The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-04-15

boats IN any stage Of water; and very like
iy IN low water, not navigable at all, with.
out Improvement, above the Rapids, ,hirt,
miles above its mouth.
he Saint Louis river, emptyiBg into the
west end OF Lake Superior, is navigabie to
the Falls, twenty miles, for large vessels.
The Saint CroiX, IL navigal,le from III
mouth nearly to the Falls of ST. Croix, sc
miles; but Is shallow above Saltwater
Boats such As now navig gate the Mississippi
therefore seldom go above Saltwater.
LAKES
Minnesota ahounds in lakes Between
the St. CroiN and the Mississippi, they
seem to be innuinerable, and they arc also
plenty west Of the Mississippi Their
shores are chiefly of gravel or pebbles, aad
| usually one or the other side OF the lake, is
covered with growth Of timber. The
water Is rather shallow, clear, cool and en-
/ tireiy destitute of the qualities of the boggy
marshes and sloughs of the South; many OF
the lakes are covered with wild rice and are
alive with water fowl. Frequently, the lake
opens at one end, into a tamarac swamp,
filed with young tamaracs, Ca tree resenl-
bling the spruce ) as thick as they can stand.
Through this swamp the water then passes
Out into another basin, q little less elevated
which it fills, and makes another lake; and
thus there is formed, often, succession of
many lakes, connected hy a spring stream
that runs through them all.
MOUNTAINS.
We have never yet seen mountain, west
of the Allegheny ridge; and Of course none
in Minnesota. Near Lake Superior. we
learn there is an elevation of land, that ap-
proaches the dignity of mountain; but the
nearest approach to mountains elsewhere,
is in the towering bluffs along the shores of
the Mississippi; and from Dubuque 10 ST.
Paul, these bluffs are really the grandesl
feature of western scenery. Except these
bluffs and the dense forests of the great
woods, there is no portion Of this vast Ter
ritory, where a loaded wagon may not he
driven; provided the streams can be crossed.
Viewed from a distance, the ranges of
bluffs, IN Minnesota, have the irregular out
line of mountains. seen in other States. But
the very apex of the highest Of them may
always be reached, on one side, by an easy,
gradua! slope. We do want mountain see
merry, here, as well as every where, in the
valley of the Mississippi river; and have
often thought we could afford to give away
one Of our smooth, fertile counties, for one
Of the White Hills, to he planted down in
the middle Of Minnesota
CLIMATE.
The whole world cannot produce a eli
mate more salubrious than that Of Mime
sofa. We have never yet known a ease of
fever and ague in it; nor any unwhoicsome
water, either in wells, springs, lakes or
streams. IL is for our cool, Lcaithfwi eli
mate, that braces up the human frame for
vigorous erertion, physical and mental, that
we regard Minnesota incomparably supe-
rior TO any other new State or Territory in
North America. They may raise more corn
in Illinois, more wool in Ohio, more pork
in Iowa, more cotton in Mississippi; but
Minnesota can beat them all at raising men,
In our coolest weather, when the mercury
congeals, men perform as much labor out Of
doors, as at any time in the year. The air
is then still as death--the smoke from the
chimneys falls to the ground; every human
body creates around itself an atmosphere
of warmth. The stiffness and dryness of
the atmosphere and the vigorous health we
enjoy, account for the comfortable enjoy
ment here, of degree Of cold that would
be intolerable in ST. Louis. In summer, we
have a few days intensely hot; but with fre-
quent showers, from spring until harvest,
and most Of them in the short nights. At
midsummer, the sun scarcely seems to go
down in the West to lave his golden axle
in the Pacific, before we behold again his
blazing chariot in the East. At nine O'Clock
i'm the evening, it is then scarcely too dark
for your wives and daughters to he sewing.
Our frequent showers, multiply mosquitoes.
4 r., &C. 1. L.
annoyance, have about ceased to be trouble
some in ST. Paul. We male no use Of
musqu,to bars, last season. Autumn, in
deed often until the middle Of December, is
a season of delightful, sunny days, rising
hy degrees into the rigor of winter; and
winter in Minnesota, is the most social,
comfortable season of the year. We ex-
perience no chilling winds and shivering,
driZZling rain storms, usually. IL Is very
uncommon TO have a winter as open rs the
ues good here, through all the winter
months. I he past winter, we have had but
very little snow, but one hundred miles
furiber up the river, and everywhere north,
they have had from two to three feet of
snow. The river generally closes about the
18th Of November and opens the last of
NluICus duu u Oo0S iioy oS CNlSNt-
ed early in April.
INDIAN PAYMENTS.
Supplies are brought up the river. for the
semi annual payment to the Sioux, Chippe-
wa and Winnebago annuties. All these
Indians are paid in Minnesota. The aggre-
gate amount Of amnui,ies paid them, in cash
and goods, including what the Sioux win
receive under the treaties To be ratified, and
the cost Of transportation, amounts to sew
eral hundred thousand dollars. These pay
ments and the supplies furnished to Fort
Ripley and Fort Smelling, and the goods
and provisions and the goods furnished by
the traders to the Indians, constitute mnch
the largest share of the business heretofore
done by the steamboats,, ut the port of ST.
Paul. For many years past, immense sup
plies of goods have been furnished to the
Sioux Indians, on credit, to meet their alb
solute necessities; for which supplies these
Indians are largely indebted. Traders with
the Chippewa Indians and with the Winnie
bagocs, also credit those Indians with large
amounts, which are paid to the traders, at