The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-02-19
Continued.

| SctSo INV ttCu Wy VooieO NuC uOi tu
We crossed about four miles above its
mouth, where it was fifty yanls in width
and four and half feet deep; its course be.
ing very crooked. We canped on its bank
alongside The dragons all hurry and hustle
in the midst Of gust; supped on sout
made Of two wild geese, with onions, pota-
toes and condiments; called boullon by the
half breeds. At 10 p. m. very heavy
storm Of thunder and lightning came up
suddenly from the south west. The rain
descended in torrents; the winds blew;
thunders roared; lightning flashed; the tent
flies snapped, tapped and cracked; the wa
ter rolled in under opr oil cloth floor, while
we remained all safe and dry and went I'd
sleep amidst the raging AMI roaring Of the
tempest. ..rrta h.g t.s. g, -a''0l
| FaI0AY, a9.-CIouly and very damp
early in the morning, cleared up about ten
O'Clock; fine, cool and pleasant, with good
breeze from the north. The troops having
made raft yesterday afternoon; they began
to cross early this morning; rafting over
their goods, and drawing the wagons over
with ropes; swimming and wa,ling the hors-
es over at TWO different fords, about one
hundred and fifty yards apart. They were
all over al half past ten O'Clock and then
came our turn; all our goods, provisions,
baggage, &c., were turned out on the grass
to dry, which opportunity availed myself
| Of to examine and take list of all. The
carts were drawn over by ropes, the goods
taken over on the raft and tie horses swami
across all at the lower and deeper ford
After all was again repacked we started at
two p. M, and after pursuing a northwest
course about eight miles, over fiat, marshy
prairie; we crossed over the Wild Rice
river on rustic bridge Of logs, and camp
ed on the other side, near the dragons,
whom we found already there and comfort
ably fixed. The Wild Rice is a narrow
and very crooked stream with high banks,
and resembles a deep ditch of dirty water.
1t is skirted with woodland at intervals
We are now three or four miles down Red
River, below the mouth of the Sioux
Wood; above which it takes the name OF
Ouertail River. Our distance from Red
| River, to the west, is some three miles; the
woods bordering its banks being visible
during our ride this p. m. Our whole jour
ney to-day has not exceeded ten miles; to-
morrow we have march Of twenty -fivo
miles TO the Shayenne; which we cross
thirty miles above ITS mouth; and I am u lso
told tina, we will not see Red River until
our arrival at Pembina; as our road skirts
along the high ground on the western slope
Of the valley, distant on an average, some
thirty to forty miles. This detour is nsces-
sary to avoid the marshes, swamps, and bad
places along the bed ofthe valley and near
er to the river 3 Jag O. f.'-' ..'
SATURDAY, Soth.. A inc, clear, warm
day the finest we have YET had. This a.
m. false alarm raised all The camp at hall
! past one O'Clock; fire was made, the ket-
tie put on, water boiled and after putting
! the tea 70 draw, we all returned to bed
again, determined that nothing should
''draw" US out again till morning. Our
road to-day lay over a fiat and lnarshy pral-
rie, with no lakes or streams, the woods
along Red River alone being visible. away
off to the right. At noon we halted at a
stagnant pool of dirty water, cut down two
small dead poplars, (all the timber " G
could fi1d } boiled our coffee and had cold
bite for dinner. The sun was very hot
huge hottie flies and gnats very bad, and
our horses most used up. At three p m
we started on again, and rode IL miles, to
the Shayenne, that is, the Rev. Mr. Black
aud 1, who ride together. Here we found
the Dragons encamped on the top OF the
steep wooded bauk, on the south side OF the
Shavenne; the turbid narrow river rolling
rapidly about 200 feet below, aud vast x
pause Of rolling prairie away of TO tile
north on the other side. The country pass
ed over this p. m, was level, marsby
pruirie for the most part, with sand hi
knOlS like mounds, and excavations as
though done by hand, al intervals. As we
approached within SIX miles OF the Sha
yenne, the timber in groves became more
abundant, with rolling prairie, hills, s,mound'
and valleys leading Us 10 suppose we were
Immediately on its banks. The dragons
were deceived in common with the rest o
us ami thus led some ten miles beyond thei'
usual march; making a distauce Of thru,
miles. At their camp we found DE-. Fos
ter and friend, who had rode on at noon
in search Of the Shayenne. After partakine
of a good supper in 1t. Corley's tent, nnt
waiting I'LL nine O'Clock tor the arrival o
our carts and balance Of the party; the Rev
Mr.. Black and re-caught our horses ans
rode back by the light of the new moon. u
search of the stray wanderers; after a rid'
of some two miles we came in sight of thel
campfire, to our great jay, and soon cam
TO the camp, at ten p rn.; tile tents wer
pitched on the open prairie, just Oh the sid
t of a swamp, where the wafer was prett
good; also some wood handy, and but few
Emosa auitoes, which at the dragoon cam
were far worse than | ever saw before, o
heard of, or imagined; in fact. no magma
ton could do them justice--they must b
seen and felt to be appreciated. | rode
cream colored horse, and was unable
, distinguish the color Of the animal so thick
; ly was he covered on my arrival there =
During supper they swarmed around lIk
bees hiviag, and entered the mouth, nose
. ears and eyes, and had it not been for coo
fresh evening breeze, they would have bee
, unbearable. Dr. F. remaiued with the l.
at the camp, all night, and ] have sine
r learned that they were almost literally dt
!. voured alive, albeit they had the .protecto
of mosqpito bars; which OH this occasio
did not amount TO much. DIR. F.was phit
{ botomsed to the extent of several pound
v of blood; and finally took refuge on tn
= open prairie, muffied upin a lot ofblanket
: and exposed to the keen night wind, whic
e still proving Intellectual in resisting their a
e tacks, (as he says they eyea penetrate
n through his boots,) he finally, at dayligb
J, threw off all disguise, and almost distracte
e took refuge in smudge among the tent
e He to-day looks dry and has very much
q a .,,oL .,I a,,pea ar.pee hesi.les heiup ,ypal