Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-12-14

country now wears its richest robes, anC
presents a most enchanting appearance
The scenery is very beautiful and diver.
sified."
The climate may. he called mild and
salubrious; for although the winters are
long, the ground is invariably covered
with snow several inches deep from De,
cember until March; and it is said to be
as pleasant in September as in May, the
vegetation preserving at that time, the
freshness OF mild summer.
The soil is principally black loan and
sand; and being warm, causes vegetation
to spring up rapidly and arrive at per.
lection sooner than in any other locali
ties. 1t produces corn, oats and wheat
and the gerden vegetables, as well as any
country. A writer in the North Ameri
can Review says, that Gin the new terri
tory of Minnesota, the settler will fine
abundance of the best land for wheat il
the world ..... ..... ......
AT st. Paul, the Register says tina
they are well supplied with good wa'e
from springs and wells. Some of tho
water is impregnated with limestone, bu
in general may be called soft water, and
is cool and pleasant to the taste.
A gentlsman, who lately dug well
on his premises sixty-two feet deep, had
three or four feet of water of excellent
quality. Three or four feet of the sur.
face was soil and limestone rock, the re.
mainder passing through sand, sufficient
~ adhesive to prevent caving. The sand
is nearly as white as snow, and when
dry is used in sand boxes on writing
desks. A barrel of this sand has beer
shipped. to Cincinnati and Pittsburg, tc
ascertain whether it can be used in the
manufacture of glass"
A specimen of stone, peculiar to Mi.
ncsota has been sent to Congress for thu
National Monument at Washington.
is called the red or pipe stone-by the
Sioux, Eyanshah Among the natural
curiosities that have been discovered, the
most remarkable are the Falls of ST. An.
thony and "Carger's Cave" .e.s
"rhe Falls received their name from
father Louis Hennepin, French mis-.
slonary, who travelled into these parts
about the year 1880, and was the frs
European ever seen by the natives. The
cataract is divided by conical island
and is stupendous body of water Since
the erection of mill on the east bank, thu
water has been nearly all turned west o
the island. The water power must b,
immense, and the entire surrouudin!
sceneay is truly enrapturing TO the be-
holder"
"fhe cave lisa large and spacio us cav
ern, on the east shore of the river. The
mouth is about twenty feet wide, anl
twelve feet in height. IL ~. r..
"a chrystal stream, three or four fee
wide, flows through the bottom of the
cave. On each side of the stream is
beautiful walk of white sand. The cave
makes bend at the end Of each twenty
feet, forming different apartments for a
bout thirty yards, when you lose thu
light of day, but can distinctly hear, from
considerable distance within, the MD
sound of falling water. BY aid of
lamp, distance of some hundred yard;
may be explored. The walls of tn
cave consist of a crumbling, white san
dy rock. which may be used advantage
ously to dry ink or paper
These two quotations are made iron
the correspondent of the Hamilton 70.
Intelligencer, who remarks further wit
regard to the state of the schools an,
churc hes:
':Churches are not numerous, the on
iy being a rude Roman Catholic church
with bell and crucifix, in charge of
French pastor. The Me,hodists ar
gathering their strength, and being or
ganized. 'rhe Episcopal clergyman sta
toned at Fort Smelling occasionally prea
ches here. There are members of 9th
or churches here withouta pastor. Thi
is all | have learned in relation to chur
ches. There is very respectable pub
lie school-house, in which a school i
taught By one of Gov. SHADES YANKEES
girls. About fifty scholars attend.
have had forwarded, by w. b. Smit, 4
Co., of Cincinnati, the publishers, 70
gratuitous distribution in the territory
two hundred and seventy volumes of tn
eclectic school books, which, agreeabl
to request, | shall distribute among teach
ers and school officers
We trust the time will not be Ions
until the country shall be well supple
with schools and colleges, and all of tn
inhabitants Of the beautiful land of M
nesota shall be brought nnder the SCUM
and influence of the Gospel of our gle
rious Redeemer.
+ BARKINe.-Talking of barking, tw
ore n ilaman The other dav nj a nnhlin dir