New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-11-26
EXCURSION IN THE NORTH-WEST.
TIE UTMOST MISSISSIPPI, FROM LEIGH
LAKE, VIA PEKAGEMA, TO CROW WING.
c.~x..,ocss,-- NJ Thu N v Trbure

CorsspondsDee Of The N. T. Tribune
CROW Wing, Minnesota, Oct. %, 1857.
Having come up to Crow Wing from below, for
little recreation, / determined to make short
trip to the north, into tie Chippewa country, and
about the head-waters Of the Mississippi. The
region was entirely unknown TO me; felt strong
desire, almost longing, to discover whence came
the nishty river, from Whist floods aud fountains
be issued forth, as well as to follOg down bis
winding ,tream from the great lake country TO the
vey spot where then stood. l soon ascertaine1
10Y correct c01ne 1t was to 20 due north from
Crow Wing to Leech Lake through the pine for
ests; from the lake, down Leech River to the Mis-
sis,ippi; ard down the Mississippi by Pekage ma
Falls and Sandy Lake, to Crow Wing again BY
canoe. That very afternoon Jack Bungo vas going
up to Leech Lake with his team be was tie very
man for my purpose, and / at once ssw him and
made all necessary arrangements.
Crow Wing 10 the limit of civilization on the Up
per Mississippi. Above this point there is nothing
that suese ats the dominion Of the white mad OK.
cept an occasional lumber camp, and az long inter
vale a town site, laid out by some adventurous po
Deer where log house or two, freshly erected and
occupied perhaps by the proprietor or his agent,
give evidence Of that fearless faith in the future
which characterizes the genius Of the West.
Crow Wing is still lii more th IN an lndisn trad
Ing port Its inhabitants are balfbreeds and Indians,
with but two or three white families, AID its few
frame and log houses are interspersed with wigwans
of the white birch bark. On the opposite bank of
the river is the Chippewa Reservation, and Indians
may at all hours he seen padding swiftly across N
their birch canoes, to exchange rice, furs, or the
ducks they may have shot, for provisions at the
store, or more likely for whi,ky at the vile shops
where it is Sod in violation of all law, by the totally
deprayed traders. Nearly every one wears mecca
sins: pat0is Canadian French is spoken much more
gene rally than English; AMI while the half breeds
and Amert ans learn to talk pretty good Indian, the
Indians also pick up little French, and say bon
Jour-" with very tolerable accent. Altogether,
Crow Wing presents an odd tumble of manners,
dress and language but like many of the old Indian
trading pcsts it is gradually losing its original char
acter and becoming decidedly Amercanzed
About O'Clock OF a sunny Saturday we started
upon our trip. Beside Jack, my companions were
two other hafbreeds-R Robert, an intelligent young
fellow in Jacks employment, and Dugal, an odd,
simple. hearted old chap, much gwen to whisky,
who lives at Leech Lake, in the service OF tae Gov
eminent as black smith for the Indians. We rode in
q ricktty wagon drawn BY two sturdy Indian PONIES,
there beipp Government road cut Through the vii.
derness to the lake. at this season in tOerabe con-
dition for 20 wild place. For mile or two, until
our road braDched off from theirs we kept company
with q Red River train of some twenty wagons,
bou.d for Pembila. The men in the train were
mostly Canadian French peasants, from tae neigh
borhtod of Montreal with some tyugh looking
women among them, who bear the fatigue OF the
Journey quite as well as the men. They carried
large tent, in which they make themselves very
comfortable at night, when the cold wind sweeps
across The vast praires, but they travel too slowly
for the quick spirit of the genuine Western pioneer,
who can make the trip from Crow Wiog 10 from
eigh. to twelve days, while they require q; least
twenty for their more cumbersome progress. la the
course of the AFT .InOOn we were Overtaken BY ti
fierce To- hing painted Chippewa, who was coming
from the Agency (Which is FIVE miles north west OF
Crow WiDg) with pack upon his back. He ran
or walked behind or before our wagon all the way
to Leech Lake, and camped with US at night. and
between Jacks whisky End tobacco aud my game,
made pretty good thing OF it, He, however, made
himself quite useful to us in variety OF ways. In
the course of the afternoon l shot fsx, which
gave to him, whereupon SHINING the same, he hung
the skin about his neck, with expressions Of delight
and of goodwill toward myself. Ofte1, as We sat
before the campfire at night, would he strike the
shin with evident ratification, saying to NE,
"Eitebe (friendSgood"
Winding through groves Of graceful young pines,
slowly growing up to replace th.ss burned down by
the Indians in former years, and passing at short
intervals lovely lakes, with their little coves aud
clean, sandy benches, we made our camp at evening
at Gsyssk or Gull Lake, fine, large bsdy Of water,
with VIII te guls doping aud fishing in it's waves.
While the Indian roasted the partrdges which b sd
81 and Rober. boiled our wild rice and fried our
pork, / rambed along the shore Of the lake and
picked up several pretty specimens of the agate
carneIan which is found generally about the lakes
and streams of this part of the country After sup
PER We lighted our pipes, and enjoyed placid
smoke before the grand blaze of our cracking pine
logs, the Indian ekng out his allowance Of tlbac;O
with kinnikiDnck bark, which he pslsd and dried
IN the heat of the IRE. The bark or rind of the
kiDniknnick which smoked several times during
my trip, Is agreeably aromatic, with pleasant,
spicy favor, aud, compared with tobacco, must be
entirely harmless in its effects. Later 10 the even
Ing, when We gathered our blankets around us and
lsy down for the night, remained awake for some
time, amused aud perhaps excited by the novelty OF
my situation. Above, through the feathery foliage
OF the pines, twibk'ed the stars; behind me the
waters OF the lake wstbed with measured murmnr
upon the pebbles of the shore. Beside tn. blazing
hre sat the Indian, singing in a low, cultural tone
the chant which 10 heard with variations among all
the North American Indians So Ho, no, hi-yo, nj
yohl, niho, &e.-whe poor Dugal, half asleep and
half iDebrlated, hummed to himself, in broken,
childish voice. fragment Of French song, a SOU
ysDir Of bis Canadian education. easily csugh.
the words, which were as follows:
Men amour. amour,
Elle est dams IL eour
Eli 81 a. ellie chant toujsurs;
kAis moi hs vie est duie"-
and the next day threw the old fellow into tr,ns-
port Of delight by abruptly singing them out as we
iolttd alorg in the wagon. The heavy breathing OF
Jack and Robert soon became contagious, and, az
sank to ,leep felt the Ihdian tucking my bl.nket
about me, az be whispered "Nitche into my ear.
At the earliest gray Of morning We were stirring
The horses were brought up from their Luxurious,
pastrspe among the g1t en- rushes the lake ami