The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-02-06


~ The following narrative, which
is strictly true, ought to enlist the SYM
pathy of our merchants, and others, in
ST. Paul, and induce them to send ;mme-
diaie supplies Of provisions to the poor
natives who are literally starving, with
i'm 200 miles of us. Government will
undoubtedly repay every dollar thus
expended.
For the Minnesota Pioneer
Winter Travelling. the L pper Sissetons.
A party of three Voydgeurs, with an
Indian guide, arrived a few days ago,
from near the source of the Minnesota
river Their journey was one of the
most trying and arduous performed by
any of them for long time, even among
the many such, which usually fall to
the lot of those who venture out on the
great prairics during the rigor Of the
winter season. AT their departure the
travelling was somewhat favorable which
partly induced them to undertake such
a Journey, and anxious to execute 1t be-
fore more snow could fall, they were led
to diyerge from the safer route along the
valley of the Minnesota, which would
keep them always within sight of timber,
and strike off into the open plains by IA
more direct, but dangerous route, seldom
travelled by the whites, and nevcrby the
Indians during the winter; but where
they hoped to find less snow. The only
land marks or guides to the traveller by
this inhospitable route are groves OF tim
Der, few and far between. HAY wealth
or soon obscured these, and-thc sun did
not appear from out the immense mass
of floating clouds which portcnded storm
and snow, for three days. In attempt
ing short ''traverse they lost their way
and were caught on prairie OF twenty
five miles in width in one of these treez-
ing snow drifts, or ''pondres, as the
Canadians term them, and were thcr
reluctantly obliged to strike for the tai
lest timber, which lay northward near the
agrand bois," towards the country Of
the Winnebagoes, and abandon the d.
rect route, which they had previously
deserted to the southwark. Near nigh
fall they reached shelter, which PROVED
to be not the great wood to which they
had first directed theiI course; but
mere grove bordering small lake upor
an elevated plain. These GASES of thu
prairies are very significantly and ap
propriately called by the Voyageurs ant
Indians. wood islands, "des isle du bois
or"chan trita, and they arc as joyful.
hailed by the weary wanderers OF th'
praries trackless wild, as ever was TIT
.sDiamond of the desert or grove
palms by the parched Arabian, or OK
hausted eastern taveller.
Here tn ey remained three nights AM
two days, during which time II snowe'
without cessation, day assd two nights
then followed violent storm OF wine
from the north west which continued
with out Fanny intermission for anothe
day and] night, and nearly buried then
and their horses in the immense cloud
of snow, blown into their scanty shelte
by the full sweep of the wind over tn
great plain which surrounds it.
When the storm ceased, they had, +
get their horses out to the plain, to on
their way through an embankment o
snow breast high. On the plain, thu
full extent of the difficulty with which
they had to contend soon became appa
rent, and SO disceuraging as to leav
scarcely hope of getting the horse
through ;even on the burnt plains, the snow
was two feet deep, aud blown very com
pactly, while all the hollows were filled u
to the depth of four to ten feet, through
some Of which track had to be beatel
to enable the horses to pass, while other
were avoidedby making circuit, some
times long and tedious one. Fortunate
ly the weather continued mild, and tn,
horses proved vigorous, although tn
poor animals had nothing to eat bu
branches for six days; while the yoyag
eurs had to resort to the little remaining
fthe horses supply of corn, which. wit
u little coffee at dawn md at dark, aftc