Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-01-29

Letter from kSe0 R1Ver Oh tne NOTSA
.-Sellkirk Settlement-.Ways Of Living
Professor Iainds-A Wedding Inci
dent. .-. r.... ...r rf ...r
FoRr GARRY, RED RIVER, Dec. 9, 1853
To the Edisors Of tho Mlnnssotian: '' -.'+
GENTLEMEN You will please change thu
address of my paper from Pembina to this
place, as do not get one-half the numbers.
do not know where the fault is, but it is fac
as to the St. Paul papers, when my New York
Tribune and Chicago papers come regularly.
May be few items from this barbarous'
(see Prof. Kinds report,) and figid region
would not be uninteresting to you and your
readers, .t...
Well, to commence with the weather, We
have had it pretty tight for the last fortnight
thermometer ranging from 16 to 80 degrees
below zero. A cold snap for breakfast, so we
must look out for dinner and supper. There
is just snow enough for good sleighing, and
poor horse flesh is now in for it.
Times are somewhat dull, though we are
not affected by the money pressure as you
are, our trade not being based on that article.
In the way of living we have abundance. Our
crops were good, and the plain hunters made
plenty of provision, supplying us both bread
and meat, and the rivers and lakes still rem
der unto Caesar the things that are Caesars.
That is to say that our fishermen, or rather
fisher-women, have caught andare still catch
ing heaps of White fish, Pike, Pickerel, Stur-
geon, etc., so that if we have not the luxuries
of " chicken fixens," and mince pies and ap-
pie dumplings, and all that sort O things"
we have all the substantials with now and
then sassenger" (not Bologna or Cat)
thrown in.
There are many strangers wintering here,
most of whom will take an early start for
Frazer River in the spring, but many of them
have taken claims and resolved to camp with
us for life. Success to them as also to the
others.
The last news we had of E. Hinde's party
was at the Edmonton House, all doing well
and determined to cross the Mountain this
year or leave their bones on the road. We
are inclined to think they will get across all
safe, as they were thorough going young
men.
Several parties went on this fall, intending
to winter on the Saskatchewan, where they
will put up shanties and hunt buffalo for
living. Parties are still arriving from st. Paul
and other places, and next spring we expect
to see a legion or legions of them pass
through here. Tell them to come on, the
road is good and wide enough for all.
Local items are just now not very inter-
esting. The last note of Importance was the
of our worthy Governor, W. Nc
lavish, to Miss Sallie McDermont, the belle
of Red River. May happiness and prosperity
attend them in all things, to say nothing of
little things.
see by a Chicago paper that Professor
Hinde says of the 1000 inhabitants (styling
us all half breeds) of this settlement, that they
are going back to barbarism or to the verge
of their forefathers," (mothers he must have
meant)
Well, that is pretty rich for population
that is one half or more of pure European
blood, and where in distance of twenty
miles, no less than nine churches can be coun-
ted, their pulpits filled by able ministers who
are listened to every Sabbath by crowded
of respectable and intelligent
persons. Then there are eight or nine schools
with compstent teachers, and from twenty to
sixty scholors in each. Does that look like
barbarism or Indianism? I guess he did MT
see any of our thirty wind mills, nine water
mills or the steam mill. No sir, he did mt see
one of them, at least the wind mills, or he
might have run tilt against one of them, as
did certain Quixote chap that we read of, Of
old. Nor did he see any of the fifty or sixty
reapers and mowers, and the twelve or fifteen
threshers that are in the settlement
Wonder if he knows there are any courts
here? Think he does though. We have five
general courts year, besides our magistrates
courts, and if law is dealt out in any place
with more justice and equity than here, l
would like to see it and in the last year
there has not been criminal case in our
courts, and where will you find place of
seven thousand (ten thousand is nearer the
mark inhabitants that you can say the same
of? May be our people lack the energy to
steal and do other bad things, as their more
civilized brethren of Canada know so we'll
how to do. If so, that is not very Indian like,
for have got to see the first Indian that
lacked that kind of energy; but there are
many other things he did not see, or else see
ing, saw not.
The fact is, the Professor looked for little
fattcring and feasting, and toasting, all of
which he failed to get, though he was every
where met with that respect that a worthy
stranger merits. 1t is nothing uncommon to
have Lords and Governors and other big toads
visit us, but there is never any noise or man
worship made over them. They are treated
with civility, hospitality and respect, all sen.
sible man can ask, and at the same time il
shows the good sense of our people.
We know, Mr.. Senior Editor, that when
you were here you made different report o.
us, and we know too, that the St. Paul folks
think better of us, and that you all have you
eyes open to better times from these ports
1t is true we locomote yet, in the summer
with wooden carts and in thewinter with dos
trains, but just give us railroad to SOM
point on our river, and put steamer on tn
river so that we can show ourselves, and thel
you'll see what you'll see.
A little in the way of gossip, and thel
adieu. We had little piece of romance il
real life' not long since, showing whereby
that the old saving of "many a slip between