New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-25

Of the Mi,onqy e, and he Corn patches Of The In tans
-Dscorery Of Coal Mtne-conA on Pra'rls-2o0
mites dbose Fort SBetE9' Uus7uito Shore Prairie
La BeiIeTue, &C. &c.
Correspondence Of The Tr.buue
sr. PAUL, Minnesota August 1850
Ever since the year 1896, when lie seur made
report of his travels in "this Western Wilderness,
30 she Court OF bis Sovereign in Paris visions of
terrestrial Paradise, and unlimited mineral treasures
have always been connected with the mention of
the g. Peters or Minnesota, one OF the most i'm
portant branches Of the Mississippi River, above
the confluence OF the Missouri Graders, trappers,
travellers and geologisss, four Of whom have at
rious timer, by order Of the Government explored
this Territory, and have unanimously reported the
most glowing accounts Of the romantic beauty ofthe
valley, and the fertility of the soil and the excel
lenoe of the timber considerations of great import
ance to the young Beavers" on the opposite
East side of the Father Of Waters-lor already
they stand with eager eyes and itching ears select
ing " locations" and "preemptionB, and listening
for the last football of their Brother as he leaves
the grsves of bis Fathers, ready to rush on and
take poss esson Of the broad hunting grounds ofthe
Sioux before the embers OF their wigwams have
ceased TO smoke. The enterprising inhabitants of
st. Paul-as they are and are to be the commercial
as well az political center Of the territory of which
this valley forms an important psrt-were partou
arly dearous to understand its mineral and agri-
cultural resources, and how far it wac possible to
navigate the river by steam. To CRAFTY this Iaud
able curiosity and to see with their own eyes the
land which they and their children are to posseas,
they have ipudiciousIy, es thiRk, chartered four
! ,t.;x.. L..
run up the Minnesota. Zach boat running cher
up than its predecessor, and bringing back more
wonderful accounts of the country explored, they
at last engaged the Yanke e, sern wheel boat l2O
feet in length to go to the head of navgaio or un-
til she should be ordered to return The Captain
entered into the enterprise, determir ed to run his
boat above the hishe0t point attained by shs
Wayne, the last preceding boat or to sink her
Partaking somewhat ia the excitement took pas
sage on the Yankee, and prepared myself with
good rife and ammunition hoping that we NIGH
reach the Buffalo range. Being amply furnished
with provisions and one tun of ice, our passengers
about go in alone. third of whom were ladies'
were called aboard the word was given to "caat
of that boW.line and shove her out and while we
were shah ing hands and selecting state rooms the
Yankee had pulled us up to Mendoza and Fort
Smelling whore we received on board re-s Of the
military band and III. La Framboise and family,
" hoee generous hospitality WAS enjoyed by Major
w God and Mir Catllu, and the description given OF
his reception by the latter in his North American
Indians' does full justice TO the manner and
"whoe souled' disposition Of the polite aud nteli
gent half breed. We had on board alao another Of
Catin's frienda-B atiste, the Winnebago. So,
with the national air OF Hail Columbia, the Prov
of the Yankee was turned up the current of the
turbd MinnesotA-in the Sioux language Minne
means water and sofa, muddy-while the passen.
gers all crowded the decks anxious to see every
thing in this land of promise and novelty. On the
right few miles above the Fort the cabins OF the
Good Road village lined the bluff overlooking the
river and the corn patches of the Indians, in full
boaHom silvered the bottoms while on the left we
passed the villages OF Gray Iron, Eagle Head and
Little Six. The last named lie the largest band of
Sioux that receive aunuities from Government
Their chief, Little Six is most importunate beg
| gar, and when we came down took occasion to an
noy by talk, or rather scold, of quarter OF
| an hours duration, demanding corn, calico and
/ paint for the privilege Of drinking at bis spring
| he conducted himself In manner that would
| have done credit to the most vtuperasve old zip.
sey squaw OF his tribe, losing all the dignity
| Of warrior and chief in his avarcious anxiety 10
| get large present But when told that some corn
and paint had been put aboard for his people, not
kernel OF which they should crack unless be made
| less noise, he suddenly stopped hiscamorous abuse
and threats, and took himself and myrmidons
ashore. Batiste looked on and as he was able to
understand the jargon, presume he passed ii cor.
rect sentence when he shrugged up his shoulders
ard exclaimed in bad English "od Six great dam
rascal certAinment"
sThe river, with full banks, wound through
she ailuvial bottom like 8 deep and broad canal
through q green meadow. |. was indeed, nothing
else than natural canal; the water was backed
up for miles By the high waters of the Mississippi.
| There was scarcely any current, and with the ex-
ception of here and there q group of srees and
row OF bushes lining each bank of the river level
meadow OF prairie grass extended to either bluff
Night overlook us soon six miles below the rapids
and not thinking it safe to attempt to thread the
crooked ana unknown channel without the light Of
1un We tied up to the shore, "caued for our I'D.
dlers three, and between music, dancing and
Morpheus night sped rapidly away, and before the
sun had allowed his rubicund face in the East the
bowsman was calling ont fourteen feet as the depth
OF the water on the rapids. Up the tortnous stream
we travelled, running toward all pointE of the COM
pass ottentmes tbs turns were SO abort that wa
were obliged to into the bank, covered as il
generally was, with young willows, back cur boat
OFT Snd head Der up stream with poles, but not
doubling our ability TO get down il va could make
our way up, the captain pushed ahead" through
a succession Of scenes of unriyalled beauty and
through ore uninterrupted paradise for the Agri
cusurist- The valley OF the Minnesota offers every
inducement that the farmer can desire First Of
all it offers healthy climate with a fine rariaed
bracipg atmosphere, in which fever and ague and
other types Of bilious fever were never known to
exist, Secondly, 1t offers him naygable stream
upon which to embark his produce for the great
and increasing market at she South; springs Of
chryssal water gushing from the hill Sides every.
where lakes atooked with fsh and water fowls
and land ali ready for the poue share, as rich as
Inc dlsnsesEanon OF limestone blnfs, mixed with
q compost OF black aluvium can make il and
timber, forests OF sugar maple and oak on ths bs i,
grounds, and on the river greves OF fine cotton
wood, elms, blackberry Snd walnut, net in an Qoip
terrupted 'oyest as in Ohio aud many paris OF In.
diana but in groves here ana there, enough for the
use OF she future inhabitants Of the couptry, with
out cumberiDs the ground snd making it necessary
to expend twenty or thirty zines the original cos,
OF the land before it can be successfully cultivated