The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-05-07

tnough some Of the soldiers appeared to think
1t the worst place they ever beheld.
The post is not yet named. Capt. Monroe
will have command until the arrival of Major
Woods with his company from Iowa. The work
Of building the Fort will Immediately COM
mence. Several mechanics went up with us
from St. Paul for this purpose, who have before
them two or three years. job Mr. H. Pom
eroy Of St. Paul is the master carpenter. The
walls and buildings are to be Of stone, a species
of granite, plenty of which is found immediate
ly adjacent.
Saturday morning last opened most beauti-
fully and gloriously, and from the summit of
the high bluff one of the most magnificent views
in the country lay before the eye. Its natural
quiet was broken by the distant bowling of the
Tiger, whose steam could now be seen far down
the serpentine river towards La Framboise's-
About nine o'clock, she arrived, and landed
alongside the Newton. She was bound for the
new Agency, thirty miles above and started
out from st. Paul with twenty head of cattle
belonging to Robert Cummings, Of St. Anthony,
who has the contract for breaking ground at
the Agency. Cummings finding progress rath-
er slow, took his cattle ashore at Traverse DIES
Sioux, and proceeded to drive them up by land.
He succeeded in reaching the Fort the same
evening we did, beating the Royal Bengal sew
eral hours!
A few Indians were lettering about the
grounds during the morning. They were See
seetoans. belonging to Gums band. One. a
remarkably fine and noble looking young fel-
low, appeared to deeply interest our New York
ladies, and presents were lavished upon him
without stint. The evening previous but a SOL
itary Indian was upon the ground when we
landed. He stood for some minutes, resting
upon his gun, and with the stoicsm and tact
turnity of the red man, contemplated the de-
barkation of the troops. One of the strangers
remarked that he was in all probility rejecting
upon the rapid inroads our people were making
into his country, and looking forward to the
time when all his race would fall and become
extinct, buried beneath the rapidly advancing
wave of Anglo-Saxon civilization. One better
acquainted with Indians and Indian character,
suggested that it was greatly more probable
he was calculating the chances as to whether
the barrels which were being rolled ashore
contained whisky, and if SO, how he would go
to work to procure a portion of their contents.
The Indian, at this juncture, seeing we were all
laughing at him. shouldered bis gun and
marched off across the hills.
Homeward Bound.
All things being in readiness, we took leave
of our military friends at ten o'clock Saturday,
and headed down stream. The wind was rising,
and by the time we had been out an hour was
blowing furious gale. No running in this
crooked stream to-day so We are tied up in
the bushes, with water all around us-prison-
ers for the time with no chance of getting
ashore. Here we were held till late on Sunday
afternoon, when the wind falling we proceeded.
Mr.. La Framboise got aboard at his place to
come down with us, bringing the proceeds of
his winters traffic. Some eight or ten miles
below his house we laid by for the night at a
high and beautifully timbered bank. AT this
spot rests the mortal remains of Cameron. a
noted Indian trader of the previous century,
and contemporary of the notorious Dixon.
Early the next day, we met the Clarion on
her way up, about five miles below the mouth
of Cottonwood. Many of our citizens were
aboard, including Agent MLean with his eff
fects for the new Agency. Thus at this one
time were three boats ON the waters of the Min
nesOta, all above the highest point previously
attained in navigating the river by steam, and
one of them firstclass Upper Mississippi pack
ct. This is something TO be remembered and
talked of.
Time and space admonish that we must cut
our narrative short. We have many facts and
pleasing incidents we would wish to note, but
they must be deferred. AS we advanced down
the river, everything indicated great life and
activity at the different settlements and land
ings. The Newton arrived at St. Paul Tuesday
evening, having been absent just one week,
nearly two days of which she was detained by
wind. Every one on board returned highly
pleased with the excursion. The journey as
high up as the new Fort cannot fail to interest
and greatly add to knowledge of the vast re-
sources of the Minnesota Valley. There will,
perhaps, be many opportunities the present
season for our citizens to make the trip,
and we advise all who can do so not to let the
occasions pass. The river is nav igable stream
as far as the new sites Of the government oper-
atoms up the valley, and boats will 90 there
whenever business will make paying trips.
We have returned more than ever convinced
that the vast agricultural, and perhaps mineral.
resources of this valley have not at all been
exaggerated-rather moderated than other
wise. Rich and desirable farming lands there
are in abundance every mile, with all the facil-
tiles Of timber and water, as we'll as fine build
ing stone. Iron we are certain will be found
in abundance, and we are much deceived if
immense coal fields should prove to be great
distance off,
ADVANCE IN THE PRICE OF BEEF CArTLE.-A
very material advance in the prices of beef cat
tie has recently taken place in this market, re-