without imminent peril and loss.  Lieut.  Allen had halted to make some observations, when his men incautiously failed for a moment to keep his canoe direct in the current.  The moment it assumed a transverse position, which they attempted to fix by grasping some bushes on the opposite bank, the water dashed over the gunwales, and swept all to the bottom.  He succeeded in gaining his feet, though the current was waist high, and recovered his fowling piece, but irretrievably lost his canoe-compass, a nautical balanced instrument, and everything besides.  Fortunately I had a fine small land-compass, which Gen. Macomb had presented to the late John Johnston, Esq., of St. Mary’s, many years before, and thus I measurably repaired his loss.  On descending this channel, the river again displayed itself in savannas, and assumed a width which it afterwards maintained, and lost its savage ferocity of current, though still strong.

On this plateau, the river receiving on its left the War River, or Piniddiwin (the term has relation to the mangled flesh of those slain in battle), a considerable stream, at the mouth of which the Indian reed first shows itself.  We had, the day previous, noticed the Chemaun, or Canoe River, tributary from the right bank.  Minor tributaries were not noticed.  The volume of water was manifestly increased from various sources.  At a spot where we landed, as evening came on, we observed a species of striped lizard, which our guide called Okautekinabic, which signifies legged-snake.  Various species of the duck and other water fowl were almost continually in sight.  We reached the junction of the Plantagenet Fork about one o’clock at night (15th), and rapidly passing the Irving and Cross-water Lakes, descended to Cass Lake, reaching our encampment at nine o’clock in the morning.

A day’s rest restored the party from its fatigues, and we set out at ten o’clock the following day (16th) for Leech Lake, by the overland route.  Two hours rowing brought us to a fine sandy beach at the head of a bay, which was named Pike’s Bay, from Lieut.  Pike having approached from this direction in the winter of 1806.  Here the baggage and canoes were prepared for a portage.  A walk of nine hundred and fifty yards, through open pine forest, brought us to the banks of Moss Lake, which we passed in canoes.  A portage of about two miles and a-half was now made to the banks of a small lake, which, as I heard no name for it, was called Shiba, from the initials of the names of the five gentlemen of the party.[62] This lake has an outlet into a large stream, which the Pillager Chippewas call Kapuka Sagitawag.  It was nearly dark when we embarked on this stream, which soon led, by a very narrow and winding channel, into the main river.  Pushing on, we reached and crossed an arm of the lake to the principal Indian village of Guelle Plat, Leech Lake, which we reached at ten o’clock at night.

[Footnote 62:  Schoolcraft, Houghton, Johnston, Boutwell, Allen.]