The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-08-18


scarce two miles off, vast body c
water stretching out to the horizon, wit
islands and trees mrrored in its cain
surface, and with redoubled energy W
struggled on. And yet what lake coul'
it be. Big Stone must be farther to tn
east, and no other such body Of waite
could be at all near us. "Ah, you ma,
walk and walk, boys" says Keegan, al
old frontier man, "but yell never reacl
that water. Its the divil's own lake, ant
the nearer you get to it the farther Of
you'll be-" And sure enough as w
neared the tantalizing shore it receded
and finally faded out altogether.
Buffalo have been seen and killed
, prairie wolves run down, but the everlast
ing Indian still remains uncomfortable
One Mickey. not over bright fellow o
our regiment, strayed away, ant was los
for over Cd hours, and fears were enter
tained that he had been taken prisoner
or massacred by some rowing bands,
but he was at last discovered. almost fam
ished, miles frcm camp, wandering woe.
July hither and thither in every direc-
ton but the right one. He said he
"oaly went oG;.t for little bit ola walk, "
and had made up his mind to starve to
death when discovered. Ever since his
haversack is crammej with provisions
which he never lays aside in camp "
ou.., and he sleeps with it by lis side.
He is bousd TO put famine at defiance at
any rate.
We are at present camped upon the
head waters Of the Minnesota, about half
a mile from Lake Traverse, from which
issues the Red River Of the north, and
so within pistol shot of each other are the
waters that go dancing south to the Gulf
OF Mexico and north to the cold regions
of Hudson's Bay. With a run and
lump | cleared the Minnesota's stream,
which at Fort Smelling l had not ventur
ed to swim across. and setting upon the
bank | bathed my aching feet in the
drops which may yet wash the levee In
front of lordly New Orleans, thousands
of miles away. This is pretty place.
Tired and warm as | was when | reaS8ed
the brow of the bluffs that surround this
valley, gazed with admiration upon the
scene. A vast level plain or ampithea
tire, girded by hills furrowed and seam
ed by the melting SHOWS of Spring,
green as an emerald, lay beneath us in
rich contrast to the hot parched prairie
over which We had been journeying.
Lake Traverse, with its placid waters,
cleaned in front, while far away to the
right, all but hidden by the bluffs that
shut in the lower end OF the valley. Big
Stone Lake could just be seen, and the
Minnesota twisting and winding through
the centre was plainly discernable for
miles by the bushes and shrubs that line
its banks, Through this level plateau
the famous ship canal Of Henry NJ. Rice
is projected, by which, connecting the
two lakes. Traverse and Big Stone.
Hudson's Bay and the Gulf of Mexico
are TO be brought into water communi-
cation. In company with small party
I travelled over the ground to Big Stone
Lake, and find the plateau extends from
one lake to the other. some two or three
miles, very level, and the canal an easy
thing to construct, but il I were asked
how often steamer could get up the
Minnesota into Big Stone Lake. should
answer. About once in seven years, il
the boat was very small, and the river
pery high" We shall stay here some
three days TO send out teams to Fort
Abercrombie. Our boys have dug a
well. and the water is comparatively clear
and sweet, fish are plenty in the Jake.
and on the whole a soldiers life is not SO
bad, especially when resting My health
is pretty good, except a slight attack OF
the ague brought on by drinking this
detsstabe water along the route. You
know that am and always have been, 9
strong temperance man, but if ever I
person could be held blameless for in
dulging in Hostetter " or Planta
tion," it is here, and / should be very
shy Of casting the first stone at An offend
or. But l mus. close. II / can get tim'
and an opportunity to send another lette
from DEVILS Lake, Twill do SO. Until thel
adieu.
j. NJ. BESrnALL.