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

boat were weary and disheartened, and there
was a degree of reluctance manifested,
which made il evident that our further pro-
fress would be very slow. The great ex-
pense Of the trip, although not urged,
doubtless had also its influence; aud at
about O'Clock in the morning, u was de-
ter,nined to head The Yankee down strenm
We accordingly nailed Il board upon a tree,
stating the date of the boats arrival, her
name, ETC., and the name of the Captain and
some Of the passengers, and turned back.
HoMEwARD BOUND.
Now leaps the Yankee down the swift,
crooked river. A refreshing breeze springs
up-the band discourses eniivenng music.
the women are again in high feather, and
the men also; for there seems to he some
thing Of the excitement of danger mingled
with Joy at our returning, as the boat sweeps
the short curves and now steers through II
grove of willows, across an obtruding point,
or is swept from bow to stern hy the obtru-
ding branches Of a tree, or plunges into the
darkrniBg shadows of a forest. Now the boat
seems rushing with suicidal desperation
upon bristlng snag in the shortest bend Of
a curve; a back stroke takes her stern back
against the willows on the shore, where she
lies until the current swings her bow into
the right direction TO run clear Of the snags,
when she again strikes down stream as if
her life depended upon her speed. All safe.
Anxiety Of passengers is relaxed; but not SO
Of the Captain and the Pilot. The Captain,
always al his post on the hurricane deck,
through the whole trip up and down, s,ood
watchful as spider. IN his memory and
the Pilots, was a chart Of every bend,
every snng, every change in the river
1t is not too much to say, that in the exer-
else of all the memory, ami all the judgment
Of the force and bearing Of the currents.
and all the prompt GOODNESS requisite in the
management of the boat, constantly, but
especially in repeated. Critical emergencies,
no Captain but a Harris, seconded by the
prompt action Of such Pilot and such en-
gineers rs he hal on his boat, would stand
even reasonable chance Of conducting such
boat 500 miles down such river for the
first time without damage. Mr.. Armstrong,
the Pilot, was assisted at the wheel by Mr..
Brisselte. We would do full justice TO MIR.
GirdOn, Clerk, who, by his constant and
careful attention 10 the wants and cOnven-
ience of the passengers, so well compensated
Cor the absence Of the Captain from the
| cabin. Our pleasure was much enhanced
by The stirring music of Messrs. Foster,
Morgan, and Kirk, Of the 9th Regiment
band, aided by Mr.. E,hridge with his violin,
who also called the changes in coti)lions.
CAMEL COAL.
A noon ON the 4th day, we reached the
mouth Of the Blue Earth river, up which
the Yankee ran for a few rods, and nailed
up shngle. Much did we desire to wan
der six miles up that stream To the ruins OF
the trading post-a spot made historic by the
adventures of La C9ur, in 1855 hut time
! forbade. We contented ourselves with
wandering for an hour along the pebbly
beach in search of curiosiIies. We saw q
very perfect specimen Of petri6ed wood
and some comedians and agates, and va
riety Of odd shells; but wha, interested US
more, was the discovery on the shore oi
several small specimens of what appeared
10 be mineral coal, precisely resembling the
kind called camel coal. Capt. Harris has
one of the specimens; the Rev. Mr.. Neil
has small specimen Of Il, which will bt
examined by chemical test. A French
man living there, SAID there was a large
solid body of it 10 the bank of the river, {
few miles up the Blue Earth.
Again. we are on our rapid way tlowr
stream. Fifteen miles below the Blue Earth
we came suddenly upon Turtle Bend, ths
high-water mark of the Wayne. Here th'
captain used the precaution to warp the boa
down stern foremost below the snass, b,
the use Of anchors and cables. We tnol
down the board which the Wayne chal
lenged US to bring back to St. Paul, and pu
another in It's place, and sped onward.
At the place where we took rails for fue
on our way up, we landed and took on boar'
all that remained; and speeding onward
soon rounded To for The night at Trayers
des Sioux Having been destitute Of ice fn
several hours, we FASTENED to the mission
house of the Rev. Mr.. Hopkins, where w
found plenty Of cool well water. Mr.. Neil
and Others had pleasant interview wit
the families Of the missionaries, remainin
with them over night, while in the cabin q
, the Yankee, all who wished Joined in tn
{ Joyous cotillon.
THE FIFTH DAY.
Brgh, and early on Friday morning wit
a supply Of cold water and new milk o
{ hoard. having distributed presents asnang'
{ the Indians on shore, the Yankee WAS agai
on her way, plunging rapidly along. w
passed an hour or SO at the village of Litti
Six, where we found very sturdy beggar,
and were annoyed with demands upon U
= for the satisfaction of various promise
= WEIGH had been made by passengers on th
= Anthony Wayne. Little Six and a hundre
, more came on board, when his majes,
, made long speech to Mr.. Wells. the ;onl
person present who could understand hin
He said abe demanded presents for waar
ace--,hat they must he paid for having the
I cornfelds ralnp!ed down by the white
t although it Was true, their curn WAS M
r much, being damaged by the freshet-,h'
4 II had been said about ST. Paul, that h
people believed that the freshet was jud;
, mont sent upon them by the Great Spirit q
account Of steamboats, coming up that rive
J hut his people in fact believed no sue
I thing, but were glad to see steamboats,, e
:. ,,eciaIly If they brought suitable pr.sents.
r Having distributed two bolts of calico, al
: other presents among the Indians, we wcl
! nff again, and at sunset reached Fort Sns
: ling, where a shade Of gloom was throw
over the company, hy news Of the death
r Mrs. Cooper, wife Of Judge Cooper, Of OF
e company, and Of the death also Of Mr.
;, Ethrdge, mother Of another one of o,
S company. Touching at Mendoza we aga