The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-30
Northwest Emigration--COl. Mobiles,
Exploration.

Exploration.
We had the satisfaction yesterday of
meeting Col. w. Fl. MOBILES, who returned
on the previous evening (Sept. 27 from
his summers work of exploration northwest
of Minnesota.
AS already stated, the party arrived at
Fort Ellice about the middle of August.
having pursued direct route from Penn.
bina. 1t was the wish of COL MOBILES to
diverge from the Red River of the North at
Shayenne, and avoid the circuit even by
Pembina, believing that the route vio
Minlwakan or Devils Lake to the Koo-
tomas Pass, would have greatly the advan-
tage In distance, and perhaps otherwise;
but a large majority of the party were
destined to the Frazer River mines, and the
Colonel deferred to their natural solicitude
to overtake the trail already opened west
from Fort Garry to the mountains. The
party, with few exceptions, consented, how
ever, to the work of exploration from Penn
bina, by st. Joseph and Turtle Mountain,
to Fort Ellice on the headwaters of the
Assiniboin River and this district, hither-
to undescribed by any reliable publication,
has been thoroughly examined during the
present season.
West of Fort Eliice, the route to Koo-
tonais Pass is we'll defined and the report
of j. w. HAMILTON, ESQ.,, who leads the
party to the Gold District of British Co.
lumbia, will be looked for with much inter-
est by all who know that gentleman. He
is competent, by education and talent for
composition, to do full justice to the natural
and engineering features of the route.
These Pacific adventures are probably
crossing the Rocky Mountains at the pres
ent time.
From Fort Ellice, Col. MOBILES, accom-
panied by our editorial associate, and Mr..
MARBLE, repaired to Devils Lake and
vicinity, ascertaining, beyond all doubt
that on or near the international boundary,
there extends range Of wooded elevations
(they are termed mountains" but the word
does not properly define them,) which pre-
sent great facilities, not only of surface, but
in consequence Of numerous springs and
lakes at their base, for a wagon road. We
anticipate, with much satisfaction, Mr..
WHEELocK's descriptions of this region, as
we'll as Col. MOBILES detailed report.
Tables of distance, as measured by
odometer, have been carefully collected.
These include an itinerary of the route from
Pembina to Otter Tail Lake, never hitherto
ascertained except by conjecture.
The presence of DR.. G. L. ANDERSON, of
Minneapolis, on the whole route to Fort
Ellice, thence (only accompanied by an In
dian in canoe down the Assiniboin to
Fort Garry, and by the Pembina and Otter
Tail trail to Crow Wing, has been for
tunate circumstance. DR.. ANDERSON is a
competent geologist, and an enthusiastic
botanist, and his Jealous observations will
prove of great value. The Smithsonian
Institution will doubtless.publish details
meanwhile, we are rejoiced to learn, that in
communication to Col. MOBILES, general
statement of the natural history of the
country traversed, animate and inanimate,
may soon be expected for publication.
We should not omit to mention that Col.
MOBILES received, as present from the
Master of Fort Ellice, buffalo cow, which
had been domesticated at the post for two
years, tits age three years next spring.
which, for the present, is recovering from
the fatigues of an unsual journey at Mr..
LARNED's in Anoka, but will probably be
in attendance at the State and County Fair
to be held at Minneapolis next month.