The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-09-15

luckily perhaps for my scalp, fell in with party
lergsinen, not Oh mission, but excursion 0
0bser vation like myself. We took the Indian trail
nnd in Indian file, passed through bushes aal sue
aud reached Mereposs, without any particular adven
ture The interpreter, resident in The village kindl,
conducted US through the town, and showed th,
. lions" and the Ionessess. He took into the
tent of his majesty, Little Crow" and we enjoyed
the distinguished honor of shaking his hand-a hanc
which perhaps had taken many a scalp. We looked
at some OF his wives, bat not impressed with
their charms. They appeared taci,urn, and in or
attempts to converse with them, gained but lutte
Information. We passed through come half dozen
of these lodges shaking hands with the inmates md
patting the babies, which of course, gained MS the
suies Of the nammas. shall not stop to descs be
these wigwams, descriptions Of them are in a.! OF,
books, and they are all alike.
| We their manner Of treating oiseases-saw
their dead placed upon scahclds on the dncen hills
saw the scalp Of Chippewa, lately taken, and
| lodges. They were to have % cap-dance' thai,
afternoon, and 10 Of the lodges lxard the note
of preparation. This were permitted 70 see
as the door was shut told that it was a re-
iis'eps ceremony preparatory to the danceihe sound
wa AS II fifty men were crying I" o-ho-ho," and
beating fricusly upon log.
We returned BY the river, il two canoes, propelled
by two Indians, each Thus clergy and aity, Chris
tlans and Pagans all the !ey,i lat in
the bottom Of the Canoe and while heather fiens
took the iaboring paddle, We abandeaed ourselves,
for the tmc. to t'olc and fun. The history OF Our
perlls, and notable adventures, and how the sea
serpent" didn't swallow us--beholj is it not written
in the book of Jasher
Minnesota takes It's from IT. principal tiver
tributary 10 ;he Mississippi, which by the Indians
was called Minnesota, (>ky-coored water tut now
sometimes called St. Peters. As this country ia
coming to be subject Of general inquiry. shall,
trust, be excused II ] enter somewhat minateiy into
its description.
By reference TO the map it will be seen that this
Territory has an area perhaps three times great
as that Of Oho; and in rcpec, to position, possesses
many advantages, having the Hudson Bay Fur Com
panys possession the north, lake Superior and lis
vast mining region the ST. and il waslcG the
entire west and southwest by the Missouri river
Through nearly the whole length of Territory, runs
the Mississippi, receiving the waters Of The Mime
sota, ST. Crox and many other tributaries. Iis
dunn latitude is about 80 degrees nOuh--t Paul.
the capital, is little above ii degrees very nearly
the that Of Burlington, Vermont.
The climate is cold, bat less than ia the
same latitude III the Atlantic States. The winters
are dry and very steady; rom Nov nber Ia March
there seldom any rain thaw, but aii.st aniuter
rupted sun hne by day, EXCEPT enough Of clouds
To shed down an occasional snoA whetovh the
hah,aRtS make delightful roads for sleghac. 1t il
not Uncommon iUr the 60 merry sleigh bells make
their music for a hundred DAYS in succession. Old
residents IN The Territory say that they have more
world, and that the winter lights the soft radiance
Of Luna and the frequent exhibitions Of the Aurora
BoFealis, perfectly etheiea-hetter than the An
dalus ian, the italian moonli. .h, Of which poets
have sung much.
The soil is generally black sandy loan., exceed.
ngIy mellow and easy to be cultivated. 1t Is Of a
warm nature and brings forward vegetation very rap
Idly. had evidence that the crops were ss forward
here at Caicna, four hundred miles u low
In heat, oats, potatoes, and the Whole ihe Of vines
and culinary vegetables, ! have doubt bu, that
Minnesota eNcels Ohio. IN the crop some
what inferior, alhouSh the people clam aIch for
that crop.
Water and scencry-This whole country abornds
wi,h crystal lakes and running brooks Of pure
Probably no county IN the world has a gIeaer mum
Der OF beautiful lakes. These vary IL nom
mile in length to fifty The water Is clear Crys-
tai, that the pebbly bottom may be at great
depth. The land upon them is generally rolling pra-
ries, or heavily tiInheued often coming Down to the
waters edge in beautiful slopes Of sand or pebbles,
forming scenery of surprising beauty. These lakes
iu Of fish, bass, pIckerel, trout, &c, that the
taking OF them ceases almost to be an aHi'senent-
Z lis So easy.
II the reader please, will take hort excursion
from St. Anthony TO some Of these lakes We Cross
one arm OF the Mississippi by bridge 10 an island,
and thence by a ferry the Western side. Here We
enter upon a h. gh paf,e most beautifully uuduiatns,
and extending several miles IN every direction, COW
cred with grass, nierspersed with prarie lilies and
wild roses. -Four miles brings us to Lake calhoun,
two or three miles in extent, and abouncing with
most charming scenery groves, clear brooks, lsets
and iirIe shady coves. A few miles further brings
us t. Lake Harriet, equally picturesque, and not dii
feriug ma;erlali, from the other; and proceed,
passing little lakes, the land becoming more io!Iing
and wooded until we reach Mime totka (hig watoi)
some sixteen miles from 81 Anthony. lis lake is
fifty miles ia lengt and lofty IN width, and IL sup
uosed to be nayigale io. steamboats, eyery pa!,.
I h.xa ri
settlements; one from New York CITY, consisting Of
one hundred families; another from Northampton,
! MassaC husetts, numbering somewhat iess. These
colonis,s have erected some houses, have saw-rnl
in PR gress, and expect 10 put steamboat IN motion
ca the lake mex, wear. TIE New York colony, in
the preamble TO their printed constitution, say, in
reference to their location, ''Ne have selected s,te
for iiage and farming connty that, i'r heaHhiui-
OF climate, fertility I'll soii, beauty q scene
and OF maj keis, cannot he s a',ed bi any
other locality in the country, beng within t"t'e u
fifteen miles Of the two m3st iupniiani towns tie
Territory, (St Paul and ST. Anthony) ana having
front on lake navgabic for steam aud 'heI boats.
over forty miles, its water clear as c'. "a, "d
alounds with I,h. The land arouod the 'hHe IS also
supplied with natural meadows; the country ls gene
rally rolling, and interpreted with the ifost Le'Liiu
grow h OF inber, consisting o. sugar -Drple, back
walnut, bu.tcrnut, white and red oak, add yarn
Of others; also wild iluit, g'aleS and berries "i al
most ever, kIni."
Ii we had ,ine j, would be pleasant 20 continue
this excursion down :hc lake, thence, by lew miles
across TO the Minnesota iiver an1 down that fisef to
Fo,t Smelling and Mendoza ana thence by the MIs
.tssi,pi to st. Paul viii finish II witt railroad
peed and let this one sentence suffice for the descl
tion.
Many other things ! meant to speak Of, which
pe sons turning ,heis eyes this COUNT! then fu
,ure home, would he desrous TO Know, but have
already occupied much space. VIII only say, IA
conclusion, that among the many good thugs "a Nm
nesota the society is not the least. For intrsehce
enterprise AID morality believe the leople are .tn'lJ
equa To those of any OF the Western STATES In d
mass temper ance convention which attended ii' 81
Paul, On the 4th Of July, ! saw as Intellectual ant
earnest BODY Of men and women As ever sa" ON q
similar occasion any where. BY the way, 10 IerPec
10 Woman's Rlsh,s,'' think Minnesota has te
take sep or two iorward yet; even there, woman Il
DO, called upon 10 srtak AID vote, and on a question
too that most deeply interests her, 1t VIII not LIE &c
a, our next census decade.
In taking my leave oi the great North" est re
ye,t with much pleasure to the acquaintance made
With the family OF F. L. Collins, ECU, formerly o
your CITY, whose lady is sister TO Mas. Hob. ock
your talented corres pondent. With pleasant home
en- bowered with flowers, furnished with seec II
brary and what 10 considered as more essential thai
ALL with several pra,tlins babes; they seom to say
We envy not your ~lrmer cline, that es ~ tel
degrees of more ndulgcut skies. Also, shall re