The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-11-07
COMMUNICATED.
sketch Of the Life and Explorations Of
.sls e, Capt. Carver.
NUMBER IL.


Between two and three miles below ST.
Pau be landed, aud examined remarkable
cave, which he thus describes "Ihe en-
trance into it is abort ten feet wide, The
heightpf it five feet. The arch within is
nearly fifteen feet high and about thirty feet
broad The bottom Of it consists of. fine
clear sand. Aboot twenty feet frotnlh en-
trance begins a lake, the water Of which
is transparent, aud extends TO an unsearch-
able distance, for the darkness OF the cave
prevents eli attempts to acquire know
ledge oft. Threw small pebble towards
the interior parts Of il with my utmost
strength: could hear that il fell iulo the
water, and Notwithstanding it was of so
small size, it caused an astonishing and
horrible noise that reverberated through all
those gloomy regions. found IN this cave
many hieroglyphics, which appeared very
ancient, tor time had nearly covered them
with moss. SO that it was with difficulty
could trace them. They wsre cut i'm rude
manner upon the inside of the walls, which
were composed of stone so extremely soft
that it might be easily penetrated with
knife: a stone every where TO be found near
the Mississippi. The cave is only accessi-
bic by ascending narrow, steep passage
At little distance from this dreary cav
ern is the burying place of several bands of
the Naoudogsssie {Sonx) Indians; though
these people have no fixed residence, living
in tents, and abiding bat n few mouths ON
one spot, yet they always bring the bones
0i their dead TO this place; which they take
the opportunity Of doing when the chiefs
meet TO hold their councils, and 10 settle all
public affairs for the ensuing summer"
The tenth day after leaving Lake Pepin,
he reached the Falls Of ST. Anthony.--
Searching for the mouth of the st. Peters,
which is MD hy IN island, he assembled the
high and elevated bank of the Mississippi
on the opposite shore, from whence he OBJ
tainei q view of it. Near the junction of
these two rivers he left his canoe, on ac-
count of the ice. and travelled by land to
the Falls, accompanied by his servant and
a young Winnebago Indian, whore he ar
rived on the seventeenth of November. He
says be ''distincty heard the noise of the
water fall fifteen miles: and WAS greatly
pleased and surprised when he approached
this astonishing work Of nature" Blu, the
effect was far greater on the Winnebago,
who, as soon as he reached poin, that
commanded q full view ofthe roaring wat
ers, Immediately began to address the Great
Spirit that, as he believed, resided in them.
After telling hias that he had come u grea,
way To present his offerings and alterations
to him, he threw his pipe, tobacco, bracelets,
beads. ear rings. everything that was valu
able on his person, into the rushing and
ioaming waters.
" ith the grand and picturesque appear
aDce of the Falls, Carver was delighted,
and not less so with the adjacent country,
which be thus describes: "The country
around them is beautilul. 1t is not an un-
interrupted plain where the eye finds no. re-
lief. but composed Of many gentle ascents,
which in the summer are covered with the
finest verdure, AMI interspersed with little
groves, tha, give pleasing variety to the
prospect. On The whole, when the Falls
are included, which may be seen at the dis
tance OF four miles, more pleasing aud
picturesque view cannot, believe, lie fouad
throughout the universe
! Having surveyed the Falls TO his satsfac-
ton, he proceeded up the Mississippi to the
mouth of the River ST. Francis, now called
Elk river. 'Ihis was the extent of his
travels towards the northwest" he tells Us,
as we'll as Hennepin's; and this point he
reached on the twenty first of Nov ember,
passing Rum River, and another which he
calls Goose River. .' The Mississippi" he
adds, "has never been explored higher up
than the River 81. Francis, and only by
father Hennepn and myself thus far So
that we are obliged to the indians for all
the Intelligence We are able TO give relative
to the more northern parts.''
He supposed that the Mississippi, owing
to the swiftness ofits current, and wndings,
would never he Daviga,ed above the forks
Of the Ohio with vessels of any considera
BILE burthen; and tha. the settlers on the in
terror branches of it, would be secure from
the attacks of any maritime power. Had
he lived and written a half century later,
when Fulton's first boats were successfully
stemming the tide and ploughing the waters
OF the Hudson, what an interesting chapter
of specuIations and predictions he would
have given US, concerning the 'fNorth-
West" and its future destiny? He intinla-
ted his belief that n communications, in time
would be opened by the way of the lakes,
to New York, "by canals or shorter cuts.''
On tire the twenty-fifth, he returned TO the
mouth of the St. Peters, where he separat-
ed from the young Winaebago, and pre-
pared to ascend it in his canoe. He found
the river clear Office, and nothing TO obstruct
his ascent. On the twenty-eightb, he pro-
gressed about 40 miles and reached small
branch flowing into the ST. Peters from the
norlh, which he christened with his own
name. Beyond Carver's River, about forty
miles, he passed the forks Of two rivers,
which be called Ttrd and Red Marble
Rivers. He continued TO ascend the ST.
Peters, until he reached point about two
hundred miles from its mouth. 1t is during
this portion of his travels among the Sioux
of the Plains, that he makes statements
which seem incredible. The language OF
the Sioux is difficult TO acquire, yet he in.
forms US that he s'perfectIy acquired it in
seven months" From information derived
from the Indians, be came to the conclusion
. that the sources Of the ST. Peter and Mis-
3 souri, were in the same neighborhood, anf
not more than mile apart. On the seventh
Of December, he reached the utmost west
ern limits OF his explorations, and spent ths
winter among the Naoudowessie or Sioux
In the latter part Of April. 1867, he star,
ed on his return down Ibe ST. Peters, ant
was accompanied by three hundred Indians
and several chiefs, who were going to tht
Great Gaze below ST. Paul, where the,
/, held their yearly council, and buried thos,
! OF their tribe who had died during the win
: ter.
Aco. %t.xJ:.,x~ s..,..l. .L-t I.,.I...-- IL.