Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-23

mantle OF CLASSY lce-struck an hexaUonal
prairie--in the centre thereof, stands an
immense pillar, resembling ut its greatest
altitude, the body of an immense porcu-
pine, with its fretfiil pins erected. We
now reIoiced TO see bease ride up aud Cas-
ter ride down, to large company Of hunt
ers; aud we all had a delicious rejoicing
cook cooks.
November 16. Cherries and gloomy day.
Heavens Iuminary obscured. At hieh
noon. struck the heroic g Bad Axe'' and a
hickory grove. Camped with the usual
ceremonies. elevated my watch from its
receptacle aud noted that it was Z O'Clock
precisely.
November IL. Departed at the first blush
of morn for the Chimpangee riyer-got lost
-returned-got lost again-campers ex-
Eceedingly hungry--Inastlcated our evening
meal = consisting of fap-devils (camp
bread, word not discoverable in the late
editions of Todd or Iohnson.) This day,
we have traversed loose sandy soil, and
as was reclining upon lonely stunted
scrubby oak, methought that the day was
not very far distant, when these gloomy
prairies would bloom like the gardens of
Persia, under their superintendent loads of
Iwater-inelons and pumpkins, planted and
cultivated by the hands of an ever active
civilization.
November %. Awoke and elevated my
watch from It's receptacle and noted that it
was four o'clock precisely. The crystal
tubes of heaven, commenced eXudmg
their contents in a continual spray. En-
countered an Indian vllage-its architecture
and position easily marked it as the resi-
dence of the lordly and lofty Winnebago.
November 90. A blank day-nothing Wis
IDLE but bean soup and fiap-devils.
November a. The exact counterpart of
the past day.
November %. Passed the farm of Mr..
Douglass, brother of the saw-Inill Doug
lass on Black River. We crossed Black
River in the morning.
November %. At length we have planted
our instrument. The rosy god of day
shines benignantly, all Nature, aye, cen saw
age Nature, smiles upon us--why had not
Columbus lived to enjoy this sight' How
had his mighty soul been exstacied at this
proof of the possession by young America,
of one of his most noble attributes, perse-
verancei We have conquered vast diff
cultles and stand, compass in hand, ready
to survey. Twenty-eight blank townships
array themselves in homogeneous chaos be-
fore me-but long ere dewy eve, many an
acre of this vast wilderness, win he chained
by glttering links and indissoluble ties, to
the bright car of civilization. Item -
chained up three miles to Uncle Sans do
main and then walked eight miles to camp,
with face as long as a rail fence.
November "a Chained four miles.
November 20. Chained four and half
miles
November 26. Progressed nine miles,
when suddenly boundless tamarac swamp
hIIF m IL
exclaimed, when surveying the Falls of Nj
agara -" Great God who can describe
this sighti' Cook cooks elevated my
watch from its receptacle and noted that it
was O'Clock, precisely.
NoUember 80. During the past three days, |
we have chained up l6 IA miles.
December 10. Chained up 50 miles since
my last
December II. Struck magnetic mound;
chained it up-variation of the needle 40
degrees, by observation. Cook cooks
party mast,cates meal more delicious than
that presented to the pampered palates of
oriental princes.
December is. In consequence Of the nom
appearance Of the sun and the great varia-
ton of the needle, we have been obliged to
scud all day under bare poles. This day,
we came IN contact with loug. lank bony
and attenuated figure, evidently the g Leatli-
er Stocking" of these wilds. He acted the
part of Jehu and drove us or of the wild I
erness; from which we found it impossible I
to escape by polling.
December %. Up to this day, we have 1
continued polling.
December 81. To day we made the banks 4
of the Trampalong river
December 81. Just as the /" voices of
nlght'made themselves audible, was amp
ly repaid for all my past troubles, by one of
the most gorgeous sights that human eye
ever rested on. Far, far to the west,
stretched the interminable and exhaustless
Pmery of Black River; on the north lay the
bluffs of the Irampalong; on the south the
boundless prairies of Iowa, nd away
down east, the magnificent summit of the
cupola mountain reared its head aloft in az
nTe, with wild and rugged grandeur-earth
holds no view equal to this, save the one
from the frigid zone of Sicilian Aetna. The
old hunter is by my side-the sportiye
muskrat is in full view before me-rny ears
are assailed by the loud and mingled bowls,
screeches and cries of the wolf, panther,
wild-ca and owl; and amidst all these, as
my lids are about closing, | notice that a
cloud has just passed DER the face Of the
polar star, and purified it, till it shines Ike
The first brilliant Of heaven.
december so. Chained mp a continuity Of
our contract to-day--weatber tremendous--
towards camp, met a party of 900
nmbermen--hartly, robust, saucy, devil-a-
;are looking fellows, who subsist chiefly up
- lumber and whiskey. Sun sinks below /.
he visual horizon. find myself in con
verse with the lone hunter-he tells of !,
many hair breadth escapes and as 1 listen,
ne whole horizon IS lighted up By one vast
nd interminable crimson sheet Of dying
lame. The prairie is on FIRE elevated 7
~ watch from its receptacle, and noted !,