Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-01-01
SOFIA. SATURDAY. MORNING. JANUARY +, 1859

The Otter Tail River, at the crossing is q
fine stream, with gravelly bottom about 80
inches deep, and some 20 or 80 yards wide.
1t is, however, entirely denuded of timber,
hone ofwhich could be seen from the crossing
though some - or Is miles above, the timber
becomes abundant
From this crossing to the ford, miles be-
low Breckenridge, distance Of % miles,
stretches most dreary and uninyiting prai-
| rie. Not a solitary pond, tree, or shrub is
found in traversing this desolate tract, over
which it is necessary to carry both wood and
water. 3. E.,. -. ....ag j ,tl,yE7 L5a. I
!; From the appearance of the soil it is evil
dent that this plain is submerged fora certain
time each year though whether this arises
from the overflow of the river, or the extreme
uniformity of its surface, which offers no chance
of escape to the water in the spring, cannot
say, though I am inclined to believe the latter
to.be the case.
The Red River, at the second crossing or
ford above mentioned, is about 40 yards wide
and thirty inches deep, with rapid current
The bottom is in most places rocky, and
such as, in my opinion, at any other time
than very high water, would render navigation
very precarious. ..u6auG.i. e.SaG ad' (;
Below Graham's Point, two and one half
miles from the ford, the water is deep at all
| seasons, and there is no obstruction to naviga-
ton g. Z -r1 s.- 3 h5.Ae' ~. at
The town of Breckinridge is situated miles
above this crossing, at the junction of the
| Bois des Sioux and Otter Tail Rivers, on the
east bank of the Red River The site consists
mostly Of prairie, with little bottom timber
skirting the river. On thewest side stretches
| dead level prairie, without timber or water.
The soil is rich and good, but the want Of
timber will prove great drawback to the ear
| y settlement of that district.
| Fort Abercrolabie Is situated = luiles DeioW
| the crossing, in bend of the river, afford
| ing very good winter quarters for the
| troops.
OTTER TAIL LAKE. '
| Otter Tail Lake is noble sheet of water,
| about 10 miles long by broad. The land is
Of good quality and well adapted 10 farming
purposes, being very different from that south
| of the Lake.
| At Otter Tail City we obtained some valua-
bic information from the deputy surveyor, to
| whom we delivered our letters from the
| Surveyor Generals Office We learned from
him the locality of two salt springs, which
he had discovered, and this information prov
ed the means of our finding others. We al,
so, through Mr.. Bottineau's knowledge of the
Chippewa language, derived important inlor-
| nation from the Indians who were encamped
! at this point This information proved to be
of the greatest value in our explorations, and
in no one instance did we find that the Indi-
ans misled us. t-s..r
From Otter Tail City, the party proceeded
on the Crow Wing and Red River, to Lac
Detroit and Eagles Nest Lake. From this
point they diyerged from the trail, and tray-
elled westward to Buffalo River, passing
through country heavily timbered with pine.
Leaving this stream to the east, the party
continued their journey. ~#
I'd a SALT SPRINGS.
We were now in the vicinity OF salt re-
gion, descriptions of which had been given us
by the Indians, and at once began search
for springs Following the creek last men
toned for about 10 miles, we reached the
crossing of the trail. Here dividing the par
ty we instituted thorough search, and soon
discovered 3 salt lakes, one and half miles
distant and bearing northwest from the eros
sing. These were so situated, as each to car
ry with it its sections of land, without in
terfering one with the other. Encarnping
here, we prepared to make the necessary ex-
aminations and surveys.
These lakes, we ascertained to have neither
inlet or outlet, and to be decidedly Of saline
character. In every instance they were fed
by springs situated near to, and communcat-
ed with the lakes. These springs varied
from 6 to 80 feet in diameter, and their wat
ers were much more highly impregnated with
salt, than even those of the lakes which they
fed, thus clearly proving their distinctive CHAR
acter as salt springs. The lakes themselves
were from 10 to 80 acres, as nearly as could
be determined without actual measure
ment. a.f .s
The soil around was the richest had yet
seen, being level prairie with fine growth OF
grass, but entirely without timber, although
miles to the westward extended a long ridge,
well wooded along its crest. Beginning on the
morning of October 18th, proceeded to lay
|'out the land accompanying the springs, as
per letter Of instructions from your Excellen-
cy, and closed up the survey on the evening
of the 18th, having run in all about 80 miles
Of line.
From this region, the party proceeded
southwest, over magnificent and fertile prai-
ris, to point near the junction of the Buff
falo and Shayenne rivers with the Red Riy
er. ...E. .t ..-
THE sHAYENNE COUNTRY.
Here we encamped and remained for "a
hours, which I employed in cxaming the
country on both the east and west banks of
the Shayenne river. The conformation of
this tract is singular, and one which particu-
larly adapts it to agricultural purposes. Five
rivers here divide and furnish ample timber
for the district. The Red River. as the main
artery flows northward. On the: ~tst: side
the Upper Wild Rice and the Shay yehpe' are
tributary channels: ::Ehe s:ame. Office is rem
dercd on the east BANK. by The: Baealoe ahd
| the Lower Wild Rice rivers. Yhe :celrse. Of
the Shayenne for distance of 80 miles above
its mouth, is mainly parallel with that Of the
| Red River, the two streams being about a
| miles asunder. Twenty miles above the
mouth of the Shayenne, the Upper Wild
Rice comes, in, after pursuing a course paral-
| lei with both rivers, dividing the strip of land
| lying between them
| On the eastern shore, the Buffalo empties
into the Red River miles below, and oppo-
site the mouth of the Shayenne, after flowing
| from the south, and parallel at an average dis
lance of from to miles, with the main riv-
er, for distance of 20 miles. Lower down,
the Wild Rice a similar strip over 10 miles in
length and 8 in width.
The land is thus cut up into long strips of
prairie, bordered on either hand by rivers, the
banks of which are heavily timbered, thus
| affording unusual advantages to settlers. The
| soil is of the richest character, and very deep.
| There are no signs of inundation here: indeed
the whole formation would preclude the idea.
The prairie is high above the level of the
streams, and beyond the reach of any stage
of water. i have no hesitation in pronouncing
this the finest district seen on this expedi-
| ton. . as
From the last named point, the Commits
sioners proceeded to the locality known as
| Leaf Mountain, where there are numerous