The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-07-17
Icorrr.pondenee Of the Daily wisconsinl

lcorrespondenee Of the Daily wisconsin, ae
The Upper .Mississippi--Dubuq e--ePa-
| per Cities ~ Prairie du Chen The
HSpirit Rock"--Indians-- II Half. Breeds
Fine Scenery-Fails Of st. .4nthony-
| Fyood on the Upper .Niss'ssippi-Chol-
era at Galena, &C., &c.
M MISSISSIPPI RIVER, June ii, 1851.
Friend Cramer-On pleasant afternoon
in the early part Of the week, went on
board the fine steamer "Noninee, - at Ca
lena, and in less than an hour, was floating
on the broad, placid waters Of the Missis.
sippi, in the direction of ST. Paul and the
Falls Of ST. Anthony. And here | might
describe, as has oftenfirnes been done, the
in,,nerisity Of its winters, the lofty bluffs
which bound them; its vast commercial i'm
.,oriance; how it rises in region Of perpet-
uai snow. and flowing through every shade
of climate, loses itself in land of ever
blooming flowers but I have no desire TO
follow in the trail of so many cleaners, and
shall be content if may but chronicle few
facts and incidents " hch come under my
immediate observation.
Dubuque is the last town, ascending the
rivc,, Of any considerable business ilnpor-
tance, below ST. Paul. lis above the reach
of the floods, but not so high as TO lie incon-
veniant of access. Between Dubuque and
St. Paul there are numerous paper cities,
which the traveller will be- unable to find,
unless he consuIts a map. At a landing
with two houses, near the northern boun-
dairy of Iowa, stepped on shore and en-
qured its name, and was answered the
''City of Lansing.' The residents at all
l
that cities will spring up there, as if by en-
chantuient. They have much to found such
conclusions upon; they point to Saint Paul,
and infer that because that town has sprung
up from naught in less than two years, Lam
sing, Prairie La Crosse, aud other places,
will do SO likewise.
| Prairie du Chen is located on beautiful
prairie, and is, according to representation,
the dullest town in Wisconsin. Ii was de-
spoiled Of its main nutr,ment, when the u.
). Garrison was removed to Fort Smelling.
Ibe barracks still remain, but serve only as
monuments TO remind the citizens Of their
former thrift. Twenty miles up the river,
on the opposite shore, Is cohicai stone,
nearly as tall as medium sized man, which
the Indians devoutly venerate. They visit
il Mt stated periods, tread down the grass,
and strew il around with leaves and flow
ers. On an elevated bluff, near by, we saw
what the passengers pronounced an Indian
village, but which proved, OH inquiry, to he
nothing i'm, rocks in disguise. How many
ghost, stories, marvels and tales of suIernat-
urai sights. are founded upon similar or no
better authority. 4f
Three miles below St. Paul is large In
dian village, where the peculiar character
Istics of the red men are set out in bold re-
lief. ldleness, dirriness, laziness and ma
kedness, are more prominent than any thing
else. These lnlians nre no, remarkable for
their chastity, or for the lawful observance
of the domestic relation. The Indian agent
informed me that moiety Of the children
recently born were haif-breeds, that the In
dian mothers are proud Of their shame, and
that their husbands think it no dishouor-
Unprncipled, heartless white men, are the
red mans bane. They despoil him Of his
annuity, imbrute him with whiskey, and
ravish his women.
The country from St. Paul to the Falls
OF st. Anthony, presents the most enchant-
ing view to the eye, of any have yet seen
IN the West. Beautifully rolling prairies
AMI noble openings alternate. The soil may
not he, and probably is not quite as rich as
IN paris of Wisconsin, but the magnificent,
'o' -SpCsehHSS oCdutiubf utcTSltleu bdtttl-
scape, goes far to compensate for the differ
ence. A rumbling noise is heard, and
mile or two distant the waters are seen
tumbllng over the rocky precipice. and boil
ing in the abyss below. Next the hum of
business and the clatter Of saw mills greet
the ear, and we are at the village of ST. An
thOny, one of the most busting towns in the
West. Its scenery is altogether unsurpasss-
ed. Its watrr-power in exhaustless, and
but mere fraction Of il is now improved.
Its saw-mills turn off eighty thousand feet
OF lumber daily, which meets with ready
sale. There s an island on the falls, simi.
larly situated to Goat Island, TT Niagara
with this difference, that it extends below as
well as above the falls. On this island the
Sabbath School children and their protec.
tors were enjoying pasiime. Having par
taken OF refreshments, they proceeded TO
lofty bluff in the centre Of the town, where
ring was formed, speeches made, and
songs, in which all joined. To me, there
was something exceedingly beautiful in witt
Messing these exercises OH the very frontier
of civilization. The rites and ceremonies
Of religion, especially when performed in
the lisping tones of childhood, Awaken those
tender emotions in the heart of a traveller,
which nothing else can inspire. They re-
mimi him of home, of the unity of the race,
Of the common origin and destiny Of man.
The Upper Mississippi is falling rapidly,
although many towns are now suffering se-
verely below GaleDa. There have been
several cases of cholera at Galena, and must
i,e more when the waters abate. The effiu-
via in portions of the town is very offensive,
and must generate disease. An old build
ing, the first courthouse Of 10 Daviess
church, but which for few years has been
but little occupied, fell last Monday and
hurled two men, one scissor grinder.
They were extricated without receiving any
serious injury. w. L. p.
NOBILITY IN TRoUpLE.-One day when the
flag ship Of the American Commodore was lying
in the bay Of Naples; she was honored by visit
from, the kiug and al "a tpv with ante ho