The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-02-26

edges being ,inged with a bright pink, ia-
terInixed with green above, while al tie
apex the light was white and 30 brllliant aS
almost to dazzle. Then it would again
shift and spread rapidly across the heavens
| in a curved belt or zone like an sagle's
plume, as though the hand of the Cop OF
the heavens and the earth was about 70 ap-
pear and make record on the clear m00nIit
sky below, aud then anon the rays and
clouds Of varisgated light would gather into
most beautiful aud fantastic shapss, pic
turesque and wild in the extreme, and go
quickly too, that the eye could scarcely
trace their motions; occasionally darting
down their fringed edges which waved to
and fro like canvass futtering in the storm,
resembling tempest in The heavens, consist
ing Of dancing beams Of brilliant light for
lightning; and the falling clouds, rays and
coruscations Of pink and green, with every
conceivable variety ofcolored halo for the
accompanying rain.
To attempt a description however, is the
height of vanity and therefore beg the
readers pardon for what ] have already
said. The Rev. Mr.. Black ami gazed
long upon il as most remarkable manifest
alton in the heavens, before we could tear
ourselves away and retired to rest. How
long il continued after midnight, ! cannot
say.
MIR. Black, who has spent his life in
Canada and Scotland, says IL is much the
finest exhibition he has ever seen; and
Pierre has never seen its equal this side OF
Hudson's Bay, where they are extremely
common aud very beautiful. We are now
in Lat. 4S, and | suppose will have frequent
exhibitions Of them. .-.se
SUNDAY 7th. A mos. Leautiful, cool, clear,
calm and quiet day-the pieasantest we
have yet had; the camp is quiet; the people
are all reading or sleeping; no mosquitoes
10 annoy US; the cold fresh air from the
north having rid US for a while Of their hate
full presence. Our camp is most beau.i
fnl one and is situated on the south side Of
Saline river; a small stream only few
yards wide. On the opposite side near by
is the dragoou camp; with the horses graz
ing in the little valley between; the whole
forming pretty and very interesting sight.
1t is three weeks to day since we left St.
Paul. Three weeks Of daily travel across
prairies, swamp sand streams, up early and
down late. Three weeks of bold, wild,
free sort of life-which enjoy the more the
further we advance and could travel on to
Oregon without firing. We have no long
and tedious marches, made amid "ihe " in
ter Of discomfort" and in rude, rough and
boisterous weather, but all is lndan sum
mer, amidst joyous ease, comforts and many
pleasures. Another auIo ora to night; soon
over; @ brilliant moonlight evening, air
cold; mercury down to 45 degrees.
Some Of our party Of French boys have
been out cunning to day, and returned with
lots Of geese and daoksi others have been
busy putting on new cart axles, their usual
Sunday employments; with these excep-
tions, things in and around both camps have
been reIigiously quiet.
MONDAY 9Th. A most beautiful clear
day, with a cool and pleasant breeze from
the north. The morning the coolest We
have yet had; the mercury being down to
So degrees, at sunrise, almost frost. We
were up early; struck tents, caught tho
horses, which were quite refreshed and
strengthened by the rest and good pasture,
and at Z a. NJ, once more took up our line
OF march TO the north. The dragons
sounded bugle and were off ahead Of Us.
After march of 4 miles we came to a
stream supposed by us to be the Big Salt
river. II flowed over hard and in places
a stony bed, through deep and narrow
valley; the hill sides in some parts being
heavily wooded with good sized oaks. 4
range Of cone like hills extending from the
left Of the road, resembling line Of mounds.
The road then lay over gently ascending
rolling prairie; a small stream Of water and
a stony granite ridge occurring occasionally.
Some Of the bOuders in the beds Of the
streams and especially on the ridges, were
quite large. Some OF the latter were pain.
ted in red stripes and OF one | noticed a
blood red hand and four horse shoes of a
yellow colour.
We then passed into the pretty valley Of
the Little Salt, and halted for dinn.r on its
banks, after very pleasant ride Of al,outIo
miles, according to our usual mode of COM.
putting distances, WIS miles an hour, on
a slow walk. The banks Of this small riv-
er are also heavily wooded with oak, aud
we have found amidst them some few more
of those curses to q voyageur, warmed into
life and energy by the noon-day sum-
mean mosquitoes.
We started on again at s p. n. and pro-
ceeded about miles and encampcd for the
nigh, on the north side Of quite stream
called Cart river; the water clear and cold,
and flowing over bed Of sand and gravel,
and through thick woods, at times einerg-
ing and breaking through the open prsiris
width and over 100 feet in depth; the stream
." so'iio P'"SSo OSs"8 NC'y uCCp utiu UEOuup
and thickly bordered with on underground
Of bushes. The sceuery around to night is
wild, romantic and quite beautiful. A fu-
rious thunder storm is coming up, the low
nutterings are heard while the forked light
nings are playing all around the horizon in
the distance and the night is as black as the
"dark unfathomed caves Of Ocean," and
now comes down tho deluge, a perfect ava.
lanche Of falling waters, though the heaviest
Of the storm has passed around US to the
south.
TUESDAY 9th. Another fine, clear, cool
day; mercury 4S at sunrise. We made 1
march this morning Of about Is miles aud
halted for dinner near beautiful stream Of
cold clear water, flowing over a sandy bot
tom, interHixed with slate and gravel in
common with all the streams we have cros-
sed to day. The country travelled over has
been very beautiful-a rolling prairie inter-
spersed with heavy belts Of timber on ell
the numerous streams; with thick under.
growth in many places. The country 10
much better adapted to farming purposes