The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-11-08

Multitudes have been ruined by being
above their business, branching out
into what they know nothing about.
Indian Correspondence of the Journal Of Com
| merce.
ST. PAUL, M. T., August 29th, 1919
In my last, | said would mention the
circumstances of the 'Lover's Leap,
in Lake Pepin. will give you the out
line of the affair, as related to me by
an old Indian Chief of the Sioux nation,
whom went to see day or two ago
I Having seen several statements of a
different character, | meant to get the
whole from one who would be likely to
know.
The Sioux and the Chippeways are
inveterate enemies. | being a Chippe-
way and he Sioux, | seated myself by
his side, and told him my GRAND through
an interpreter.
He, after filing his pipe, commenced.
told him in the first place, | was II
Chippeway, and he in return said that
no doubt was friendly, and had new
er killed any of his people. We should
meet like friends.
Now for the story By the wsy he
has significant name Mah-kah-pe
We-che-as-tah. The man in the
moon.
Now, sir, have seen what you new
er have in your life, aud may never see;
for the old man is ''as grey as a badg-
err" and will 10 doubt soon leave this
earth to poisc on the moon, his native
place.
Having sat down in his tepe or wig
wan, he commenced as follows:
''I'hc act of the Dahkotah maid oc-
CURED in my fathers time. have list
ened to him much while he lived, and
since his death have related the act to
my own children.
at was not Frenchman, as YOU
may have been told; it was noted In
dian warrior, who wanted her for a wife.
The warrior returning from the battle
with the Ah-hon-to-ahs lChippeways),
asked her father for her, and, under the
circumstances, her father consented
But she demonstrated with her mother,
for she loved young brave in the viii
| lage, whom she wished t. live with as
her husband But her father had said
that she should go.
"The time came when the marriage
was to take place. The tepe was ready,
and a feast was in progress. While
the feast was gong on, the Dahkotah
maid was seen ascending the hill alone;
1 h,,t chr hal no.
tentions until, just before reaching the
top of the bluff, she was heard delber-
ately singing my nations Acoth-Dail.
Then the village ran for her; they ran
up to the top, and before they could
reach her, she had ceased to sing. and.
standing at the edge of the bluff, she
she pointed to the setting sun, and said,
81 will follow my forefa,hers
To the setting sun"'
''She then threw herself forward, and
in falling, she struck her head on the
rocks below, and rolled down to the te-
pes near the water. Her father and
mother buried her near the lake, where
The rock stands.
This is the day Winona left our coun-
! LiN III gong 10 TIE SCtLiH1 SUI.
If could give you the gestures the
old chief made while he narrated the
circumstances, yonr heart would bound
with intensity of feeling, as mine did
while he spoke.
Ii is "a commonly received opinion
that she fell on the wafer, bat this could
| not have been the case; for the bluff
stands back from the water, as indeed
most bluffs do, and there is quite a space
OF ground between it and the water
The country above the lake is not so
bold as the country which lies below,
and it is better supplied with wood.
! We passed. little above the head of
lake p, an Indian village, where an old
chief Of the Sioux nation long resided,
by the name Of RED Wing" where
now his relation, the Hole n-the-sky"
lives A cluster of wigwams forms the
village, on the west bank of the river
They were gathering corn in alum
dance, which they raised themselves Oh
their own farms.
A missionary used to reside here; but
few years past, ] believe the mission
was given up. | understand that no
missionary resides here now.
Since | arrived here, have made my
quarters at Fort Smelling, with the Rev.
Mr.. Gear, the chaplain of the station,
who has been here for twelve years. He
is the only minister Of the Protestant
Episcopal Church who has buried him.
self in this western country, SO long,
without going into some speculation, as
most do who have been sent here from
other churches. The sacrifices which
such men make will be rewarded more
than what poor worms can bcstow, in
the world to come
The roar of the Falls is distinctly
heard here on a clear morning. They
are nine miles up the river.
This being the head of steamboat
navigation, no boat has ever yet gone
up to the Falls.
St. Paul is now the most thriving
place in Minnesota. 1t is situated on
the east bank Of the river, about six
miles below the Fort. The bank Is high
,Cboro o-o oLor+ Inn bouSo- ord =, :,