New-York daily tribune., 1851-08-01
The Nelkirk Train.
From the st. Paul (NImJ Dcmolfa

SATURDAY MORNING.. Js't '1
We have been out to see the camp OF p4f ., .as
X, River uaIu, about twenty carts and twelve
N, Do that arm 80 IN advance OF the MAN body on
n rsday last They are encamped near the ~.
A. ony road, II q miles from town. The whole
any LETT S. * on the mn of June As We
Il. last VrD thc entire train consists 0f l0S
cal g, drawn ca ~ by oxen that are hltched W.
yc much Ike .Dlses, wearing a collar, instead Oh
a ike. Mi iisay Coos. Ia whom we are indebted
for he facts III tins article, Is merch M and naivs
OF Red Rivera full blood ana intelligent white
man. This IS his sixth trip from Rel River u 81
Paul. lie says that the oxen improved ON the Jour
ney, and are IN Il much better condition no" thsla
hen they started.
The Red River carts are cur.asI sites In most oil
them there is not parl lc of oh, the fa'tenngs De
ing made Of wooden pms and longs of buffalo hide.
4 few OF them only have small ron banhs Aouu
their hubs There - one OK 10 each cart, and me
load is usually about thousand pounds. they Ms
very light and viii float IN water lhey are easi,
drawn over new rather, wild roads are reaiiiy re-
pared and therefore preferable 70 asy 9hef son io
carts are in company. they are conveyed across
streams on hastily constructed RATS When lev, o.
sht the wheels are takon on lald on Duhalo moe.
or two or three sswed together and made tight,
the stf hide then drawn up, and tied 10 a. 10 0rn
a canoe the wheels constituting the frame worn OF
The bottom This hide canoe viii foat 600 To ,2OS
Rs OF freight canoe oi THIS hind u cohstrc'saE ~
"A few minutes.
About one half Of the carts in this tram belong to
residents this side the ine-cbiefy 10 hr kttson OF
rather the American nT company OF WHICH Nv u
partner. The other half Ia the property of hherent
persons WhO belong 10 Selkrk, and IN tins way come
down annually to exchange buffalo robes. clothing
made of buffalo SKINS, moccasins &c, buffalo tongl"
and pemmIcan, for groceries, stoves and hardware
chiefly, as well as for ether merchandise.
The people OF Red River-rho are mostly hall
breeds-Tely manly upon the buffalo chase tor theh
exports and prosperity. The failure OF tAat ciop
would be TO them DIRE celainiy lhey raw ,.s
summer hunts they tar on the first about the iuEs
Of June the second the lOtb Of August. Ihe parry
usually consists Of from 900 To 100 men WIN eneN
families the women and older children VI "bicl Az
empl0ycd IN cutting up and drying the meal ineJ
take with them from 300 to 400 OK carts, sach c'
which will hold the product Of from nine To Ven Duna
loes. The best meat IS obtained 10 the iall, whss
the buffalo Is IN fine condition. The hunting piains
are very extensive, reaching 10 the Missoun n'eI-
The buffalo has but httie hair in the -ilInfnsf-u
skin IL then valuable only TO be converted mo
DIRE ssed hides. he rotes are procured I'D hs ~iuN,
When the animal is veil supplied with a thIck coo.
of haiY-the best early IN winter, when the hunters
90 out with fat slecs made OF thin boards 70
inches vide, and IS or l6 feet long, turned up a. ns
PROV, which are drawn BY horses or oogso ~ -
dogs Will draw sled bearing load OF 'W 10
The tram as met II ssuk Rapids BY T. {. Can,
her ESQ, who has been appointed Iohec'oi y. % So
Custom for Pembina. and Wa on ms way W. LII o.,
THIS Office was created at the insgatl3I 80, % ss,sw.
COMPANY, TO cut of the competuon " " ,ha,
hunters Mr. Cavalier informed tho oJ 1hng,Io ,oSes
they must pay 20 per cent ouIy on bich viii leave
and IN nor cont on Their moccasins "hich ~ - .e
,beno ns, that much money less 10 shpepu ~ ~uos ns
o"1 ,,ens e.' IN msSng purchases The He'd RIVER
@ with a.ss1 on as sa Dss aSss
assure us ma n %,nreI hem 70 abandon trade with us,
eS re dspend upon the HUDSON Bay Company ios
sau sappes n exchange FOR .hsI robes nc ssey
= duty OF 4per cent 70 the nI'''" Au~''''o' ''
the Goods they take nom mere. , ..o,;.~
'"T r. time used IN making lrlp and uansacnas
,. neressary business here. Is about three montns-
The distance from selkrk to York Factory on
- ahorlf
% sm.de IN summer with boats. From tuo 70 tnf~
sb,ns arrive a; York Factory each season -.
The people Of selkrk are highly Iathed 70 n s.cs
that there Is now a monthly mail at PempihA, VIM"
i only about sixty miles from their settlement ,,
JuLy a-We learn ,ha, the remainder o. ~ W.
River train has arrived.