Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-01-16

Prairie Rovings.-Mlnnes sofa Field Sports.
THE zUMBKo.
At daylight We left the shores of Lake Pcp:n,
for the double purpose Of hunting, and ascertain
ing the best route for road from Westervelt's
10 the fertile valley of the Zumbro. The team
and hounds were in prime order, and our Camp
equipment complete, GARRARD's admirable taste
in these matters enabling him to render such
trip most delightfully."- comfortable.
We soon emerged from the beautiful valley of
the Lake, and found ourselves in what might truly
he called New Country.
Signs of habitation AMI cultivation no longer
met our gaze-and the beautiful 'sCap des
Sioux" (Umona's Rock) was lost to sight in
the far distance We shaped our course S. S.
W. by compass, which we thought from the posi-
ton ON the map would have led US to Orinoco.
Night came on us however, and the timber SEEM
ed constantly receding as we advanced, and our
solitary track over the fields of snow, looked
lone, and dreary enough. We soon saw small
grove of poplar, and steered directly for it,
where we camped at 9 P. NJ, in most uncom-
Portable locality. Refreshed with good supper,
however, we soon turned in, and sought the sweet
solace of DREAM-LAND.
We reached the forks of the river at noon the
next day, and seeing several Deer, with multi
plicity of tracks over the plain, We pitched our
tent, and commenced to iUe. The thermometer,
mt day light stood at zero, but VIC felt iuUvu-
venience from the cold, and in shirt sleeves,
roamed about in the clear, dry air with feeling
of most perfect, and healthful delight. After a
comfortable night and a n,atin "gorge," as the
DocroR calls it, We took our rifles, and radiated
to explore the streams, and find the road to ORR
noco. Wcstcrvelt and took the banks of the
north fork, and traced it Ny. six miles or more,
but found no signs of road or humanity. We
saw no deer, though the tracks were abundant,
and among them, many of the Elk. On our re-
turn We bagged several grouse, and pheasants,
and discovered cave of considerable dimensions,
in the face of rocky, bluff fronting most beau
tiful piece of land which some day will form
valuable farm. The cave was 60 feet deep, and
for thirty feet from its entrance, it was high and
and stable at some former time purposes for
which it is admirably adapted, and Westervclt ex-
claimed sswhat a stable nature has built here.'
We rested moment, and logged into Camp at
sunset lcg-weary, and hungry. town has been
staked out near our Camp, bearing on stake the
cuphonous and captivating name of Granville,
though we have roamed far, and wide, three
whole days without meeting sign that we are not
far away from the civilized world. We did not
discover that the stream near us, abOunded with
trout until on our homeward march when fol-
lowing it up, we saw great numbers of them,
near its head Our prorand was out however,
and We had only one feed for the team, We
could not delay our march. Our sc back track !"
diverged from the outward one, and we rode over
Il vast, and bleak prairie, for several hours. We
were crossing ravine near sunset, when sudden
ly Wcstervet eagerly exclaimed, "Look there,
look there" Casting up our eyes We saw herd
of 20 Elk upon the ridge above US. In the front
rank were the antlered lords while the does
were ranged behind them, and they stood intently
looking at US ''e-sctis auribus." G. and |. seized
or rifles and started, and so did they, leading
of in gallant style. The beautiful hounds, sSAx'
and 'LoLA,' stretched away after them in full cry,
and with speed that was truly wonderful. Wee
felt our insigni6cance in the race and stopped to
witness it with feelings of wild delight.
The black hound 'SAx' took the face of the
hill, and gaining the srise' Of it, he headed the
herd, and completely turned them, though not to-
wards US. The Elk were stretching out on snowy
side hill, and not stick or stone intercepted the
charming sight, while SAN kept sletting out the
links till he became shapeless object to our
eyes, and seemed black ball, rolled from some
mighty engine across the snowy waste. They
soon were lost to view, the hounds returned in
painting, but delighted haste, and we solaced our
selves with the remark that Elk meat was dry
eating after all, and if We had killed four or FIVE,
we should have lost the prettiest sight that MIN
NEsoTA FIELD SroRrs could afford. w.
Docs.-Somo wag inserted in New York pa