Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 3).djvu/76

 Friday 2nd of October started to go by land to the place where the Ohio falls into the Mississipi. Owing to the difficulty experienced in crossing the Kaskaskia river we traveled only 12 Miles.

The 3rd and Sunday the 4th Rained and we crossed several prairies. Traveled about 27 Miles.

The 5th passed more Prairies intersected by strips of Forest. My guide killed an Elk called Cerf by the Canadians and French of Illinois. This animal is much larger (twice as large) than the dwarf Deer of the United States of which there is an abundance also in the Illinois country and which the French of these countries call Chevreuil. Its antlers are twice the size of those of the European Stags. Below each of its two eyes is a cavity which keeps closed but, by separating the two sides like eyelids, one can insert a finger to the depth of an inch. This cavity seems intended for the purpose of secreting some kind of humor. In fact on opening the cavity I found a substance of the form and consistency of a hare's dropping but of the size of an acorn. This animal has canine teeth in the upper and lower jaw like those of horses, called fangs. The hunters say that this animal is always very fat. In fact this one was exceedingly so. Traveled about 32 Miles.

The 6th entered the forests and crossed several rivers. Traveled miles.

November, he chose the site for his new settlement, and spent the winter at Cahokia making arrangements. Meanwhile the news of the transfer of Canada and the Illinois to the British had arrived. Under the impression that France had retained the left bank of the Mississippi, many Illinois settlers removed thither with Laclède. St. Louis flourished under Spanish dominion, but was known by its neighbors as "Pain Court" (Scant-bread) because its inhabitants devoted more time to fur-trading than to agriculture. It was not until transferred to the United States (March, 1804) that the career of St. Louis as a city began.—]
 * [Footnote: *sippi and the Missouri. Upon arriving in the Illinois country, the previous