The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-06-04
FACTS AND FANCIES.

1hio IL VIC AouA III VI ouiiC, ASo" Jo1' 1900
years since the wheels of the Territorial Co
vernment of Minnesota were set in motion by
Governor Ramsey. Those in st. Paul then and
now, can spend useful hour in contemplating
the past and specializing upon the future.
Gov. Stevens, since his arrival, has been
fastening preparations with unequalled energy
in order to move forward at an early day. If
we are judge of men from slight opportuni-
ties we should take the Governor to be a man
precisely adapted to 60 through, thoroughly
and expeditiously, with the work assigned him.
He is small in stature but all energy and grit
hardy as an old seasoned voyageur, and de-
tcrmined as an ancient Brton. If the whole
party become enthused with his spirit, the ex-
petition will move forward as smoothly as
dog-train upon a northern snow-crust. The
party is encamped upon Lake Amelia, three
miles west of Fort Smelling. We visited it on
Monday, and found the boys breaking their
mules and making other necessary preparations
for departure. Mr.. Lander, with the advance
party, was to start on Wednesday; but at the
time we write, we are not informed as to whe-
ther he got off. The North Pacific Railroad,
and land to build branches, topping it from
euery accessible point in the Territory, is now
the watchword of every true Minnesotian. We
rather guess no one will 60 to Congress this
year, who doesn't go this whole figure. and can
command sufficient influence to carry it out az
ter he gets there.
JOHN NJ. STANIEY.-Perhaps no man of his
age, in America, has seen more of wild life, and
passed more 'hair-breadth 'scapcs, among the
rowing tribes of the West and South than this
gentleman. He is now among us, and goes out
in his vocation of artist, with Gov. Stevens ey-
petition to the Pacific. We first met him and
formed his his acquaintance eight years ago, in
the city of Cincinnati. He then appeared as
man not over twenty-five years of age, but had
already taken the heads of all the distinguish
ed Chiefs and Warriors of the tribes west of the
Mississippi, and south of the Platte, including
some of the Sacs and Foxes, the Winnebagoes,
and the Sioux of our immediate neighbOrhood
among them old Black Dog. These paintings
were exhibited at the time, and received the
approval of the connoisseurs Of that critical
city in matters pertaining to the fine arts. Mr..
S. informs us these portraits are now in the gal
lery of the Smithsonian Institution at Washing
Kearny to New Mexico and California, from
whence, we now learn, he journeyed to the
Sandwich Islands and through Oregon. In the
latter country he travelled several hundred
miles alone into the mountains, in order to Oh
tain some good specimens of savage nature, pc
culiar to that region. AT the time of the In
dian outbreak in Oregon, two or three years
ago, he came very near being tomahawked and
scalped and on various occasions met with en-
citing adventures which altogether would fill
an interesting volume did he choose to write
them out. Mr. Stanley, aside from his claims
as an artist of high talent and pure taste, is an
Invaluable adjunct to an expedition of this kind.
from his knowledge as a woodsman and close
acquaintance with Indian character He is
now about to pass through the country of the
only powerful tribes under the jurisdiction of
the United States, that he has never been among
the Chippewas, Assineboines, Crows and
Blackfeet. Our best wishes go with him now
and ever. He is an enthusiast in his art and
we would not be surprised some day to learn
he had fallen, on plain or in forest, pencil in
hand. while in the act of drawing the physog-
nomy of some grim-visagcd, ochrcdaubed hca-
then of our Western wilds; albeit, Heaven
knows, this is the last fate to which we would
assign him. Mr.. S., since his arrival here, has
taken truthful and spirited sketch of St. Paul,
from Dayton's Bluff, which. when finished. will
give strangers fine idea of our young city, as
it is.
- a ride out by way of Fort Smelling, to
Lakes Harriet, Calhoun, &C., and thence home
by st. Anthony, is not bad to take these days,
when the weather is pleasant. You will see "a
country as is a country and find some very
clever people on the road into the bargain.
We tried it this week, and found it just as here
written.
STEAMBOAT RAcING.-Tbey are having great
times on the Ohio this season. Steamboat rae
ing is at its zenith ; and the next we hear will
be a confagration or blow-up. In the first
place, there is the Union Line of packets be-
the old Louisville and Cincinnati and Cincin-
natl and Pittsburgh lines. Ash beech. hicko-
ry and sugar-maple rot at the wood-yartls pine
knots are brought from the East and South by
thousands of cords, and coal rosin, tar and ran
cid grease are up in the market Then again,
the papers of Louisville, Cincinnati, &C., were
at last accounts, in high dispute about recent
quick trips from New Orleans to the former
city made by the Eclipse and a. l.. Shotwell-
Both made it in four days, nine hours and some
minutes and seconds, but which made precisely
the shortest time, appears to be matter of disa-
grecmcnt. The Shotwcll has an item in her
memoranda something in this wise "Lost TWEEN
ty minutes getting Ed. johnson and family on
board" Oh Ed! you internal scamp! Why
didn't you stay ashore till the next boat came
along, and thus have settled this great question
between the Eclipse and Shotwell, which is