Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1861-02-20

AOe'3 rails. bold legislators! trcat men.
When these men die tho great earth will
|groan. '.l'2 E#
RED WING Gritty YEARS Ago.,
We extract from the journal 81 Major S.
H. Longs Voyage in SIX cared skiif to
the Falls Of St. Anthony, in 1917" just
published for the Minnesota Historical So
cisty, the following interesting sketch o!
the Indian village that occupied the site o.
our thriving little CRY, and its bsauteous
and romantic scenery, as it appeared to tho
explorer nearly halfccntury since:
1--WE lay by while At Sioux village
five miles and half above Lake Pcpin in
order 10 catch somc fish as we had nothing
left Of our provisions bnt flour. Our whisky
also was all expended and VIC had two hun.
dred miles further to go before We could Oh.
tain = supply. Caught three very fine cat
fish ard killed few pigeons. The village
was kept in nice order: exhibiting more signs
Of we'll regulated police than any one that
have met with on the voyage with the
exception Of Little Ravens before mentioned.
The name Of the chief Of their village il
Red Wing, the elder. He and all his band
were on hunting tour at the time that we
were there. During our delay at this place
Mr.. II. and myself assembled = hill called
the Grange or Barn, to which it bears some
faint resemblance. Its length is three quar-
tiers Of mile and its heisth about four hum
bred fcot. Its activity on the river side is
prccipitous and on the opposite very abrupt.
1t is completely insulated from the other
highlands in the ncishborhood though not
in quite so remarkable a manner for this
is not only surrounded by valleys, but is also
nearly insulated by water, an arm or bay o
the river entering At the lower end Of tho hill
|an nd extending within three Q: four hundred
yards Of tho river above. Immediately upon
the highest part Of tho Grange is one o
the numerous artificial mounds that are tc
be met with it in every part Of this West
Icrn world. Its elevation above its base
however, is only about five feet. have Oh
served that the mounds on the Mississippi
above tho Illinois, though probably more
numerous, arc Of much smaller size gencr
ally than those below, having been built
probably by different nation Of Aborisines
From tho summit Of the Grange the view
Of tho surrounding scenery is sarpassed
perhaps, BY very few, il any, ola similar
character that the country snd probably IN.
world can afford. The sublime and be,ati
fal are here blended in most snchantis,
manner. while the prospect has very it'll,
to terrify or shock the Imagination.
To aid in forming an idea approxim.tin:
in some degree the reality Of tho scene. W.
may suppose that the country at the head 0
1.sko repin, situated between tho MAR
bluffs Of the grand Mississippi Valley, Ia.
once been inundated to the height Of two
hundred anil fifty feet above the presen
water level. That a. this time the lake en-
bosomed numerous small islands Of circu
lar, oblons and ssrpentino form. Thst from
the main land also promontorics and pen
insulas projected into the lake on all sides
forming numerous capcs, bays, and in'ets
That tho country bordering on the lake wa!
an extensive plain, in many places varics.t ct
with gentle hills and dalcs oi che scmc gen
eral level with the islands and promoutorics
Wo may then suppose that by some tremen
dous CONFUSION that must have shaken tn
earth to its centre, this vast body Of waite,
has been drained off to its present humbl
level and LEFT the bed Of the lake free q
water, and furnished with rich and fertil
al'uvion, woll adapted to Vegetation Of al
kinds. That Afterwards the valleys an
knobs assumed . verdant dress, and thos
!placcs which were once the haunts OF III
funny tribes now became tho resorss Of tn
Gathered, and We shall have faint ide
Of the scene. But ID be impressed with IT.
sublimity, and delighted with the beauty {
the picture, n view Of the original is inais
pensible.
A favorable breeze sprinsipg up abou
dark, We concluded to set sail, rs it was on
|ly four AMI half niles to tho lake, an
after our arrival thers We should sail will,
out distractions either Of trees or san
bars" y
) The vision Of Youngs Of the He,de:so
: Democrct, will appear in our next. Th
I, icturc Of "him and Harry Clay" drawn b
J him." lisa lifs.likc representation.
y