The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-15
BLCE EARTH RIVER.

through PVdtTieS, ouu dhoh StTe'S"SS
away a vast savanna of tall prairie
grass, thousands of acres in extent,
with a vista Of high prairie opening in
the distance between forests, as far as
the sight can extend. Approaching the
mouth of the Blue Earth river, never WIS.,
tied by any exploring party before, since
the days Of La C9ur, in 1893, we saw
high mound, almost a mountain, loom
ing up in the distance, which we soon
found was near the angle of the conhu-
ence of the Blue Earth and the Mime
sofa. Here our company were startled
by a cry of buffalo; which. however,
proved to be nothing but drove of moss
covered boulders, far away upon the
sloping prairie. A log house became
visible upon Blue Earth mound, and
person (some French trader) was look
ing down the river in mute astonishment
no doubt, to see the approach of a steam
boat Now we have reached the mouth
Of Blue Earth, the first tributary Of
the Minnesota from its mouth up. 1t is
a stream apparently about half as large
as the Minnesota, and not navigable
for more than mile or two, certainly,
being small and rapid; but in looking
up its charming valley, there seemed to
be resting there kind Of poetic beauty
unlike the rivers Of earth. We stopped
not, but plowed the waters Of the Min
nesota, still deep, and of width but
little diminished, changing our course
now from the southwest to the north
west. Wood On the south bank Of the
river, the shore now resounds with the
blows Of axes, and all hands and the
passengers are busy in cutting and car
rying fuel for the boat Here, in the
woods, we found the red raspberry, and
the choke-cherry, and precisely such a
growth of wood and Of grasses, as we
used to see in the rich little intervals
Of New Hampshire. With a small sup
ply of wood, we hurried on again, being
now in the Great Woods; that immense
body Of timber, twenty or thirty miles
wide, which commences at or near Grow
Wing on the Mississippi river, and runs
$50 miles south, here crossing the Min
nesota river, like vast belt. Wonder
ful stream! We still thread its deep,
crooked channel, measuring 8 or 9 feet
deep, with no difficulty except the too
great length of the boat. The face OF
the country everywhere denotes great
fertility. Here We see fresh tracks of
the buffalo, where they have crumbled
down the steep bank of alluvion. in their
haste to drink at the river. Now, far
to the north Of US, opens vista of wide
interval covered with grass, reaching
away between the forests on each side OF
the river, until the scene dissolves in
the hazy blue Of the far-of horizon -
Hot. Oh, how hot! We stop for more
wood; not breath Of air. Such hea,
we never before experienced ; and as
for assisting to wood, it was wholly ou,
: of the question. The least exercise
produced violent throbbing of the tenn
pies and darkness of vision. We tho'i
Of Calvin Edson and "sighed for such a
frame as his" That day, at Traverse
des Sioux, the thermometer stood at I04
Farenheit, in the shade.
COTTON WOOD RIVER.
!: Sunset found US emerging from the
!, Great Woods, and all exhausted with
the intolerable heat The Yankee stag.
gered up against the north bank of the
river, and there lay painting in the wa
, ter like a weary Newfoundland dog
while the great sun with his furnace:
blazing, sunk behind the distant Mis-
: souri That night, there was no dancing
t upon the Yankee, but there were severa
mosquitoes to combat, and there was M
, sleep till morn The ice was nearly
f exhausted much Of the dry fuel wa
; exhausted, of which it was indispensable,
= to have supply to make full head o
steam on our return down the river, il
: order to run the short bends and pas
the snags with any sort of safety. A
about 8 o'clock in the evening, some O
the ladies being almost sick, spirit Q
, mutiny which had been all day gathering
= came to head; and party was organ
3 lied to oppose the extension of our tr
v 200 miles further, to Lac qui Parle.-
After discussing the subject, vote wa
= taken, however, and very large ma
o jority were in favor of proceeding w
WERE tlen near tue I0OutO OF tnc SOttO
So Wood River-in a region becomin
!. more beautiful every mile we shoul
e progress, and were approaching a poir
e where the river widened into sort {
# lake, affording very easy navigation 70
a at least 80 miles higher and we ha
c reached within Is miles of Joseph La
}, framboise's house, where we wished I
h leave him and his family, and especiall
y as he promised to make us preser
p when there, of fresh slaughtered steel
e All were anxious to see the remainde
i of this glorious country, Of which Nico
1t let says: "The whole country embrace
1t by the lower ST. Peter and the Undin
IT region (or valley of the Blue Earth {
= Mankato river) exceeds any land of tn
70 Mississippi above the Wisconsin river
e as well in the quantity and quality Of il
J. timber, as the fertility of its soil"
d But then the excessive heat, the wal
it of dry fuel, the want of ice, the prevs
e lence Of mosquitoes, the chance Of sicl
8 ness amongst women and children, III