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

I
trip of the Anthony Wayne. Above
the Rapids, we soon came into ! region
we had not before seen, and mole beau
tiful, if possible, than that through
which we had passed, being a varied
landscape of prairie and woodland, evil
dently ofthe bes! quality.
TRAVERSE pEs SIOUX.
The company all seemed delighted
with each other and with all that they
witnessed The river continued appar-
emily of the same width, without sand
banks, without islands. without tributa-
ries, but with a current increasing in We
loci:y as we ascended, and the channel
crooked beyond parallel, and with
many snags and logs in the short bends.
At length we came in sight of the mis-
sonary station at Traverse des Sioux
(the Sioux crossing) on the north side Of
the river, situated upon a wide slope of
prairie, which rose gradually from the
banks of the river and extended far, far
back, covered with luxuriant grass
Three neat white buildings belonging to
the mission, and several Indian huts
and lodges were distant few rods from
the bank, amidst fields Of well ciultivat-
ed corn, beans, and potatoes, as promis-
ing crops as we ever saw. There was
also a small patch Of wheat, just reap
ed, which looked very plump and.heavy.
On we sped. Upon the south side of
the river, were Indian corn fields, un-
fenced, upon the river bottom, the corn
planted very thick and looking like a
perfect jung gle-almost solid mass of
dark green vegetation, crownea d with
countless spindles. Spreading away a
mile or so, this bottom, which is :doubt-
less sometimes covered by thei flood.
:, (pcrhaps annuaIly,) is enclosed by a
circling amphitheatre of hills, covered
with forest trees; while on the! north
side of the river is Traverse dessSioux,
at the neck of large peninsula! made
by bend in the river, which sfter a
progress of 3 or 4 miles further, brought
us back again within half mile; Of the
mission. A little above this point we
stopped to wood; passengers, cre.w, and
all, assisting. Two or three tainted
Sioux horsemen came galloping uip from
the Traverse and seemed to claim tri-
butte We made them present Of some
corn. At short distance abo3e this
place, we found on the north shore a
quantity of old rails; which, al they
seemed useless to the owner, as they Of
fered no protection to his corn-held, we
took, the Captain paying fair price for
them to a gentleman on board, 10 give
to the owner.
CoTTILLION PRAIRIE.
A sunset as glorious as ever shone
/ upon Italy, found the Yankee on Ehe 20
evening, making fast on the south bank
of the river, at the upper end of IN ele-
) waited prairie. Here we all wdnt or
r shore, and crossing narrow strip o
bottom land, making speedy: trai
, through the long grass, gentlemdn IN ant
: ladies', old and young, streamed Up the
, side of the bluff, and from its toA sur.
t veyed lovely expanse of prairie anc
woodland far in the south. Thle ful
r moon was up and the music being OF
;; the spot, several cotllion sets; were
? formed upon the grass and thdre We
: danced by the light Of the mod -
: But there was other music alsb, fo
which we had not bargained, thes bant
: of mosquitoes, and as tfosc who dance
r must pay the fiddler, we thought it bes
] to adjourn before they had presented al
t their bills. We v ent to the boat; In
n deed, indeed, that was terrible nigh
e for those, not few, who were no& pro
$ vided with musquito bars. But within
d the cabin Of the Yankee, the poetry Q
= motion ceased not until after midnight
= and hearts there are that received i'm
e pressions as indelble as time, that hight
o at Cotillion Prairie, where all 'sdanc
e ed by the light Of the moon"
TURTLE BEND.
e By sunrise on the third morning, tn
Y Yankee was again in motion. Hreak
p fast; and most excellent fare, havin
beefsteaks, veal outlets, salmoni ne,
potatoes, cucumbers, excellent coffee
and in fact the very choicest fare, ad
!, mrably cooked, from the beginning t
d the end Of the excursion. Here W
z turn short to the right then to the left
e the boat under excellent management
(, Now we come to the shingle which tn
:; Wayne first put up, but Of which sh
d afterwards repented, having the fear {
e the Yankee before her eyes; on
1t few miles further-and there, on tn
1t south bank, is the shingle ofthe Wsyn,
IS at the foot of a shaggy bend from whic
ID the Wayne turned back, deying an
!; boat to go higher. Here was shar
J. bend in the river. and in it four or fiv
Ie snags and imbedded trees. We recor
e noitred. The Yankee laughed rigl
D, out. and just screamed and beloved I
5, the idea of stopping there. We wei
e ash ore on the north bank, it being d.
e posite of coarse, clean, sharp sand, tt
J. best ever seen for mortar, and iii ii
ID sand found turtles eggs. Judge Goo'
te rich proposed that the bend be Gale
- Turtle Bend; and so Turtle Bend is
ID from henceforth. BY way Of extren
I'd but needless precaution, the passenge