Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-11-27
The Overland Route to Frazer River
..Letter from EmiSrants.

The Overland Route to Frazer Rive
-.Letter from Emigrants.
The Hastings Daily Ledger has received
letter from ID. f. McLaurin, one of the party
who left there in July last, for Frazer river
''The party have enjoyed excellent health eve
since their departure from home and seem t.
be in excellent spirits. The romance of /;
journey across the plains, however, is no
quite so great as some of the party anticipat
ed, though being so far on the road, there il
no chance to turn back The letter is datet
Selkirk Settlement, August 31st 1858. A
later date than this (Sept. 15th) has been re
ceived from one of the party, which state.
that they were within II miles of the noun
tains'
The Ledger gives some extracts from thu
journal of one of the company, which was
enclosed in the letter. They may be interesting
to those intending like journey.
4agust lst.-Left Sauh Rapid, at noon
travelled for three days along the valley O
the Sauk River, which we crossed at Rich
mOnd. Here commenced our hard work.
Crossing sloughs doubling teams, breaking
chains, and mending our wagons, carrying
the loading acrOsSOn our backs
| 5h.-Met man very much excited. who
was going to st. Cloud, who informed us that
400 Indians were camped about 40 miles
above, who were rObbing the settlers, and also
that a large party of halfbreeds were about
20 miles ahead, but were afraid to 20 on unit
they had been reinforced Nothing daunted
however, we kept on our journey, Indians OF
no Indians
6M.-More sloughs, and plenty of work
for us all. In the afternoon broke the pole OF
one OF our wagons in a slough, but before
night had anew one put in, which, if not
quite SO fancy as the old one, was good deal
stronger
7M.-Crossed Chippewa river, with the
assistance of an extra yoke of cattle, besides
our own. Took us four hours to get our two
| wagons across. The river is about two feet
wide, with six or eight inches of water but
for 10 rods on either side is so miry that it is
| 'iifficult for horse to get through without a
load. AT night, came up to and camped with
-he Red River train. They had about 300
| carts with one man to three carts, and a hard
| looking set of fellows.
oM.-Cattle missing found them about
noon, three miles off. The train started in
the morning, except about 90 carts, that
would not travel Sundays. We had to un-
load all our goods and pack them across on
our backs This river is about five rods wide,
with four feet of water. Camped on the bank
of small lake, feeling as if we had done a
hard days work. About midnight thunder
storm came up, accompanied with heavy
wind. In spite of all our efforts to prevent it.
our tent was carried away from us, leaving us
in pretty plight, without any cover but
what the wagons afforded, as dark as dun
geOn, except when the lightning flashed ev-
erything got well soaked.
Up to the 10Th, nothing of consequence
happened. We are somewhat amused at the
fear FELT by the half-breeds, of the Indians
hnowing we were well armed. they did not
like to have us leave them. Crossed the river
at Graham's Point, 16O miles from Sauk Rap
lbs AS we did not like their company. we
concluded to leave them. AS we were hitch
ing up, one of the captains came up and said,
as we were getting into the buffalo country,
they did not want us to 90 ahead, as they
cl,o-t of I,-,-;.,;o.,r anI ,,a u,onld ccoro
the buffalo. We told him if we saw any buff
tao we would wait for Them
Just as we were through dinner, they came
up to us again, and one of the captains came
up to us and said we must not go ahead if
we did they would take our provisions from
us. Wevcry politely requested the captain
to tell his brigade to 60 to the shades, and if
they undertook anything of the kind they
would have happy time At this he gave
sort of Indian yell, which brought the whole
party around us in less time than it takes to
write it. But we took each an axe in one
hand, and a revolver in the other, and told
him if he did not order his men off in two
minutes, he would be the first dead man on
the field. Luckily he thought best to take
our advice, and we were allowed to depart in
peace.
21st.-About 7, A. NJ, we saw buffalo
about 60 rods from the camp. He was just
lying down when he was discovered. Three
of us got our guns in working order, and star
ted off to try the much longed for sport We
got behind hill, which was near the animal,
and separated, so as to take him from differ
ent ways. Cautiously each raised above the
brow of the hill, and stood within ten rods of
the "critter." We didn't get the "buck fever"
and allow our game to escape, but spare us,
and don't laugh, when each of us discovered,
and yelled out, i'll the same moment, ''it's an
OK" not buffalo OK, but an old tame OK,
turned out by one of the trains, to die or got
well, whichever he chose.
23d-After camping, two Frenchman come
up, and told us two men had been murder
ed by the Sioux, two days previous, about
10 miles in advance of us.
24th-Passed the place where the half
breeds were killed. The blood and traces of
a scuff1e were visible. Reached ST. Joseph,
where we had a feast on green corn
25th.-Made 20 miles. Were compelled
to camp without wood or water.
27th-At noon heard the Hastings compa-
ny No. 3, was behind us. We camped, and
they came up with us about four hours after
wards, being the first time we have been in
company.
2SM.-Arrived at Fort Garry all we'll
fine from Hastings, 80 days. Distance to
st. Paul, according to estimate here, 600
miles Distance yet to make to Frazer River
22OO miles, making $500 miles, instead of
1000, as we expected before starting.
Mr. McLaurin, in his letter, says: Before
We left, read in a St. Paul paper, that "par-
ties going to Frazer river need not take more
provisions with them than they can carry on
their backs" This is wrong. Parties can
not be too well provided with provisions, es-
pecially groceries and -four, which cannot be
obtained on the road. Meat can be got here
in any quantity that is, dried buffalo meat,
or pemican, which is good enough when one
gets used to it, or no other can be obtained" !"
How to Spsil Daughter.
Be always telling her how very pretty she
is