Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 8).djvu/302

 heart involuntarily exclaimed, if men must butcher, for Heaven's sake, let them not do it in mirth!

Viewing the Mississippi from the banks of the Ohio, its appearance is narrow, and confined; but it is, generally, much wider, and in many places expansive and elegant.

All the sources of the Mississippi, above the Ohio, are not yet known. The Missouri, however, is, no doubt, its largest tributary, and perhaps its main branch. The principal source of the Mississippi above the Missouri appears to proceed from Bear lake.

{190} The river Missouri is several thousand miles in length, and runs in a direction north of west. This part of the country has been explored by order of the American Government; but so vast is it, that many years must elapse, and much population be introduced into it, before information, to be fully depended upon, can be obtained respecting it. We have, by the efforts of Lewis and Clark,[143] and other hardy spirits, obtained some general ideas respecting the vast tract of country, between the mouth of the Missouri and the Pacific Ocean, which will assist us in making more particular discoveries; but at present, caution should be exercised in relation to every record which is made upon this subject. The American people are considerably interested in it, and, of course, will be disposed to believe every assertion in favour of the country. Our government, it appears, are preparing for several expeditions into the interior of the Louisiana purchase. It certainly is well to be engaged, during the present season of