The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-12-09
Correspondence of the MinnesOtian.
Description of the Country between
Lake Pepin and the Minnesota.

MEssRs. OwENs s. MooRE:-I promised to
give sketch of the country which we passed
IN surveying the Territorial road from the foot Of
Lake Pepm to the most southern bend of the Mime
sofa. l should have fulfilled my promise long
TINS had not sickness prevented me.
he extreme length of the road is 1l3 miles.
tangent would make it about I05 thus losing miles
IN avoiding swamps, sc.
The country near the lake is very broken, being
cut up by iavines descending from the highlands TO
the lake. In many of these ravines may be found
some OF the richest farming lands in Minnesota
Hardly ravine but has its trout brook shaded
with a luXuiant grove of all kinds of timber. At
your near approach the highlands, you continually
encounter springs; and it is not an unirequen occur
renee to find at the rny height of ridge, a
spring of limpd water. We made it Il point to
search the highest lands for water.
Alter YOU leave the lake, say five six miles back,
YOU viii find different country, the soil Of which
would be hard TO anayze. 1t is what l would call
poor, or rather none Of the best being sand inter-
mixed with numerous small ilints. Timber is scarce
and what there is is scrubhy bur oak Of the eanest
KIND. But remember We on the dividing ridge
between the Cannon, on the north, and the Naze
Ozu, the south. that while baroness presents
itself IN your immediate vicinity, an hours travel
either TO the right left brings you Edcn-ke val
leys. W hen some IS or 20 miles back, again there
is sudden change from sterility to rich praireS,
abounding in water and groves OF fine timber; such
a country as would make farmers eyes water, and
if coyetous, would make him wish 10 all that
Jo'nca his farm. The soil is loan, slightly sandy,
abounding in small hazel brush. The greatest enemy
the farmer vii! find here is the gopher; the ground
is literally ploughed by them, much so, that III
many places their excavations made it difficult for
to proceed on horseback, constantly break
ing through, even where the ground appeared smooth
est sc Travelled about 40 miles over this unduat-
ing prairie, when struck the woods that skirt the
Cannon near its head, on the side-'woods is
woods too, consisting of the largest kind of oak
ash, walnut, elm, sugar maple, &c, many trees of
which four and five feet in diameter, sixty feet
to LIMB and straight a reed. The woods are
from two to five miles wide and extend in length,
know not how far
When You reach the Cannon, which here runs
north, you will find yourself in OF the loveiest
Of counries-an embryo Eden. The Cannon at the
time were there some so feet iCe and about
foot deep, with fall enough for an immense water
power 1t does overflow its banks at this point,
rising only some five six feet. This NAV be at
trihuted to several large lakes above, which act as
reservoirs. On the side is a prairie which ex-
tends some four miles back to lake Tepc Tonha; so
level is it that good sized dog nigh, be any
part of it.
Lake Tepe Tolka, more properly Tctouka, is
beautiful sheet Of water four miles long and
wide. Along its peblly shores may be found wagon
loads OF sh carCasses, pOrtcndlng abundance of the
Give article in the lake From this lake flows a
branch Of the Cannon, thus bounding the above
toned water. The country west Of this POINT is
good, bad. and Indifferent, being alternately PRAIRIE
swamp and marshes, till you reach the lie sSueur,
miles from Mankato, when again dense woods greet
your eye; these extend into the very incorporation Of
Mankato. We found abundance IF game during our
whole route, deer, bear, wolves, fish and fowl. In
fact, the most part Of the country far as my knowl
edge extends, made expressly for stirring,
prLng farmers to get rich upon. Il. Il. +.