The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-08-04
EIaiI.Boy Musings.

GROW and IS less remuneratiye withal, than
that of the inail-carrier on the frontiers.
Obliged to @ in all kinds Of weather.
70 brave the cold of our bleakest winter
DAYS, and the burning heat of summer,
to cross flooded streams, treacherous
marshes and expansive prairies, to find
his way through dense untrodden forests,
in short be is exposed to every peril in
cident upon an out door and migratory
life in country nearly destitute ofsettle-
ments.
We have recently been brought to a
realizing sense of the difficulties encoun-
tered in transporting the mail overland
through the unsettled districts of the
Northwest, by trip which we took on
the new mail route lately opened from
Hudson to North PEI in. The distance
from here to Pepir, by the track that is
followed at present, is about fifty miles.
The first half ofthe distance, after getting
to the woods, about three miles, IS an al
most unbroken tract of timber. This tim
Der is of various kinds, such as Oak, Ma
PIE, Butternut, Ash, Eastwood, Elm &C.
There is quite a number of hardy woods
mel that have settled in different parts of
the timber and some of them have etfec-
ted gut, clearing" The soil in these
woods is unqucstionab!y more produc-
tive than that of the prairies, and the best
water is always abundant. 1t is evident
therefore, that the farmers have three es-
sential clements for making valuable
farm; a Productive soil, wood and water.
The only apparent evils the farmer has
to contend with are superfuity of brush,
stumps, roots, mud and MOSQUITOES
Of the two latter there is great abun
dance, and especially the latter. On the
whole, we should think the praries de-
cidedly preferabe for farming purposes.
Speaking of mosquitoes, we wonder if
they ever were as thick anywhere else
Yet there is q wicked pleasure in having
them plenty and possessing the means of
preventing them from forcibly introducing
their bills into your person. The only
way to battle these blood thirsty fowls
(they attain an almost incredible magni-
tude in the woods) is to have your hands
thickly gIoved. and a large vail to pro-
tcct your face and neck. We noticed
the woodsmen all had some means to
protect as far as possible, their persons
from these carniverous insects while at
work.
No one who has an eye for beauty,
can travel through the woodlands of this
country, without being amply paid
Tho trees are beautiful, and ''trees of
beauty are trees of Paradise" And
then the brds-the little songsters of the
wood "Thcir bathurst of melody is like
a brook let loose from wintry chains" >
Their music however, seems to be Incl
dental, and not the result of any set pur-
pose. You start from your meditation
with momcntary shuddei, as the shrili
screech of the blue jay rings through the
woods and startles the slumbering echoes
from the distant hill, but it is over as
soon as YOU see his bright plumage flash
ing from among the foliage Of some over
hanging tree. The blue jay seems to us
like an il-tempered, vain fellow never ut
tering sound save his hideous and al
most unearthly shrek. Tie pheasant
attracts your attention for a moment as
the whizzng of its wings comes to your
ears when it starts from its covert by your
path. But its flight is too RAPID, and de-
| tcrmlned, for the eye to get enjoyment
from it, though it never fails to stir up
the heart with the sportsman INSTINCT
The smaller birds-Some of them seem
to be discussing topics of interest relative
perhaps, to the location of their residen.
ces, or other questions impei tant to theil
well being. Some sit on twig and pour
forth songs Of praise to Him who gave
them so happy home. Their bodies arr
as busy as their voices; they seem to be
in constant state of agitation; they was
their heads increasingly as we have seel
men do in animated conversation. Thel
there are the blackbirds, they seem to fiji
the woods with their continuous clamor
ings. ''They congregatc in contiguou
tree-tops, and vociferate with all the clam
or and confusion of turbulent political
meeting"
The ffowers-we had almost forgotten
the flowers that bloomed in such rich abul
dance along our way and perfumed tn
passing breeze with their fragrance
Many of the wild flowers of the West
are surprisingly beautiful, and we notice.
many varieties on the borders of the path
They bow as you pass moved by thu
breeze, and seem like friends giving YOU
a kindly greeting.
But we had almost forgot we were go