Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1820 / Resumed and Completed, by the Discovery of its Origin in Itasca Lake, in 1832

by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

4. TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHY.

IX.
ASTRONOMICAL AND BAROMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS.

1. A Table of Geographical Positions on the Mississippi River at Low Water, observed in 1836.[ [275] By J. N. Nicollet.

PLACES OF OBSERVATION.		ESTIMATED DISTANCES BY WATER.		Altitudes above the Gulf of Mexico.[ [276]	North latitudes.			WEST OF GREENWICH.						Authorities, &c.
		From place to place.	From the Gulf of Mexico.					Longitudes in time.			Longitudes in arc.
Mouths of the Mississippi		Miles.	Miles.	Feet.	°	´	´´	h.	m.	s.	°	´	´´
Northeast pass	The old Balize of the French and pilothouse,	...	...	...	29	7	15.3	5	56	18.44	89	4	36.6	Captain A. Talcott.
	Lighthouse at the entrance	...	...	...	29	8	32.8	5	56	5.52	89	1	22.9	do.
South passlighthouse at the entrance		...	...	...	28	59	42.3	5	56	29.40	89	7	27.1	do.
Southwest pass	The new Balize and pilothouse on the east bayou	...	...	...	28	59	49.5	5	57	15.88	89	18	58.2	do.
	The new lighthouse, completed January, 1840	...	...	...	28	58	50	5	57	25.80	89	21	27	do.
New Orleans Cathedral and level of its front pavement		104	104	10.5	29	57	23	5	59	56	89	59	4
Note.	—Level of the Mississippi above the Gulf of Mexico, 0.5 foot.	...	...	...	...			...			...			Albert Stein, C. E.
	Greatest depth of the Mississippi at low water, 113 feet.
	Range between high and low water, 13 feet.
Red River, north end of the island, opposite the mouth		236	340	76	31	2	25	6	6	45	91	41	15	Nicollet.
Natchez,	lighthouse	66	406	86	31	33	37	6	5	53.5	91	28	22.5	do.
	general level of the city	...	...	264
Note.—Range between high and low water, in 1835, 52 feet
Yazoo River, the mouth		128	534	...	32	28	00	6	3	58	90	59	30	Ferrer.
White River, Montgomery's Landing, one mile above the mouth		220	754	202	33	57	20	6	1	47	90	26	45	Nicollet.
New Madrid, Missouri		361	1,115	...	36	34	30	5	57	49	89	27	15	Ferrer.
Ohio River, north side of the mouth		101	1,216	824	37	00	25	5	56	10	89	2	30	Ferrer's longitude.
Cape Girardeau		41	1,257	...	37	18	39	5	57	8	89	17	00	Long's 1st expedition.
St. Genevieve, Catholic church, and level of its pavement		73	1,330	372	37	59	47	6	0	44.7	90	11	10	Nicollet.
St. Louis, garden of the Cathedral		60	1,390	382	38	37	28	6	1	2.6	90	15	39	do.
Illinois River, the mouth		36	1,426	...	38	58	12	...			...			Long's 1st expedition.
Moingonan River (Des Moines River), a small island at the mouth		168	1,594	444	40	21	43	6	6	10	91	32	30	Nicollet.
Montrose, or old Fort Des Moines, the mouth of the creek		15	1,609	470	40	30	34	6	6	4	91	31	00	do.
Flint River, the mouth, above Burlington		30	1,639	486	40	52	56	...			...			do.
Maskudeng, the middle mouth of the slough		39	1,678	505	41	14	47	6	5	26	91	21	30	do.
Rock Island, a quarter of a mile above Davenport's residence		44	1,722	528	41	31	50	...			...			do.
Head of the Upper Rapids, below Port Biron and Parkhurst		15	1,737	554	41	36	8	6	1	56	90	29	00	do.
Prairie du Chien (Kipisaging), American Fur Company's house		195	1,932	642	43	3	6	6	4	37.3	91	9	19.5	do.
Summit of bluff on the eastern side of Prairie du Chien		...	...	1,010
Capàl'ail, the summitheight above the Mississipi, 335 feet		32	1,964	1,013	...			...			...			do.
Upper Iowa River, island at the mouth		14	1,978	...	43	29	26	6	4	40	91	10	00	do.
Hokah River (Root River), the mouth		23	2,001	...	43	47	00	6	4	46	91	11	30	do.
Praire à la Crosse River, the mouth		3	2,004	...	43	49	00	6	4	56	91	14	00	do.
Sappah River, or Black River opposite the old mouth		31	2,035	683	43	57	14	6	5	36	91	24	00	do.
Top of mountain on right bank, opposite the old mouth		...	...	1,214	...			...			...			do.
Dividing ridge between Sappah River and Prairie à la Crosse River, 6 miles east of Mississippi		...	...	1,103	...			...			...			do.
Mountain Island, or Montagne qui trempe à l'Eau of the French		7	2,042	...	44	1	7	6	6	2	91	30	30	Nicollet.
Miniskah River, or White-water River		27	2,069	...	44	12	36	6	7	25	91	51	15	do.
Wazi-oju River, or Pinewood River (Rivière aux Embarras of the French)		1	2,070	...	44	13	20	6	7	22	91	50	30	do.
At Roque's, two and a half miles below Chippeway River		14	2,084	...	44	23	24	6	8	00	92	00	00	do.
Clear Water River, the mouth, northwest corner of Lake Pepin		...	...	...	44	36	20	6	9	40	92	25	00	do.
Reminicha (Montagne la Grange of the French), upper end of Lake Pepin		31	2,115	714	44	33	30	6	10	4	92	31	00	do.
Top of Reminicha		...	...	1,036	...			...			...			do.
La Hontan River, the mouth (Cannon River of the Americans, Canoe River of the French)		3	2,118	...	44	34	00	6	10	8	92	32	00	do.
St. Croix River, the mouth		32	2,150	729	44	45	30	6	11	00	92	45	00	do.
Upland on the banks of the Mississippi and Lake St. Croix		...	...	866	...			...			...			do.
St. Peter's, the mouth		42	2,192	744	44	52	46	6	12	19.6	93	4	54	do.
General level of the plateau on which Fort Snelling and the Indian agency stand		...	...	850	...			...			...			do.
Pilot Knob, the top		...	...	1,006	...			...			...			do.
Falls of St. Anthony, United States Cottage		8	2,200	856	44	58	40	6	12	42	93	10	30	do.
Ishkode-wabo River, or Rum River, the mouth		19	2,219	...	45	15	00	...			...			do.
Karishon River (Sioux), or Undeg River (Chippewas), Crow River of the Americans		10	2,229	...	45	16	00	...			...			do.
St. Francis River, Wicha-niwa River of the Sioux		9	2,238	...	45	20	30	...			...			Nicollet.
Migadiwin Creek, or War Creek, the mouth		18	2,256	...	45	18	14	6	15	50	93	57	30	do.
Kawakomik River, or Clear-Water River, the mouth		24	2,280	...	45	24	25	6	16	30	94	7	30	do.
Round Island, at the lower end of Osakis Rapids		...	...	...	45	35	00	6	16	48	94	12	00	do.
Osakis River, the mouth		22	2,302	...	45	35	35	6	16	48	94	12	00	do.
Watab River, the mouth		3	2,305	...	45	37	00	6	16	58	94	14	30	do.
Pekushino River, the mouth		18	2,323	...	45	46	50	6	17	14	94	18	30	do.
Wabezi River, or Swan River, a half mile above the mouth		18	2,341	1,098	45	54	30	6	17	28	94	22	00	do.
Omoshkos River, or Elk River, the mouth		10	2,351	...	46	4	00	6	17	4	94	16	00	do.
Nokay's River, the mouth		18	2,369	...	46	10	30	6	17	15	94	18	45	do.
Kagi-wigwan River, the mouth (Aile de Corbeau River of the French, Crow-Wing River of the Americans)		12	2,381	1,130	46	16	50	6	17	31	94	22	45	do.
Nagadjika River, opposite the mouth		18	2,399	...	46	26	00	...			...			do.
Pine River, the mouth		30	2,429	1,176	46	35	00	...			...			do.
Willow River, the mouth		65	2,494	...	46	40	30	6	13	30	93	22	30	do.
Sandy Lake River, the mouth		32	2,526	1,253	46	47	10	6	12	38	93	9	30	do.
Swan River, the mouth		38	2,564	1,290	47	00	43	6	12	36	93	9	00	do.
Kabikons, or Little Falls, the head of the falls		63	2,627	1,840	47	14	50	6	13	47	93	26	45	do.
Wanomon River, or Vermilion River, the mouth		21	2,648	...	47	11	4	6	14	10	93	32	30	do.
Eagle Nest savannah (Marais aux Nids d'Aigle of the French)		16	2,664	...	47	18	10	6	14	36	93	39	00	do.
Leach Lake River, the mouth		11	2,675	1,356	47	14	00	6	14	52	93	43	00	do.
Lake Cass, the old trading-house on a tongue of land near the entrance of the Mississippi		80	2,755	1,402	47	25	23	6	18	16	94	34	00	do.
Pemidji Lake, or Lake Travers, the entrance of the Mississippi		45	2,800	1,456	47	28	46	6	19	22	94	50	30	do.
Itasca Lake, Schoolcraft's Island		90	2,890	1,575	47	13	35	6	20	8	95	2	00	do.
Utmost sources of the Mississippi, at the summit of the Hauteurs de Terre, or dividing ridge, between the Mississippi and Red River of the North		6	2,896	1,680

TABLE OF GEOGRAPHICAL POSITIONS—Continued

Regions of the Sources of the Mississippi.

PLACES OF OBSERVATION.	Altitudes above the Gulf of Mexico.	North latitudes.			WEST OF GREENWICH.						Authorities, &c.
					Longitudes in time.			Longitudes in arc.
	Feet.	°	´	´´	h.	m.	s.	°	´	´´
Gayashk River, or Little Gull River, the mouth	1,131	46	18	50	6	17	44	94	26	00	Nicollet.
Gayashk Lake, or Little Gull Lake, end of Long Point	1,152	46	24	28	6	17	30	94	22	30	do.
Kadicomeg Lake, or WhiteFish Lake, the entrance of Pine River	1,192	46	40	25	6	16	10	94	2	30	do.
Lake Chanché, southwest end	...	46	46	35	...			...			do.
Lake Eccleston, northwest end	...	46	57	00	...			...			do.
Leech Lake, Ottertail Point	1,380	47	11	40	6	17	20	94	20	00	do.
Leech Lake, the bay opposite Ottertail Point	...	47	7	22	6	17	28	94	22	00	do.
Kabekonang River, the junction of the upper fork, near the nextmentioned portage	1,406	47	16	00	...			...			do.
Portage from Kabekonang River to La Place River, near the west end	1,540	47	15	00	...			...			do.
Assawa Lake, below the south end	1,532	47	12	10	6	19	40	94	55	00	do.
Highest ridge on the portage between Assawa Lake and Itasca Lake	1,695	...			...			...			do.
Cleared pine camp, on Leech Lake River	...	47	18	00	6	16	00	94	00	00	do.