Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-10-10
COMMUNICATIONS.
For the Express.
l. e TIER NO. TWO.
ST.. PAuLs, TERRITORY OF WISCONSIN,

Mr.. Editor: TIE Falls orSt. Anthony
are in latitude is deg. N. Leaving them
the traveller passes in south easterlv
direction, trayersing the chord Of an arc
formed by bend in the Mississippi, and
strikes that river again at the town of
ST. Pauls, distant from the Falls about ten
miles. The country through which he
passes is not particularly interesting and
ny no means fair specimen of the more
fertile portion of this upper region. The
soil is generally light and sandy, but
raises very good crops of oats, potatoes
and garden vegetables. 1t is pretty we'll
settled however, chiefly by the descend
ants of the Canadian French, who for
the most part use their own language ex-
clusiyely. The town of St. PauIs Stands
on high bluff on the left, or Wisconsin
side OF the Mississippi. Its position for
heallh, commerce., manufactures and az
r'culturo is unsurpassed by that Of any
town north Of Dubuque. For CONNER
clal purposes it is at the head of navlga-
ton on the Mississippi, and tho point
through which all the extensive and rap
idly increasing trade with the settlements
on the Red River and the Hudson Bay
Cos. factories passes. From St. Pauis
must also be sent by land all the supplies
brought from below for the Chippewa and
Wlnnebago Indians, and for the two new
forts about to be located on the Crow wing
river. The country about ST. Pauls is
well adapted for agricultural purposes,
and abundantly watered by fine streams
and springs, with little or no wet or
marshy ground. Oats raised here weigh
four pound to the bushel more than those
raised below. Indian corn and wheat arc
raised without difficulty, and yield abun-
dainty. Potatoes are more prolific in
this region, and Of better quality than
| have ever known elsewhere. For every
kind of garden produce raised in north
ern ATTITUDES this part Of the country is
unrlvalled. Your readers would be as
tonlshed at the size and abundant yield
Of cabbage, onions, radishes &c. produced
here, and with but careless cultivation.
AS regards wild fruits and berries, :hey
are more abundant than in Southern Wis
consin, especially the cranberry of which
the supply seems inexhaustabIe. The
Indians are at this season constantly en-
gagged in gathering them, and come in
every day with their horses laden with
sacks of this delightful fruit which are
purchased by the traders, and form no
lnconside rable article for export.
There are at St. Pauls six stores or
trading establishments. and considerable
business is carried on by them with the
Indians as we'll as in supplying the whole
inhabitants. There is a small Catholic
chapel, whose little bell awakens the soil
tudes Of the opposite shore of the river,
the exclusive abode and hunting grounds
Of the red men.
This town has hitherto been retarded
in its growth by the difficulty and expense
attending the obtaining Of lumber, which
has thus far been obtained from the mills
on the St. Croix River at considerable
cost Of transportation. This difficulty is
now obvlated by the erection Of the mills
at the Falls Of St. Anthony, and The num-
Der of buildings is rapidly increasing.
The increase of permanent population
during the past summer has been very
AS summer resort Tor visiters from
The South | know not Of any place pref.
cradle to St. Pauls. Independent of its
beautiful and heath(ul situation, at the
head as it we're. Of the Father Of waters.
At least $500 miles above the mouth of
that mighty river, ii possesses the adyan-
age of delightful environs. A ride or
drive over an excellent and romantic road
skirting the high bluffs Of the river takes
you to St. Peters and Fort Smelling. The
Falls Of St. Anthony are but ten miles
distant: and the beautiful town Of Still
water but eighteen or twenty. And then
we have Carver's cavc-but that deserves
a paragraph by itself.
Just two miles above St. Pauls on the
road to st. Peters the traveller crosses q
fine stream Of water which winding
through small rich prairie is suddenly
lost IN the rich growth which covers the
Prec'pi'ous bank of the Mississippi. lie,
HIM pause moment and he will hear the
roar OF cataract; putting the bushes
aside nc suddenly beholds scene Of en-
chantment. The stream on reaching the
brink makes sudden leap down the side
of the bluff, and by series of falls, each
from fifteen to twenty feet, dashcs down
to its bed full eighty fee, below, where
lost amidst the heavy timber Of the bot
tom, it soon joins its sparkling current to
that OF the mighty Mississippi. Crossing
this beautiful stream he finds small path
leading from the road along the bank of
the river, and by gentle descent down
this side Of the bluff, until he suddenly
finds himself facing an opening in the
sand rock where yawns the mouth of a
vast cavern. The entrance is full twenty
feet in height by as many in width, and
from it issues rapid current Of exceed
ngly cold and clear water. The cavern
narrows as you enter but can be tray
ersed without difficulty for conside BILE
distance. | have entered il to the dis
lance Of quarter Of mile without any
appearance of an end. This cavern pre-
sents the appearance of having been worn
through the soft sand stone which COM