The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-10-24

the highest iauu III -uinnoSo'"' OIL" w oeo
from a considerable distance. There is a
considerable wood around, but it is small and
for the most part scrubby. Esd
After leaving Cornelia Lake we proceeded
for some five or six miles over very rough
and broken country with scattered groves,
mostly poplar, until we assembled quite an
south, nothing but vast level prairie met
our view, stretching away as far as the eye
could reach. With the exception of two
small groves not vestige of woodland could
be seen. To be sure there were few scat
tered trees along the::banks of the North Fork
of Crow River which is a small shallow
stream running ovsr rocky bed. Here is
new town called gainesville, l believe, with
| two or three houses.
Leaving gainesville we crossed valley pral-
rie and about eight miles beyond struck the
Red Ricer Trail at or near Lake Henry
| This is small sheet of water with low
muddy shores, and every way an uninterest-
ing affair. On one side is considerable body
of timber, and the soil is excellent, but with
these exceptions there are no inducements for
the settler still there are three families, all
Germans believe, who have been here about
two years. One of these has quite num-
Der of oxen and COWS, and appears to be in
thriving condition, As there is now consid-
cradle travel up and down the Trail, these
people sell good deal of butter, bread, milk,
&c. During the first year of their settle
ment here, they only saw two white men
now scarcely day passes but one, and some
times several teams stop at their door,
Proceeding EDWARDS the country becomes
more and more unnteresting; and as we APP
proach Lake George, five miles beyond Lake
Henry, the road crosses some bad sloughs.
and nastiest sheets of water have met with
in Minnesota. Nothing can be more disagree
able than the appearance of the surrounding
scenery. Yet here too are some settlements;
Germans, believe, and they all appear to
have plenty of cattle, and very fine ones too.
At Lake George, which is between 40 and
45 miles from st. Cloud, we left the Red Riv-
er Trail and proceeded northward over roll
ing prairie, the lower portions of which were
covered with tremendous growth of grass.
After travelling some six or seven miles we
came to a belt of timber, with occasional prai-
rie openings, and about sunset found ourselves
on the banks of the Sauk.
What with pitching our tents, lighting
fire, and cooking our supper, we had little
time to look around us, before nights sable
mantle shut out all distant objects from our
view. Nothing save the trees on the rivers
bank, and slight CLEAN of some twinkling
star on the waters that rippled by was dis
tinctly visible; all else was hidden in the
gloom of approaching night, and as we were
all pretty well tired out we were soon dream.
ing of the loved ones at home.
The next morning proved to be fine, and
being up before the sun we had the pleasure
of seeing him rise upon as charming galley
as the most romantic imagination can con-
ceive Of
ssThat early BEAM so fair and sheen,
Was twinkling through the linden screen,
When rousing at its gmmer red,
The travellers left their lowly bed,
Looked out upon the dappled sky,
Muttered their hasty mathis by, "a, q .. ..-
And then awaked their fire, to steal
As short and rude, their hasty meal"
The Sank Rirer, on whose banks we were
encamped, flowed swiftly and darkly along,
cvlsf forip ho
sunlight, and now now black as the ravens
wing under the shadow of some ovcrhanging
oak or maple. On the east side were heavy
woods, and on the west scattered groves and
rolling prairie while to the north stretched
as fine and level lawn as the eye ever rested
upon. ... .... ......
In short we were all exceedingly pleased
with the country; and as soon as our tents
could be struck and everything packed away
we took up our line of march with delightful
anticipations of our route for the day.
We progressed finely for some three or four
miles, when the country became quite bro.
ken, and we lost our pretty level prairie and
found ourselves among hazel bushes and
scrub oaks,with here and there small grassy
lake or meadow. iai tt
Arriving at a ridge we looked down, and
had the delightful prospect before US of an
immense slough, running from the woods on
our left, to the very margin of the river on
our right. We tried it at two or three
points, and pronounced it impossible to cross :;
but at length We found that on the very
margin of the river was narrow ridge of
firmer land and here although very rough
and broken, we decided would be our only Z
chance for getting through. Il. + ars
y The grass was tremendously tough, and
generally higher than a man, so that it was a
very tedious and difficult passage for the
teams. Twice we thought we must give it
up and back out, but we persevered, and by
cutting grass, and thus filling up deep gull,
lies we at length landed once more on terra
frma. aaf .tas aeao se y. !
For mile or two we logged along pr5tty
comfortably; but then came to another
slough not so wide as the former, but in
some respects worse; and here we were
obliged to unload, and with great difficulty /
got through it at last. By this time we were
completely disguised with our. route, and
firmly resolved never to try it again. ogl !
All day long We struggled through woods,
marshes, ravines, and everything that was
disagreeable, but towards evening came out
again on the open prai,ie, and camped for the
night on the banks of the Sank River once
more about three miles below Sank Lake,
out of which the river runs. ,s,.1 ~ ~aE =
z As we were all thoroughly tired and worn
out, We sought our blankets at an early
hour, and forgot in the DIRE ans of night the
tolls of the preceding day. 4se,fsaw ~ =
THE next moening we were of quite early,
and about eight o'clock came to an elevated
ridge Of land, from whence we had a very
me and varied prospect. - ~ INTO. <ot
A lovely valley lay spread ont before us,
through which tributary of the Sank Riuer
1