New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-05
AN EXCURSION IN THE NoRTH-w WEST.
THE UTMOST MISSISSIPPI, FROM LEIGH
LAKE, VIA PEKAGEMA, TO CROW
WING
lce OF The n. Y. Tribune.


WING.
Conesp. ndepce Of TIE n 7. Tribune
Grow WING, Minnesota, Oct. 10, 1857.
Awskirk early, much refreshed BY my first sleep
in q wgwap vent out before breakfast to view
the day and perform my additions in the waters Of
the lake. The snow was beginning to melt away
before warm sun, and 81 / trod upon it with my
moccasins ito velvety softness gave new pleasure
10 nv sanse Of touch. After luxurious breakfast
Of wild rice s*eetened with maple sugar, ducks,
pork and hot bread, l left Jack to make the ar-
rar sements for my watertrip, and ramb!sd for an
hour OK more through the Indian village. went
into several of the lodges and 10 ono bought Of
Buffalo" q chief Of the tribe, . pipe Of the
heavy, dark pioe stone which is said ~ be found
only at the Lake Of the Woods, whence il is
brought by the Indians Of that region As article
Of traffic with their southern relations Every
where found the Indians civil and fris ndly, and
believe them to be 50 generally when met BY .
white man bearing an honest front, and when their
native wldnees is not infamed TO passion by strong
drink. The Leech Lake settlement is the largest
Of the Chippewa villages, containing population of
nearly 1900, with about 200 warriors. Now tha.
white men at the lake; one Cash, an Indian
trader, ard believe very good fellow, who does
not sell whisky, with his two or three companions,
being the Only permanent white residents. The
lake is particularly interesting IS being tho largest
of he fountains of the Father Of Waters" and,
next after Red Lake, is the largest body Of water in
Minnesota. Its remarkably irregular shape is
numerous deep bays and weD-woOded islands, It's
curved shores, now dark with lofty pines and nov
f.l1 az, - In, uiv
it striking pic.lres queness and grand, wild
beauty. Few places have impressed NE more, and
look forward ~ floating again a. some meiloTer
season Of the year upon It's broad waters, and TO
ether more extensive rovings along Us pebbJ banks
and under its evergreen shades.
In the course OF the morning / hsd purchased,
through Jacks mediation, a ver servicesble canoe,
and mad engaged talf breed, Louis BoGlsuger, and
young Chippewa Ia paddle The same, and perform
the usual services. laid in about three days pro-
visions for. as Jack suggested, could probably M
pleUish my stock at Pek,geus, and then l would
sboor ducks enough on the river ~ supply US with
fresh food for nesrly all the distance. About noon
bid goodbye 10 Jack, and to the little company
that gathered TO see US Of, and padding across an
arm of the Lake a5Ou: twenty miles, past pretty
islands on enc VI which noticed some magnificent
elps we reached the outlet OF Leeco River, where
We changed the tossing waters of the Lake for the
twiilly flowing, oily calm OF the stream We now
sailed through immense fields OF the Mahnomin or
Indian rice, and between mcrssses yielding lux
uriant gre xta Of tall m,rh p!arts among which
recognized an old Acquaintance Of boyhood, the
"ea: tsi, lifting everywhere iss Dut5rosn, do.ny
head These fedt and moratses eX;e0d along the
whole ere.t OF tbs stream, about hi'y miles 20 lis
upion with The Mississippi, and then bound the
rye, ior .ai,ty i've miles Ior.hr g. the Falls - Pc
ks,ems, where :bsy disappear. They boo nd ia
ducks geese, teal SC, sod, IS jack had prOn:.el.
: f,31d eos.:An. ecG;,toa fjr nv gLu. tbink
have seen more RIVER game tsetber - one n.ss ~