Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-06-26
Correspondence Of the Times.
G.YrNa Ill. June II, '55.


DEAR T1MEs:-A hot heavy, sickening sem
sation of Carbon in every thing-a dizzy stu
pidity-a feverish sleep and bad coffee were
the general characteristics Of my trip down. 1t
was so with yours if you will but confess it. 1t
is always the same drowsy alienation of sick
attempt to find self-obvion in somethlng-or
an abortive effort to find interest in something.
Novelty not poetry is the sole remuneration OF
the traveller. The excitement OF the new not
of the beautiful is what one seeks. So tried
in vain to awaken some faint Renaissance OF
the old enthusiasm with which five years agol
greeted these same shores,-when the Nom-
nee unrolled the wondrous panorama Of their
lonely beauty. The bold and gracefully round
ed outlines of the bluffs-whose castellated
SUBMITS seemed the native Home OF ieudal le-
gends-the island bottoms teeming with stout
intricate forests whose dense nterlacing Of rich
green leaves bafiled the widered eye-and the
smooth landscapes that stretched away through
the departed bluffs dotted with Oak-openings
like orchards in old lields-and the green waves
of rolling prairie here and thereof which the
grand bluff itself is but sublime wave poised
at the summit Of an ocean swell and fixed there
by a magic word in the zenith Of its beauty
All these are here yet. But what Of them!
cannot drink my soul drunk with sour wonders
nor guzzle the stale dribblings of diluted &C.
stacies with the smallest prospect Of substantial
enjoyment. So sit to windward and smoke
endeavoring if possible to realize the dolce far
niente of the Italian Sybarite in short six.
Red Wing has noticeable feature. Nature
has emphasized Red Wing with huge excla-
nation point. 1t is lofty pyramdal bluff
standing alone-apart-on the very margin of
the river-A1onumental as Colossus-grim as
petrified Cyclops-or Sentinel Titan. OH
mighty Pyramid-sad 1. What Cheops piled
thee, skyward, for dumb tomb to nameless
builder9 The emanent strukshenest of lil1er'
has made apostrophes classical again-so you
will excuse that solitary raving.
Our trip down was properly punctuated with
sand bars: Comma bars Colon bars and full
stops. Made full stop at Beef Slough where
We stayed all night. Next morning we in COM
mon with all the solid contents of the boat were
transferred to barge and moored across the
bar to shore, where the mosquitoes gave us an
enthusiastic reception. But why Beef Slough?
Why Beef of all thingss Various tales, as au.
thentic at least as the Bar-keeper's cock tails,
We're current among the passengers as to the
o1gin OF this suggestive Pseudonym. One was
that boat laden with cattle for the Govern
ment ran aground here on the sand bar, that
in order to Tighten the boat the cattle were put
ashore in the woods and that the Indians stole
them-a vulgar version, assure YOU, dear
Times, Of classic hecatomb 'erst offered here
by some abandoned Eneas to appease the angry
river-gods. Hence Beef Slough and La Riv.
iere des Beufs. consider Beef Slough how
ever chiefly remarkable for my first mosquito
bite in 1856.
We arrived at Dunleith too late for the cars
which start at six o'clock every morning and
evening. The road has been in operation at
this point since Monday last.
We found the Head of Navigation on Fevre
river about mile below Galena Fevre river
Is natural curiosity. If Protoxide of Hydro
gen is water it is any thing but water If it is
a river at all it is the Styx of rivers. 1t is a
longitudinal sink pot of green slime with Just
that sort OF oczy bottom that dying hog would
naturally choose for his Elysium. Saw herd
OF thirsty cows wallowing through the mud to
its brink and smell it and turn up their noses
with an inarticulate bah and all expression of
quiet contempt in their physiognomy which it
needed no Laveter to detect. Landed here at
3 P. nj. Adieu to Steamboats,!
Every time sit at steamboat table am
more and more inclined to accept the ugly So
cial theory of Hobbies. The steamboat table
indeed, is very epitome Of democracy let loose
to the rabid rapacty of its mate selfshness 1t
is general warfare. In the din of dishes and
the clash Of knives and forks one is forced to
compete with hundred others for every mouth
full one eats. You will comprehend my sigh
for the private dinner-table and to be renstated
in positive jurisdiction over ones own elbows
with reversionary interest in the butter and a
remote possibility Of cream.
Parodi sang here last night in the dining hall
Of the De Soto. Madame Strakosch assisted
the celebrated prima donna. can give you
no idea of Parodi. She is an angel! Her per-
sonnet, however, is too rotund to be graceful
Like almost all our great female artistes she is
ta,ed to be fat. ]. w.
THE LAW OF LIpEL.-The decision in ia.
vor of the New York Sun in the case of suit
for libel, which has been before the courts for
five years, is announced. The principle which
governs libel suits was distinctly laid down by
Judge Bosworth as follows: