Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-08-01
For the KenOs ha Telegraph.
TOCRIN MINNESOTA.

Mr.. EDITOR Having accomplished our bu-
siness at Oak Grove, we returned just at night
to Fort Smelling, accompanied by two of the
Missionaries and Traveller. BY sunset we
resigned our Indian pony into the hands of its
owner, and when we ride one again, it will be
because we can not get an American horse
We spent Thursday night with the Indian agent
Major McLean-a brother of Hon. John Mclean
ono of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the
United States. During our stay we were intro
duced to the officers at the Fort.
Although we found them gentlemen; We can
not help dispising and abhorring their business,
and regard it as on a level with rumselling, and
! sIaveholdlng. Let men be men and not bruteS,
and there will be no need of armies; and the plan
! of settling national differences by armies, is just
the way to imbrute men. Let the principles of
the Christian religion exert their full influence
and swords might be beat into ploughshares.-
! BY the way they attempting something of
! the kind at the Fort now-or rather they are at
| tempting to make the soldiers use both the sword
| and the ploughshare There is a large farm
!
! Gently been received from the war department,
Tor the cultivation OF this farm by the soldiers
Some of them domur at this, alleging thatthey
did not enlist to use the plough, but the sword
An appeal has been made from the order of the
war department, and the matter will soon be, or
has aircudy been argued and decided. There
are now about 200 soldiers i'll Fort Smelling, and
the lite and animation here, presenta striking
contrast with the loneliness and decay at Fort
Crawford.
Ga Friday morning we crossed the Minnesota
river in Il canoe to Menoota, and called on Hon.
H. H. Stbley delegate to Congress from Mime
sofa We had an agreeable interview, and form
ed ia, orabe opinion of Minnesota 5 representa-
tive Mr.. Sbeyis the agent at this place or the
inr company which station he has filled for the
last / I wears. The fur trade has from the first,
been one OF the principle objects, which have
tempted the adventurous TO visit these remote re-
oions aud has been source OF vast revenue to
those engaged in it. Ii was the fur trade which
laid the foundation OF the vast fortune OF John
Jacob As!or; and othcrs--though they may not
have reached the same dizzy height, in the road
| to wealth, have realized immense gains b. the
traffic Minnesota was first visited by fur traders,
nearly 200 years since, and from 1854 until the
present time, their vis,s have been repeated, and
their trade with the natives continued.
A few tritling articles, sutfices to purchase of
the simple aborigncs, their valuable turs and
skins, which whtN transported to eastern cities
and villages, commanded price probably more
than eight fold the cost of the articles exchanged
| for them. The life of a fur-traLer was, howe
yer, attended with priyations and dangers, and in
| return for the fire tcater, which was sometimes
sold to the savages, he was compelled to defend
himself from personal violence.
\ number OF traders are sill pursuing a lu-
crative business among the Indians, and sncethe
| reception by them of aunuiteS from the govern
ment. receive cash as well as furs ana SKINS in
exchange for their goods
Mendoza from which this DEPRESSION has led
US is situated at the mouth of the Minnesota, or
ST. Peters river, and is one of the oldest places
in the Territory; although it contains popula
ton of about 1870, Mr SIoIcy and family are the
only Americans; the remainder being French and
Half Breeds.
Having finished our purpose at Mendoza we
recrossed the ST. Peters which was then. owing
to the high water, nearly a mile wide although
usually only few rods.
The water had risen to such height, that the
icrrymans house on the bank Of the river had
been surrounded, and partly filled compelling
him to evacuate it.
The high water Of the river sometimes pre-
SCENTS Curious phenomenon, in the shape Of
floating soil, raised from the swamps along its
margin, which are now overlooked TO the depth
Of several feet The soil is held together by the
roots Of the rank vegetation which grows upon
il, and is 50 light as not to sink. Oae or two of
these floating islands which are never submerg-
ed, were pointed out to US while at Oak Grove.
Under this thin soil, the ice which forms in
winter, is etT,ctuaIly preserved from the heat,
that these floating islands form natural ice
houses and ice is often procured from them as
late as JIue or July.
ENANDER.