Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-10-03

OF NJ. Ferribeau are the most conspicuous.
Taken in connection with Fort Smelling.
this settlement, (known by the name OF
Mendoza relieves the utter wilderness OF
the surrounding country, and both, seen
by one floating in bark canoe on the
beautiful Minnesota, on bright summer
day, presen, an indiscribabIy cheering
appearance.
Leaving the Fort and crossing the pra-
RE, in company with my friend, Dr..
RANDALL, Of the Geological. Corps, and
one Of his assistants, Major DAGeAR, (the
same gentleman who recently met with
! a periIous adventure among the Sioux on
the sources Of the Des Moines,) on the
afternoon Of fine day, last July, set
! out on foot for the Falls Of st. Anthony
About two miles N. w. from the Fort,
we found a most beautiful cataract, form
, ed BY large stream, CT small river,
which pours its waters, at single bound,
over precipicc Of 60 feet, on its way
to the Mississippi. This is the mos, beau.
tiful waterfall have ever seen, and from
/, its elevation, and the surrounding scene
ry, not destitute Of grandeur. ...:t.
! Six miles further, brings the traveller
to the far-famcd falls Of the Mississippi,
known by the Indians. as the Mini-ho.ka,
! or "laughing wa!ers," and named by
Fa,he: Hennepin '',he Falls of Anthony
Of St. Padua.'' confess that my feelings
OF the first sight Of these Falls, were "a.
Their those Of disappointment. Though
! the width Of the waters is very consider.
able, mot much less than half mile) the
depth Of the fall docs not exceed Is feet,
and the immense masses of limestone
rocks, in huge paralelograms of many
! toni wei ght, detached from the bed of the
river, and lying under the cataract, rath-
er diminish the effect. The falls are d.
vided into two parts by an island-the
wide portion being between the island and
the west bank Of the river. Finding no
boat on the west side, and it being neces-
sary to cross the river to obtain accommo-
dations for the MI ht, we were compelled
10 attempt the rather perlous task Of wa
ding across above the Falls. This we
successfully accomplished, being at no
time more than ten yards from the preci-
pice, and the water rot coming much a.
bove our knees. The current, however,
is very strong, and the bed Of the river
Of lime rock, smooth as floor, does not
afford very safe foot-hold, and no means
Of resisting the great force OF the water,
should the advcnlurer be so unfortunate
as 10 fall.
The view of the cataract from the east
or oc ho g 81
the west, but it can be seen to the best
advantage from an elevated bluff at a bend
ofthe stream, about half mile below.
On the east side Of the Falls an enor-
nous work has been thrown across a slue
Of the river, and an extensive saw-mill
established by the enterprise and capital
Of Mr.. Franklin Steele, now, and for ma
ny years: the Su,,ler at Fort Sneling-a
gentleman who joins 10 the most cour,e-
Gus and gentle bearing, ability and ener-
gy Of very high order. This mill is
now IN operation, and must prove most
vaiuuuu.e investment, for it secures a mo-
nopoIy of the extensive pine regions of
the Upper Mississippi, there being no
adequate mill site above the Falls Of ST.
Anthony.
Having reached the east side Of the
Falls, somewhat wet, md rather weary.
we found comfortable house kept by a
highly respectable family by whom we
we're entertained with a good supper and
clean, comfortable beds. Early the next
morning clambercd with some difficulty
down the precipitous banks of the river
beneath the Falls, while my fellow-travel.
lers were indus,riously pursuing their
geological researches, and tried my for.
tune with my rod and line, bu! not a sin
gle nibble repaid my exertions.
Near the Falls is remarkable boulder,
which originally weighed, probably, a
ton, formed Of hornblend slate, thickly
studded with very handsome garnets, ly-
ing in the slate about as close as the fruit
in an economical plum pudding. We
procured several specimens of this re-
markable rock.
To give you an idea tina, the people Of
the Falls of St. Anthony, though remote
in position, are yet not without the refine
ments Of life, will mention that the
daughters Of my host were we'll educated,
and intelligent, and that found in their
house plenty Of excellent books and peri
odicals, not forgetting Connecticut Grass
eight-ddy clock. Since then, have seen
one Of the aforesaid clocks going up on a
Red River wagon, to the mouth Of the
Crow-Wing river, the seat Of new In
dian Agency, $50 miles further up the
river.
1t was my intention to give you an &C.
count Of the general face OF the country,
and Of the towns Of St. Paul, Saltwater,
and st. Croix Falls, but find have un-
dertaken too much for a single commune
cation, and will reserve further remarks
for future occasion. D..
Yours, truly, d..
" We have been furnished with the
following translation from German pa
paper by one Of our German citizens.
The sentiments contained therein will