The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-07-26
TOT NE Il
Western Minnesota.

EDITOR OF THE PIONEER,
Dear Sir was lately deputZed TO take
the census on the Western borders Of Min
nesota and on my way there and home again,
have taken some notes of travel which You
may publish, 1t you please, iii the Pioneer.
On the 18th of June, started from the
mouth OF the st. Peters river, followed up
that delightful stream l25 miles and reached
Little Rock. Level plains form the prevail
ing features to this point, occasionally varied
by undulatIng prairies. 1t is watered by
numerous streams and these streams are
Sklrted with a luxuriant growth of timber
The soil, throughout, is excelent-equal to
the soil near any of the towns aud villages
along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers
There Is an abundance of wood and of wa
ter. At Little Rock | hired an Indian to
accompany me across the ridge dividing the
waters Of the St. Peters and Missouri riv-
ers. The ridge, is high, oval plain in
terspersed with lakes, marshes, numerous
small streams, and delightful springs of
cool, sweet water are found, and enchanting
groves, ringing with the music of various
kinds of birds. We found the grouse and
most other birds common to the West. Ii
Is truly delightful region. Without inter
ruptIon, L arrived, on the 26th Of June, at
the settlcments of the Missouri river, nine
miles below the Waseynzapi Wakpa Ct
won't swear TO the orthography Of this
word, or NermlliOn river, and little above
the Big Sioux river. 1t is flourishing set
element of forty-fiye inhabitants, male and
female. The soil is extremely rich and the
crops abundant. Large herds of horses
cattle and hogs, are reared with but little
labor and expense. While was there, the
steamboat Amelia arrived from St. Louis
Ten persons had died on the boat, of chol-
era, on the passage up, and fifteen of her
sick were left on the way. The Amelia had
been twenty-three days out on her passage
up and had twenty-five days longer to run,
to complete her trip to the Yellow Stone
river, where she was bound. Chauhickax,
or trading post settlement, is 1870 miles above
Waseynzapi Wakpa. 1t contains forty in
habitants, who trade and hunt buffalo and
other game. Hunting here, however, is at
tended with much danger, owing to the hos
tile feeling existing among some of the To-
dams to the whites for hunting on their ter
ritory, and no year passes by without some
OF them losing their scalps. The general
features or the country throughout this
whole section are the same, and all the peo-
pie need here, TO make them prosperous and
thriving population, is protection from the
lawless bands Of Indians. These tenants of
the woods are IN the habit of committing
depredations on the corn-feds and stock
belonging to the settlers; and probably will
continue To do so until active measures are
adopted to teach them to respect the natural
rights OF their neighbors. Ought not the
people OF the seven Council Districts of this
L erritory, to take this portion of the country
INTO consideration and sympathise with their
fellow citizens, residing south and south
west from 81. Peters within the Territory
of Minnesota
Very respectfully, yours, &c.,
EDMUND BRiSSETT.