The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-06-28
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A TRIP TO REDWOOD, AND A DAY
AMONG THE INDIANs.-The steamer Frank
Steele arrived Saturday morning from her
excursion to the Lower Sioux Agency
having started Monday afternoon last, with
a large company, to attend the payment of
the lower bands of the Sioux. Among the
passengers were Governor and Mrs. RAM
sey, Speaker Benson, United States Mar
shall Buck, District Attorney Nourse,
party of English tourists, and other gentle
men from distant sections of the country,
besides number of ladies and squad of
Zouaves for Fort Ridgley. The river had
fallen some twelve inches during the week,
80 that, for so large boat as the Steele
the. plotting was very intricate, and the
more so from the tortuous course and mar
rowness of the stream. The favorable
weather, and the magnificent country COM
pensated for the difficulty of navigation and
made the excursion most delightful.
ARRIVAL AT FORT R1DGLEY.
Without any incidents of particular inn
portance we arrived at Ridgley Wednes.
day evening. Here it was determined to
lie over until morning, on account of the
difficulty Of plotting above, the river, which
retained its volume remarkably, becoming
narrower and if possible more crooked.
The stop here gave the passengers opportu.
nifty to visit the magni6cently situated Fort
of which many availed themselves. 1t is
better described as military station, hav.
ing none of the ordinary characteristics of
Fort, consisting only of a collection of
buildings, rectangularly arranged, the SOL
diers' barracks, a most comfortable and
spacious building, filling the entire north
erly side; the storehouse, also stone, and
the officers quarters, these being neat
wooden houses, occupying the other three
sides. A few large cannon, with two
mountain howitzeers are still remaining,
but there is no attempt at entertainment.
Capt. McKune of the Farribault compa>
ny, LIST Regiment, was in command, and
politely entertained the visitors, though
obliged to apologize for UNFINISHED apart
ments, the troops which had just left having
taken their furniture with them and none
having yet arrived to supply its place.
Capt. Western, of st. Paul, was also in the
same predicament.
Nothing could excel the salubrity and
beauty of the situation of Fort Ridgley.
The northery line of the Minnesota through
nearly its entire course, is skirted by mag
nifceut line of bluffs, three or four hundred
feet high, singularly laid on the top and
sloping rather sleepy into the rich prairie;
along which, thickly wooded, generally,
upon the opposite side, the pretty river
makes its way. 1t is upon the top of this
range, and near half mile from the stream,
that the buildings Standardized by pic
turesque and pleasantly wooded road-and
commanding glorious view, almost unlimi~
ted, in every direction. The reservation of
the post comprises three miles square, on
which there are no buildings except those
belonging to the United States.
ARRIVAL AT REDWOOD.
The excursionists arrived at Redwood
about nine o'clock Thursday morning, hav-
ing left the Fort at early dawn. Here an
incident occurred that was regarded as a
remarkable escape from death of some of
the passengers. Our little cannon on the
bows, being fully charged for loud report,
burst when it was fired, and the breech,
weighing about thirty pounds, was thrown
into the cabin, passing through crowd of
passengers, breaking the railing, cabin door,
&C., and "nobody burt"
On landing the passengers Immediately
climbed the steep bluff, through low UNDER
brush to the rude farmhouse, which is the
headquarters of the Agency. There were
found Col. Thompson, Indian Superlntend.
ent, Major Galbraith, agent of the Sioux,
specially, with the party accompanying them
to make the payments and guard the specie,
quite number of Indian traders, and
sprinkling of gentlemen called CHANDELIERS"
Though in glorious country the indoor
accommodations of residents and visitors
could not be described as luxurious since,
for example, ten oil them enjoy the limited
range of low apartment, fourteen feet
square,
The Indians were scattered in the country
back, and few had as yet begun to come in.
Yet among these soon appeared the most
notable of all present during the day,
Standing Buffalo," chief of the Sissitons,
and in person, demeanor and decorations, a
fine specimen of an Indian chicftain. A
little over six feet in height, straight as one