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

Abe's rails. bold legislators! Great men!
When these men die tho great earth will
groan. ,....4. .....- .oa MI ri al
RED WING ::rlTTY YEARS AGO,
We extract from the journal c { Major s.
II. Longs Voyage in SIX cared skiff to
the Falls Of St. Anthony, in 1917" just
published for the Minnesota Historical So
eisty, the following interesting sketch Of
the Indian village that occupied the site OF
our thriving little city, and its beauteous
and romantic scenery, as i. appeared to tho
explorer nearly halfccntury since: 81"
""Wc lay by a while at a Sioux village
five miles and half above Lake Pepin in
order to catch some fish as we hal nothins
left Of our provisions. but flour. Our whisky
also was all expended and we had two hum
drcd miles further to g. before we could OBJ
tain supply. Caught three very fine. cat
fish AID killed a few pigeons. The village
was kept in nice order. exhibiting more Signs
Of 4 we'll regulated police than any one that
I 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. lie and all his band
were on hunting tour At the time that We
we're there. During onr delay at this place
Mr.. II. and myself ascended:a hill called
the Grange or Barn, to which it bears some
faint resemblance. It's length is three quar-
ters Of y mile and its heisth about four hun.
drcd feot. Its activity on the river side is
prccipitous and on the opposite very abrupt.
It 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
and extending within three 0: four hundred
yards Of tho river above. Immediately upon
the highest part Of the Grange is one Of
the numerous artificial mounds, that arc to
be met with it in every part Of this West.
crn world. Its elevation above its base.
however, is only about five feet. ! have OBJ.
served that the mounds on the Mississippi,
ADORE the Illinois, though probably more
numerous, arc of a much smaller size gencr.
ally than those below, having beer built
probably by different nation of Aborigin mes.
From tho summit of the Grange tho view
Of the surrounding scenery is surpassed d,
perhaps, by very few, if any, ola similar
charsster that the country and probably the
world can afford. The sublime and bcluti-.
full are here blended in most enchanting,
man ner, while the prospect has very little
to terrify or shock the imagination.
10 aid in forming an idea approximatiny
in some degree the reality Of the scene. We
may suppose that the country at the head Of
Lake pepin, situated between the main
bluffs Of the grand Mississippi Valley, has
once been inundated to the height Of two
hundred anil fifty feet above the present
water level. That Al. this lime the lake en-
bosomed numerous Small islands o: circu-
lar, ob'ong and serpentine form. Thst from
tho main land also promontorics and pen.
projected into the lake on all sides,
forming numerous capes, bays, and in]ets'
That the country bordering on tho lake was
an extensive plain, in many places varicsated
with gentle hills and dalcs Of the SEINE gen.
cral level with the islands and promontories.
We may then suppose that by some trencn-
dous CONFUSION that must have shaken the
earth to its centre, this vast boly Of water
has been drained off to its present humble
leve! and left the bed of the Lake free Of
water, and furnished with a rich and fertile
aluvion, we'll adapted to Vegetation Of all
kinds. That afterwards the valleys and
knobs assumed . verdant dress, and those
places which were once the haunts Of the
finny tribes now became the resorts Of the
Gathered, and We shall have faint idea
Of The scene. But to be impressed with tie
sublmity, and delighted with the beauty Of
the picture, view Of tho original is indis.
pensible.
A favorable breeze sprinsipg up about
dark, We concluded to set sail, as it was on
~ four and half miles to the lake, and
after our arrival theirs We she uld sail with.
out distractions either Of trees or sand
bars" "-Fr - 4t
The vision of Young, of the Henderson
Democrat, will appear in our next. The