Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-07-29

STEAMER BEN CAMPBELL.
"WEDNESDAY, july 27TH, 1859.

WEpsEspAY, july 27TH, 1859.
= After leaving La Crosse, we had . fine
run to Wsbsshaw, where we made land
ing of an hour or two, giving the psssen-
ger. an opportunity to charge" around
town, which many Of them improved. os-
tensibly to look at the place. but the fire.
quent calls they made, led some to believe
they 3ers in search ofs fluid made Of old
boots and tobacco, familiarity known as La
ger. Our opponent for the honor Of being
the fastest boat was two hours ahead at tbii
place, but before noon we were again in
F|seSt. and then ihe excitement beg.n to
increase, whilA& De old Ben, under a
heavy pressure Of steam. wassteadily gaining
on her. and both:run into Hastings togeth-
er. The EZRA" startedsA few minutes first,
getting ~ many rods the start but our
boat came nobly down to the work. and for
ten miles there w not psrceptible differ
encs Of ten rods i be spsed ofths two boats;
Ind every man on board felt the greatest
desire to be the victor. But . change OF
firsmen occurring at this time, We fell of
little. and the Ben Campbell" was two
miles the second in,-though in the whole
distance she was the winner Of the race by
four miles, having started that distance be-
hind the Golden Era" During our trip up
from La Crosse, there was some considera-
excitement crested among the passengersby
the cry of "a Bear IA Beari' ia Deer Y
"a Deer l"-and general rush was made
for the ARTILLERY, consisted Of a
venport. With the utmost speed, he made
his way to the guards eager to secure so
large game, and also to sustain bis reputa-
ton as "crack shot" As the boat neared
the "animule," crack went shot No. IL
which struck the water nearly ffeen feet
from the mark but that was no surprise,
owing to the suddenness of his aim; the
second shot was better, having come within
about t,oenty feet, Of the "bear. which
on climbing up the shore, proved to be
a"black dog" with cropped ears" OF
course our marksman sustained his reputa-
ton and "bagged his game" in large
"horn." During the entire trip to St Paul,
the Excurtionists enjoyed themselves huge
ly +; during the day engaged in viewing the
magnificent scenery along the river,-hold-
ing social converse, or amusing themselves
in "Euchre," "Pitch," and other interesting
games, while in the evening they mingled
together in the may dance, to the enliven-
ing strains from whites Band, and eve-
~ one seemed perfectly satisfied that they
could travel with no better man than Capt.
Myers, or on better steamboat than the
Ben Campbell.
The most beautiful scenery on the route
to St. Paul, occurs around Lake Pepin,-a
beautiful sheet of water about 80 miles
long, and miles wide. The traveller is en-
chanted with the placid beauty of it's wa
ters during the warm weather, but winter
on its shores will divest it Of all its attrac-
tion. Il is on the shore of this lake, about
II miles from the foot, that the traveller
views the "Maiden's Rock" a description OF
which take from the "Emigrant's Guide,
by Seymour
"This is promontory on the East side ol
the lake. the upper portion Of which is a
perpendicular rock, about 200 feet high. ard
the lower portion precipitous slope, ex
tending from the base Of the perpendicular
rock to the waters edge,-the total height
above the lake being 400 feet.
"This rock received its name from one Of
the most melancholy events which ever oc-
cured among the incidents of Indian life
About half q century ago, an Indian female
whose name was "Winona," Of the tribe OF
Wabashaw, formed an ardent attachment
for . young hunter, by whom her attach
ment was reciprocated. Her parents, how
ever, preferred to have her unite her hand
with young warrior who had signalzed
himself in battle against the Chippe.
was. The warriors suit being rejected
by the daughter her father threatened
that she should be united to him on that
very day. The family were then accom-
panying q party up this lake, and were en-
camped under this rock. The maiden as
cended to the summit, and with loud
voice, upbraided her friends below for theil
cruelty to the young hunter, whom they
had driven into the forest and cruelty tc
her, for opposing her union to the only mar
whom she loved, and endeavoring to rem
der her faithless to him. by compelling hel
sir nnSn
her dirge and. regardless of the entreaties o
her friends and parents, who promised te
relinquish oil compulsory measures, eht
threw herself from the precipice, and fell q
lifsless corpse"
We arrived at St. Paul at about o'cloct
Thursday evening,-one or two days in ad
vance of the "Pic- MIC" st. Paul, without
doubt, is the only "live city" above st
Louis, except Davenport. although they
have no good money. Business seemed
very brisk to ~. yet We were told thai
they were troubled with the same complaint
Of all other down river towns.
But, can you imagine what was our sur
prise to learn that the long advertised, and
warranted to come off Pleasure "Pic mic
was no more nor less than Maltese Sell,
ON one of the grandest scales ever before
attempted in the North West,-even worse
than Minnesota wildcat" But it served
its end,-brought nearly . thousand o.
people at the most to st. Paul. and filled ur
their tills with some hundreds Of good
money. which they, according to their owl
statements, much stand in need.
One thing is certain, there is no class o.
business men in the city that let An oppor
tunity pass to bleed the pockets OF stran
ger, visitor or traveller. The city itself take'
the lead, and is we'll followed BY every body
and their friends. Wharfage u 200 pei
cent higher there than at any point on th'