St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-02-13

stationed with cross cut saw waiting to re.
ceive them, who reduce them to tie re-
quired lengths, roll them down the hill,
where the "scaleman" next takes them iu
charge, and there they remain undisturb-
ed until the opening Of Spring when they
take devious voyage which am not SUI
ficientIy instructed to follow up.
There are four camps in this region -
two under the dire etio of Nlcssrs Josiah
and John Hayward with their associates,
one under the supervision Of Mr.. Asa
Liby, and another called Castings camp
embracing about seventy men. Our time
admitted Of visiting but the first three, in
each Of which We met with generous
and hearty reception. In, two of the
camps We held Divine Service SUCCESSFULLY
in the evening. Respect and attention
were shown toward the preaching, and we
learned that in these camps daily social
prayer was offered, the religious members
Of the companies takingit in turn to lead
in prayer. On the Lords Day they were
in the habit Of assembling at each others
camps for prayer meetings. During our
several days mingling with these compa-
MES We have no recollection of hearing
protane swearing Some of them were
men of reading, having beside Bibles a
aumber Of excellent books. They all
seemed anxious to hear the news of the
day, and with much interest examined
late papers We carried with US.
This vast pine region IS an Indian res
ervatlon, consequently the privilege of ia
king the timber has to be secured from
the Indians, The negotiation in this
quarter was conducted by Mr.. D. Morri-
son, of Minneapolis. His arrangements
in making the purchase evidently contcm-
plated the improvement of the Indian, as
we'll as the profit of the white man for
instance, in passing from one camp to
another We counted eight vacant Lighthouses,
substantial, comfortable buildinss-and
upon inquiry were informed that they had
been provided by MIR. Morrison for the
Indians as part pay for the timber. Be-
sides this provision he pays annual install
ments to them in pori and -four Wheth-
er his bargain has been good or bad one
I know not but this I inferred, that the
method of payment looked toward the ad-
vantage Of class of beings easily duped
by designing mer, especially if they are
base enough to employ strong drink as an
article of commerce. If the plan of pur-
chase was as l supposed upon viewing the
houses, benevolent one, intended to
lead the wandering son Of the forest to
adopt civilized life, the empty houses
showed that the design Of the contriver
had been thwarted. Each Of the buildings
had been furnished with cook stove !;
but Of these only one remained, the rest
having been bartered away at Grow Wing,
most likely for their lurihg beverage,
whisky. The lonely remaining stove
looked as If it had not been warmed for
many months. The Indians lodged in the
houses short time during the warm
wcathca, but as soon as cold approached
they forsook the houses and resumed the
wigwam with its campfres. This to per-
sons accustomed to civilized life seems
unaccountable, the more especially when
you see their contracted, miserable apollo
gies for teuts-the wigwam. Yet this is
butsope of Numerous fruitless experiments
to tame the "Red Man."
I asked the proprietor Of the camp near
the houses why the Indians did not inhab-
it them; his significant response was "They
could not come dowe to that"
Observation confirms what I have re-
peatedly heard concerning the Indian char
actcr-that it has not enough redeeming
qualities remaining to preserve and per-
petuate the race. Most of those saw
were filthy and miserably clad children
were running about in the snow barefoot
and had but little covering about their
bodies; their gaunt faces and coughing,
which was especially common to the fe-
males, gave evidence of hard fare in the
wigwams; the lolling, lounging habits of
those who from day to day visited the
camps reminded ME of the foreigners