The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-08-06

A Trip up tie River.
On Tuesday evening Of last week, a small
excursion party from McGregor, consisting
of Mr.. 4 Mrs. j. V. d. Benton, Mr.. & Mrs
A. P. Richardson, Mr.. & Mrs. w. F. Hunt.
ting, Mrs. I. P. Tichenor, David Allen, and
the writer with his wife, embarked on the
good steamer Itasca, commanded by Capt
Hurd, with Messrs. Hamilton and Eaton in
the Office, and Jackson and Wcmpner at
the wheel. The weather was suspicious,
the boat had an unusually large passenger
and freight list, (everbody likes to travel
with Capt Hurd) the ladies and gentlemen
of the party were in the best of possible
spirits, and as the jockeys say, "a good
start" was made for the head of navigation
and contiguous points Of interest.
Despite the irritating delay of seven
hours fog the first night, and the obstruc-
tons of Beef Slough, Red Rock, Kaposia,
and Pigs Eye Bars, our trip up was pleas
ant in an unusual degree. The up river
country was new to all but two or three of
the party, and the largest portion Of the
daylight and no inconsiderable portion of
the night was therefore spent in the pilot
house or on the hurricane deck. Ofcourse
with the concomitants of genial company,
a well ordered, commodious boat, attentive
and courteous officers, and the most ro-
mantle scenery which can he found on any
navigable stream, it would be superhous
for us to say the hours few away on wings.
Owing to delays before mentioned, we
arrived at St. Paul, 8 p. m. Of Tuesday,
minus Mrs. Tichenor, who badc us adieu at
Hastings. Here we disembarked and pro-
ceedcd to the Winslow Houses. Long,
Proprietor, and j. c. Hooper, Clerk. Right
here We will say by way Of parenthesis,
that we had been recommended to pause at
the Winslow, and now that We have done
it to our satisfaction, we recommend all
others to do likewise that is to say, if
they want good rooms we'll furnished, ia
bles well spread, the comforts and con.
veniences ola first class house bestowed in
quiet, unostentatious manner; house
where attentions are not characterized BY
obsequiousness, and where people enjoy
themselves nationally without shopping
over"
TOUR or OBSERVATION.
On Friday morning our party, fortunate
ly restored to its original dimensions by
the accession Of Miss Spafford, of Rock
ford, proceeded in carriages upon tour of
observation. The route selected led first
to the cave, just outside the city limits,
which was not entered very far in conse-
quence Of undue preparation to walk in
the small stream which flowed from the
mouth Of it. Resua,ing carriages We then
proceeded to Fl. Smelling, crossing the river
on ferry boat attached at each end to an
iron cable, and propelled by the action of
the water upon its sides.
FORT SMELLING.
Is in state Of dilapidation, built only for
frontier defense against the Indians, and
garrsoncd at present by about one hun
dred men-the 9Th regiment now forming.
The view from the fort is very pleasant,
and the wedding of the Mississippi and
Minnesota, is quite conspicuous feature
Of the panorama Two miles from the
Fort, we pause in little oak grove before
a gate on the arch of which is inscribed the
simple word
MINNEHAHA.
This is the Mecca of the pleasure seeker.
This is the spot where Hiawatha met the
dark eyed daughter of the ancient arrow
maker,
| "With her moods OF shade and sunshine,
| Eyes that smiled and frowned alternate
Feet as rapid ~ the river,
| Iresses flowing like the water,
And rs musical laughter;
And he PANIED her from the river,
From the waterfall he named her,
| linnshahs, Laughing W alter.
| Was 1t then for heads Of arrows.
Anow.heads Of chalcedony,
Arrow-heads Of flint and jasper,
| That nv Hiawatha halted
In the land Of the Dacotahsi
| Was it not to see the maiden,
| Sec the face Of Laughing Water
| Peeping from behind the curtain,
| Hear the rustling of her garments,
From behind the waving curtain,
As one sees the Minnehaha
| Cleaning glancing through the branches,
As one hears the Laughing Water,
From behind Its screen OF branchssI'
Here where mature unadorned is adorn
ed the most" we all became the children
Of Nature. The stiff conventionalities Of
life were lain aside; fashion was discarded
the ladies were romps, and the gents were
boys again. A dozen different points OF
observation, above, below, in front, in rear,
on either side, and from all intermediate
angles were selected for observation, and
each view was declared more beautiful thar
the preceding. Less grand than Niagara
less picturesque than Passaic, less practi
cal than Genessec, these falls seem to b.