The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-01-01

Il DOtT IhH{N-PEhlCAN dRD NHIShI -
TEMPERANCE LECTURES WANTED-HOW
FEMBINA HAS CHANGED-EXCURSIO
AFTER INDIA NS-FA TIER ANDRES MIS-
SION DC
PEMBINA, ID. T.. Dec 9 1868.
To tie Editor Of the Pioneer:
We have finally received a mail from st.
Paul. About a week ago after several days
eXpectation-we were gratited with the intel
ligence that the mail had arrived. Very soon
the train came into camp. We saw several
mail bags-great rejoicing generally-every
one expected several letters from home be-
sides lots of news in the papers. How great
was our disappointment, however, when Judge
LeAiay, p. NJ, very deliberately informed us
that all the bags had left Pcmbina at different
times for st. Paul-that the last carrier down
had found no one at the usual place of meet
ing, and had taken two bags found hanging on
tree. and returned bringing with him all the
mails that had been sent down for ten days.
This was a bitter pill, but it had to be swal-
lowed (mustly in commssary, however,
Three DAYS after this we did receive mail that
Mr.. Tarbel who is agent here, brought d.
rectly through himself. The reason assigned
for the delay was that the route had been
changed-our mails to come in future via Aber-
crombic, instead of Crow Wing. There are
two mails back of the one received due here
now.
Perhaps it would be interesting to people,
not already posted, to know how our mails
are carried in this country. Mail carriers
French and half-breeds) all use dog train !,
in the winter season, which consists of three
dogs harnessed before sledge-which is SIM
ply a board, turned up like skate runner at
one end.
When the mail is ready, the driver brings
sround his team, already loaded with seven
days supply of provisions (mostly 'pemmi-
can y for himself and dogs.
The mail is tied on behind. and away he
goes, on q journey of one hundred and fifty
miles, and return. Their average distance is
about forty miles per day. They can make
seventy-tivc.
The dogs are fed only once each day, at
night There is no delay on the road-the dogs
take q - lick :" of snow as they move along.
At night they have about one pound and q half
of pemmican each, lie down, and are ready in
two hours Gf necessary to start again but the
driver must rest, for running behind a g train
forty miles per day is all he can endure.
The " old settlers" of this vicinity were very
DESTROYS that this battalion should come up
here this winter. There were several of these
individuals waiting very patiently tor us to ar
rive. When we came, they were exceedingly
anxious to do something for us by way of pro-
curing such necessarics we required that
Uncle Sam does not furnish. We are perfectly
satisfied that they are glad we have come. The
prices at which they will furnish you with
supplies will convince any one of the fact.
They charge us only - for a bushel of pota-
toes, lowing, l suppose, to the fact that they
have all been frozen.) They have offered 10
furnish a limited quantity of barley for $40
per bushel and oats for the exceedingly low
price of So. Whisky sells for Sc per gallon,
which, considering the ready sale it has and
the amount of business done, think is rather
high.
A good temperance lecturer, seeking for q
field to labor in, could MT do better than to
come to this place this winter.
One thing that is cheap here is pemmican.
The battalion has furnished the Indians (Chip-
pewas) with SO much horse fesh-and they say
it makes excellent pemmican-t that the market
is glutted Buffalo hereafter can run at will
they will not be disturbed-meat eau be had
without hunting them.
Indians are becoming very plenty-fresh ar
rivals every day. Every morning such horses
as have tended their weary pilgrimage" are
drawn out upon the prairie and left; the In
dams begin to gather around them and assure
you no mercy is shown. If they like their
mcat lean they certainly could not do better,
for flesh could not be more free from fat than
that the Pembina market is supplied with.
The supply, however, at the present time is
not great, and Il few weeks more ofcOid weather
will exhaust it entirely.
A man leaving Pembina four weeks ago and
returning now would hardly recognize the
place. Instead of two houses only on this
point, we have now quarters built for four
hundred men. Our boys have worked with a
will, Notwithstanding the cold weather and the
sufferings they endured in reaching this place.
They have done it cheerfully. and all have
with large open treplaces built of hay and clay
mixed, and laid up like brick.
The weather was so cold (33 deg. below zero)
lust at the time that it became necessary to put
fires into the tents SO as to "wind up " that
many thought it best to cross the line and buy
stoves. They changed their minds, however,
after sending over for them. They could buy
a medium sized box stove for S75 nothing less.
Greenbacks are good thing in America, but
they don't amount TO much up here.
Since my last to you, we have been out on
an Indian hunt On the goth of last month
Major Hatch received information that Little
Six" with 200 warriors, were encamped few
miles out from st. Joe. and about 35 miles from
here. The men were all busily at work at their
quarters. Cold weather was coming on. There
was no time to spare-but here was an oppor-
tunity that we could not afford to lose. The
Major called for volunteers. About one humid
red and fifty men offered to 60, which, consid-
H.