The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-10-31

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assemble about The latter end Of May.
bringing with them their fars 10 dis pose az
to the traders" Having epur, hnsed ea-
noe, he proceeded, op The lnnetscntii CT
October, up The Mississippi, aitended by Il
Canadian and sMnhawk Indian Of e.aa-
da A short 8 urc above Prairie da
Chen, the traasrs, " ho had accompanied
him to That place, crossed 10 lbe west si,ia
of the mississippi and wen, into winfer
quarters. Ten days after leaving ibein snf
while encamred at night upon the bsuk al
The river, engnged in copying the unn1las
or notes Of observation, taken the ;irnceed-
ing day, party of rowing Indians made 3 m
Il night visit, who manifested IL disposition
to plumber his little camp, which ,as 5niy
checked 10y the promp, energetic, rad all-
thoritative MANNER in Which he received
them. His two servants in the morning
strongly urged an Immediate retura io'th5
traders; buut, nothing. siaunted, be to,! thein
he intended to pursue his journey, 'as an
Engllshman, when once engaged in az adj
venture, never refreated.n
/ On the first of November, he reacLeff
Lake Pepin, few miles below which hei
landed, and whilst his servants were pre-
pairing his dinner, ascended the hank ~
view the country. Il had not proceeded far ]
he says, "hefore | came 10 fine. levels
open plain, on which perceived, a, a lirie4
distance, partial elevation that had Ire ar !:
pearnce OF an intrenchnent.. On Il nesters
inspection had greates reason TO suppose.
that it had really been intended for .hi-l
many centuries ago. Notwithstanding 4
was now covered with grass, | could Ila M
! ly see that il had oilce been a breast,sork III
a IN, h.in ~
/ best part of mile, and sufficient caoa-
cious to cover five thousand men. IFS form,
was somewhat circular, and its flank reach
ed to the river.
| Though much deiaced by time eyfrv
angle was distinguishable, and appearel rs
regular, and fashioned with a. much .,;i'itt-
! ry skill as if planned by Naaban himself
| The ditch was not v>itle but though on
examining more cnriously, that | couii per-
ceive there certainly had beer one. 49,
From Its situation also, am convinced
that it must have been designed for this
purpose. Ii tronted the country and the
] resr was covered by the river, nor vas
there any rising ground for consideraL.
way that commanded ii; a few stragelu.
lakes were alone To he seen near II. u
many places small tracks were WORT across
it by the feet Of the eiks and deer, and from
the depth of the bed o.. earth hy which il
was covered, | was able to draw certain
conclusions of its great antiquity. ! exam
jned all the angles and every part viii great
attention, and have often blamed Yself
since, for not encamprg on The spot, and
drawing an exact plan of it. To shos thar
this description is not the offspring OF heat
ed Imagination, or the chimericai tale OF n
mistaken traveller, find on enquiry since
my return that Mons. St. Pierre and 81 eTal
traders have at different times, taken notice
of similar appearances, on which they haze
formed the same conIectures, but without
examining them SO infinitely as did How
a work of this kind could exist in country
that has hitherto (accordIng 10 the generally
received opinion) been the seat of war to
untutored indians alone, whose whole stock
of military knowledge has only, till within
two centuries, amounted to drawiug the
bow, and W hose only breast work ven ur
present is the thicket, know not. / have
given as exact an account as possible 81 this
singular appearance, and leave to future ex-
plorers of those distant regions TO disc0ysr
whether it is a production of nature OF arr.
Perhaps the hiuts have here given MI glr
lead to a more perfect investigation uFi;.
and give Us very different ideas Of TIE an
cient state of realms that we at present be-
only the habi;ations of savages.''
Nearthe river ST. Croix, he met the three
River Bands of the Sioux indians, where
all event occurred which laid the foundation
OF his after influence and authority with that
powerful tribe, as well as with the Chippe-
was Of the north. A small party of enc Of
these bands was on the point Of being at
tackled by large war party of the CEppe-
, was. The former strongly solicited tIn Il
put himself at their head AMI eaa them
: agains, their enemies. His mission being
one of peace, and DESTROYS OF prescrvin.
ainicah!e relations with all the tribe. h.
was at first at loss how to act, ST. as 10
maintain Il state Of neutrelity that would
prove acceptable TO the lelhgerants To
, have espou>ed the cause of one, would have
, brought upon him the eun,ty of,he other
In this dilemma he chose middle course
, aud assumed the character of peace maker:
, Taking a pipe of peace and an utter prefer
with him, he approached the Chirpewas
: and held a protracted conversation with
them, which resulted in their agreeing 10
return to their own country without the az
coinplshment of their purposes against the
Sioux. To his success in wart!ing Oh the
, vengeance Of their enemies, he attributed
, the distinguished and friendly reception nc
!, aiterw ards met with from the Sioux oi tho
, Plains Many months afterwards, ut the
, Chippewa village, near the Ottawa lakes,
he was publicly thanked by the elder chiefs
of that tribe, for bis successful endeay orS ;j
, prevent the shedding of blond. They told
him that the Chippewas aud SIOUX had
, been engaged in wagng war with oue an-
: other, without interruption, for mole than
forty winters.
2 TO BE CONTINUED.