of the general treaty of Prairie du Chien of 1825.  He had spoken to them at that treaty by two men whom they all well know from St. Louis to Lake Superior—­namely, by the Red-Head (so they call General William Clark) and their Great Father at Detroit (General Cass).  He would not suffer their words to fall to the ground and be buried.  I stood up to renew them.  It was by peace and not war that they could alone flourish.  Their boundaries were all plainly established by that treaty, and there was no sound pretence why one tribe should pass over on the lands of another.  If he did pass, there was no reason at all why he should carry a hatchet in his hand or a war eagle’s feather in his hair.

Shai-wun-e-gun-aibee responded in favorable terms as to the general subject.  The old men desired peace, but could not always control their young men, especially when they heard that their men had been struck.  His voice and hand would be ever on the side of his great American father, and he believed his hands were long enough to reach out and hold them still.  He concluded by some complaints against their trader Dingley.  Said that he had presented them a map of the Yellow River country, and wished them to give it to him.  That he had ill-used some of them by taking away goods which he had before sold them, because they had not paid all.

MOUNDS, SO CALLED.—­Before quitting Yellow River, I asked Kabamappa whether the Pe-li-co-gun-au-gun was a natural or artificial mound.  He replied, that it was natural.  There were three more of these elevations on the opposite side of the river.  He knew nothing further of them.  A large pine was growing on the top of one of them.

Having concluded the business with the Indians, I distributed 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.