The daily Minnesota pioneer., 1854-08-25


aging. Probabl, twice much lumber will be turn
ed ont has been done in any prevons year, and the
only danger is that the competition may become ruin
Gus. Here We fortunate enough to secure the
services of two voyageurs, who had brought down an
express, to pole us up the river, and the next dav
went six niles up the river the head of the rapids
III order 60 make fair start the next morning, and
sent back our horses and conveyance to St. Paul
From ths point, called Bishops Landing, the St.
Croix is navigabe for battcaux for 80 miles, and is
generally quiet stream except some as lunlberman
expressed it, "prettv smart water" at Kettle River
Rapids, where passengers walk along the margin of
the stream while the voyageurs pole up stream After
sleeping on straw in barn during the mig ght,
ted the next morning before breakfast and after walk
ing six miles, stopped to find that had forgotten to
put cooking utensils in the boat An Indian bov
named Wakonce we had engaged to pack for us, was
sent back for them and failing to RETURN one of the
voyaycurs went and soon returned with them. The
day however nearly lost, and we onl, succeeded
in reaching Sunrise that evening. We encamped i'm
the open air and near Browns farm the last clearing
the river, and gave heartfelt thanks the enter
prise that freed from the pest of mosquitoes. The
next morning we saw the glorious orb Of day as
cend above the tops of the distant trees, we thought
the name of Sunrise was most appropriate the
Of the river here is nearly east and wes gives
an extensive horizon. On inquiry, however, found
that the was derived from river flowing from
the East aud emp'ying into the St. Crox this
spot During the early part of this day and all the
preceding, otrr course was through rich bottom land
pretty heavily timbered, with high lands of good
quality in the back ground. We saw each dav deer
in the streams, and heard they were killed in great
numbers by the Indians, who hunt them by night with
light in canoe.
Toward noon we left the trap, and saw the sand
stone in bold ou-cropping the bank of the river
1t consists of very soft, frable white stone, and
forms, suspect, the soil Of the pine barrens of
Wisconsin, which here approach close to the river
and crossing the of it further up stream,
tend as far ascended,
The pine lumber has been eflectually cleared Off
along the St. Croix, and most Of its tributaries and
the only value of the land thus taken away, this
immense tract must remain for long years to come
the home of she bear and the wolf The projected
Railroads will open up new sections of country, but
only to supply the place of the river in afording
means Of Transporting the lumber to southern mar
ket. Towards evening we reached Wood River and
encamped on the Wisconsin side about half mile
above its confluence with the St. Croix. During the
day several parties of lunbemen passed us on their
way to and from haymakng-in which employment
they generally pass their summer months. As far as
we could make out from them, each man cuts for his
own teams and as near the scene of lis winter cam
paign as possible The best meadows lie the Snake
Clam and Yellow Rivers, and the Iuxuriant growth
OF those wild grasses, especially red-toP and blue
joint, is most surprising to accustomed to eastern
farms. 1t is conjectured that about 1000 men, en-
poyng Is teams of oxen each, will be in the woods
this winter, for which 1900 tons Of hay will be
required. In places the banks of the St. Croix
were thicky dotted with hay stacks, and these natu
raj meadows formed one of the most agreeable sg hts
voyage up and one resembling civilization
Next morning passed Snake and Clam Rivers
on the Minnesota side, and succeeded in shooting
young deer in the stream which served us in good
stead of salt pork, to which had hardly yet be-
come reconcied. This day we had to take the shore
AT Ncttis R''eI anu not hho"i"S tiC P'"Pe'
trail, followed the course of the river, crushing
through the brushwood and leaping the numerous
babbling streams, but almost devoured by the mos
auitoes and deer-fies. Towards evening we again
passed several new-mown meadows, in one Of which
we killed several prairie chickens. The night was
spent on an elevated sand bank the Minnesota side
where the mosquitoes, although Of small size, vic
Il
readers may not be aware of the difference between
the mosquito of the clearing and that Of the woods,
and as have been posted up in the matter, it is
this: The phlebotomist of the clearing comes with
sound of horns and small band OF music to the at
tack, while the inhabant OF the woods, by far the
larger steals silently to the victim and the first inti-
nation Of his presence, the smart lug the IN
sertion of his weapon.
But grow weary aud will conclude my commune.
cation tomorrow. Yours truly,
NOYAGEUR.