Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-12-16
Description of Minnesota Terri
tory
BY rHE LATE HENRY S. sIBLEl

The part Of Minnesota which lies east of
the Mississippi river constituted portion
of Wisconsin Territory, before the admis-
sion Of the State of that name, with cur
tailed boundaries 1t is estimated to con-
tain about $4,000 square miles. The ST
CroiX, and a line drawn from the main
branch of that stream to the Falls of the
ST. Louis river of Lake Superior, now div
de Wisconsin from Minnesota. On the
west of the Mississippi, the parallel of 13
30 is the line of division between the State
of Iowa and Minnesota west 10 the Mssou-
ri river. All the country up the latter
stream, above the point of intersection of
that line to its junction with the White
Earth lind along that river 10 the British pos
sessions, thence eastwardly, following the
boundary of 40 north latitude, to the ex-
irene no-ihwea: rciCt g ,he STATE IS Was
consIn IN Lake Superior, appertaIns to Min
nesoia Territory The area embraced with
IN these limits contains between l40,0 600
and 100, Geo square miles, equal in extent
to New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania
combined.
This immense region is bountiiuly wat
cred 10y the Mississippi, Minnesota, aud
Missouri rivers, and the Red River Of the
North and their numerous tributary streams,
which traverse il in every part. There are
also lnuumerable bodies Of fresh water,
which abound Ia FISH of various kinds-ihe
white fish especially being found IN great
numbers IN the more northern aud larger
lakes. The general character Of MINES
ota is that of high, rolling prairie; but the
streams and lakes are bordered with heavy
bodies of timber, which contain every spe-
cies Of wood known along the Mississippi
below, except beech aud sycamore. At
point about seventy or eighty miles above tie
Falls Of St. Anthony, west of the Mlsslsslp-
pr commences large and remarkable for
est, which extends to the southwark nearly
at a right angle across the Minnesota river,
20 the branches Of the Mark h-to, or Blue
Earth river This vast body OF woodland
IS more than one hundred and twenty miles
in length, and from fifteen to forty in
breadth. Many beautiful lakes of llmpid
water are found within Its limits, which are
the resort of myrads Of Wild fowl, includ-
ing swans, geese, aud ducks. The dense
thlckets along lis border Afford places OF
concealment for the deer, which are killed
IN great numbers by the Indians The
numerous groves of hard maple afford to the
latter, at the proper season, the means OF
making sugar, while the large cotton woods
aud butteruuts are converted by them into
canoes, for the transportation OF themselves
and their families along the watercourses
and lakes. At the approach of winter, the
bands of Dacotas or Sioux, save those who
rely exclusively upon the buffalo for subsist-
ence, seek the deepest recesses of the for
est to hunt the bear, the deer, and smaller
/ furbearlng animals, among which may be
enumerated the raccoon, the fisher, and the
marten Ia this beautiful country are to be
( found all the requisites TO sustain dense
population. The soil is of great fertility
and unknown depth, covered as II is with
the mould of a thousand years. The ln-
/ dian is here ia his forest home, hitherto Sc
cure from the intrusion of the pale faces F;
but the advancing tide of civilization warns
/ him that the time has arrived when he must
Yield up the title to this fair domain, aud
seek another and a strange dwelling place.
/ This charming region is embraced with
| in the cession made TO the government by
the Sioux Indians, ia the two treaties made
]
sey in July and August last, and which are
now before the Senate for its consideration.
The amount of acres in the purchase, in
GLIDING the hall-breed tract at Lake Pepin,
but not embracing the reservation made for
the Indians, is 2s $40, $40, acres or li.65O
square miles OF this quantity about 81
900 900 acres are within the State OF Iowa.
The limits of the country ceded by these
treaties have been so widely noticed IN the
public journals that 1t is hardly necessary
to repeat them here. Let 1t, therefore, sui
fee to state that the region north OF Iowa
| and east Of the Big Sioux fiver, traversing
the entire valley of the Minnesota up to the
Winnebago line, and connecting with the
purchase made by Governor Ramsey oil The
Red River ChIpPewas, at Buffalo nser, II
comprised therein so that glance at The
map will show the Mississippi TO be the
eastern boundary Of the tract to which thu