The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-03-21
From Porter's Spirit of the Times.)
THE THREE DAKOTAS.
A CHAPTER FROM AN UNFINISHED WORK ON
"THE EARLY DAYS OF MINNESOTA"
BY HAL, A DAKOTA.

-Ope this letter. r. y
/ can produce champion that will prove
What is avouched there-KING LEAR.
To enable our readers to understand the
exact position of the three men, it may be
proper to give brief description of the To-
cality in which they now found themselves,
and the country adjacent. About three
miles to the eastward of them rolled the cur
rent of the Chippewa river, stream of very
considerable magnitude, which is bordered
at intervals with heavy bodies of timber
Westwardly, or North-westwardly, the prai-
rie stretched for miles, with here and there
small but dense thickets of poplar and tam
rack. The region on both sides of the river
abounds with high, broken ridges, and deep
chasms or ravines, which have been formed
by the floods of by-gone centuries, or by
some great convulsion of nature. These des-
olate and dreary portions of the country are
not fitted for the habitation of white men,
and remain to the present day the re-
treat of the bear, the elk and the deer. The
description we have thus given in few
words, does not apply by any means, to the
whole surface drained by the Chippewa river.
On the contrary, there are many lourishing
settlements, and much good land, both above
and below the waste tracts we have describ-
ed, and vast forests of pine are found to the
northward, on that stream and its tributary
waters, which furnish the means for great
and successful branch of commerce.
1t was to avoid the difficult ground men
toned, that the small party of the Dakotas
had made such strenuous efforts, and incurr-
ed So great dangers, in seeking the shelter of
the woods, where the land was comparative
Iu b,,rr fo1
among them on hearing the shouts of the
Ojibways, which denoted their dangerous
proximity. 1t was agreed that the safest
course would be to skirt the timber, so as
not to be impeded by fallen trees, until they
should reach dense grove of small extent,
well known to them, where, if needful, they
might safely defy the utmost efforts Of the
Ojibway party, until the friendly darkness
should enable them to escape at their leisure.
r They bounded off with renewed strength
and elasticity, and in an incredible short
space of time they had passed over half a
score OF miles. The sun was declining in the
heavens when the grove was reached where
the stand was to be made.
"We can out-run them," said the Fire
Face; but greatly as they are our superiors
In point of numbers, would feel ashamed
IT the three best warriors of the Red Wing
Band should return to their village with only
solitary scalp. Let us wait here the arriv-
al OF the Ojibways, and if they can master
our scalps they may have them.
The Others assented, and immediate prepa-
rations were made for defence. II
The thicket selected was limited in extent
but contained few trees of considerable
size, some fallen timber and thick under
brush. 1t was situated in the omen prairie
and commanded view from every side, and
it was therefore admirably adapted for the
purpose for which it had been selected. The
three men knew how to make the best use
OF the facilities it afforded for defence. Fire
Face placed himself on projecting point
which gave him full prospect of the entire
west side of the grove, while the others were
so stationed, as, while almost protected from
the balls of the enemy, to guard against any
approach from the opposite side. The line
Of defence was completed in very short