128 | HISTORY |
Lieutenant Pike in writing of the Indians of this region says:
On the 4th of September, the explorers had reached Prairie du Chien, and from there Lieutenant Pike took a small boat to the mouth of the Ouisconsin (Wisconsin) River. He landed on the west shore of the Mississippi River nearly opposite the mouth of the Wisconsin and ascended a high hill. Here he found a level plateau commanding a fine view of the surrounding country. He held a council with the Puant (Winnebago) Indians. One object of the expedition was to meet and confer with as many of the tribes of the upper Mississippi Valley as he could reach in order to establish friendly relations with them. It was hoped that the way might thus be opened for treaties with them, which would enable the whites to establish settlements in this newly acquired territory. In this he was quite successful, for he was an officer of excellent judgment and in every way well qualified for the important mission intrusted to him.
Before leaving this point, Lieutenant Pike selected a site for a military post three miles from the mouth of the Wisconsin, on a hill called “Petit Gris.” He writes: