Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-08-19
Communication.
La PoIsrE. IuIq 10. 1913.

at last reached this place alter 90 days oil hard
and dreary travel it becomes proper TO close
this narrative so far as ! am concerned. vi
these So days we have not had to exceed ten
DAYS without rain and Of the heaviest kind
The whole country has been literally lnunda-
ted, and, as if the elements waTed against the
FIST attempt to invade the country with teams,
every thing seemed TO contribute TO impede
our progress except our own unconqueraoIe
resolution to accomplish what we had undefIa-
ken. The Indians say they never knew so
much rain in one season, AID the waters are so
high that they expect TO lose their Rice crops,
worth TO them more than their annuity for The
year.
For the first twenty-five miles north of Chip
pewa Falls we had Prairie, and In one day
we travelled twenty miles, but the weather
was ex,remely'hol and the flies intolcrable.--
This drove the cattle back the night following
1.-THE twenty nilesl to Mr.. Warren's, which
took the next Day to regain them. AT the same
time our horses covered with their own blood
from the stings Of The numerous flies and mus
quetoes, attempted TO make their escape from
torment and return also. Two out of four
reached Mr.. Waueo's, but my two having
ropes forty feet long 70 them got fast 10 the
brush, as we suppose, and could moi be found.
After two days search We had TO leave them
TO the cruel mercies of the flies, musqUeloes,
and wolves. Benjamin offered reward TO a
half breed. who is we'll acquainted with the
country, if he would find them, but whether
be succeeded or no, we have not heard.
After this back set rode my Interpreters
horse. and he and Benjamin journeyed Oh foot,
or rode, alternately, Mr.. Whitiiker's mare -
Our journey the rest Of the way was through
thick, heavy timber, with occasionally an open
ing or barren. We passed The Red Pipe Stone
Mountain, near Red Cedar Lake. leaving the
Mountain of the Lake and Lac Che-tac (Pel-
lean Lake, to the right. The latter Lake is
properly the head of Red Cedar River, m-
properly called MunomoDee. The water pass.
es about 40 miles tbrough a chain of these
Lakes which lie north and south before ii leaves
The Red Cedar Lake. at which place, and
where the River is first formed tits about eighty
yards wide, with smooth, gravel bottom. and
at the time of our crossing was three feet deep
being uncommonly high. The land over
which we travelled is rolling, of good soil,
bearing heavy growth Of heritage and grass.
but full Of" boulder stone," or .nigger heads"
/ saw but two places between the Fails of
Chippewa and the Lake that the Rock assn,
med square or workable form; that was at
the Pipe Stone Mountain and at the Falls of
Bad River: on the Lake shore they assume
a workable form, of course.
The timber through this whole district va
ries. but the greatest amount Is Pine, and SUI
gar Maple. The Spruce, Balsam, Fur. White
Cedar, Oak and White Birch are abundant;
and good supply OF other northern 'imbers.
Over the entire distance from Prairie Du
Chen to this place there are but three streams
that can ever stop ieam---ihe Black River.
Lo Glare and the Chippewa. The Lo Glare,
will do IL ouiy in extreme high wafer. In low
water canoes cannot navigate IL. and the road
crosses Black and Chippewa Rivers at the
Mills where boats can be had 10 ferry if the
Rivers are not low enough to ford, which is
often the case.
As we estimated the distances each day
make it 42l miles from Prairie u Chen TO
this place, but think it will D.. be over 300
when the road is correct and regularly laid
out. II is most likely that we estimated the
distances too high. Indeed, we differed in
opinion as to them and some place the dis,an-
ces much lower than did. 1t may run up to
800.
II is proper for me TO say that was obliged
TO leave the teams about 100 miles from this
place with an Indian and half breed to guide
them and sent from here an Indian to meet
them. They have not arrived, but are expect
ed in few days.
We passed about 90 Lakes this side the
Chippewa River; and am told tha. any 9TH
er route would pass as many. These Lakes
are among the most beautiful ever saw. The
water is clear as cIystal---very deep and The
bottoms covered with boulder Rock, the same
as the earth on the sides of them. The most
beautiful of these Lakes is the Ottawa. (Caur-
tiercle) which is ten miles long and averages
three wide, and connected with it, emptying in
or out are about dozen smaller ones. The
outlet OF this is about thirty feet wide and
near Is inches deep where we crossed, having
smooth gravel bottom and low banks. The
sight of The Indian village is at this ford. and
is covered with blue grass. Ii is level, sandy
plain so feet above the Lake, lies between two
Lakes and was admitted by our company to
be a more beautiful sight for town Than that
of Madison.
The Numerous Lakes above alluded to a.
bound with excellent fish many of them have
no visible outlet and but lille inlet. As near
as the eve could determine the whole of them
from Red Cedar TO Long Lake which empiies
into Lake Superior by Bad River. distance
Of about 100 miles, are upon one common lev
ell which forms the summit level between the
Mississippi and Superior, The Na-ma.kaw-
gan branch Of the Saint Croix runs between
them. but heads in Lake on the same appa.
req, level. To connect this entire chaih of
Lakes for 100 miles, BY usin. the valley ofibe
Mama kaw.gan. would not require over TWEEN
" miles % digging, and in no instance much
if any over so feet deep, and such depth as
that but short. If ever a Canal is made lhro'
this region this is the mos, feasible route
have been able to discover. From the Missis