Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-10-02
0r Fssa River.

Leaving Prescott at twelve O'Clock,
noon, We were jorked along TO Red Wing
IN two and thirty minutes, on a North
ern Line stern-whesl steamer. A half
hour was consumed in exchanging freight
and passengers. at which time White
Collar, ide-wheel steamer, which seem
ed to bo in hot pursuit, wa. just tying
up. Off we Tent and on we pushed
with all the available power that could
be found in the machinery of the old
Boat. There was no "tremblng pen
nant' on board, so all Cooked back to
catch a gliApso of orr rival, and at
length, as we neared the head of Lake
Pepin. she hove in sight. Then we felt
sort OF inspiration, like an electric
shock and sort Of quivering firmness
seemed 10 run over every one on board
1t was seOn in the more quick, elastic
step, in the bright, flashing eye, and
more stern, rigid coun,enance. Onward
We rocked, TIE boat seeming to gather
new energies at every stroke. She
trsmbled wsth iirmress, oven, and, for
a willis, bid open defiance to the White
Collars. Her stsrn wheel made good
Der nppelation Of "stsrn wheeler" But,
with the deep smooth Lake for n race
course, a trisl Of speed was the only nj
Tentative. If we had the bottom the
White Collars had the speed. and down
alongside us they passed, and touched
the shore Al Lake City before us. just
condsscending to annoy MS with her sig
nal Of the right. fairly won, to push us
Next, onward in their wake, to Reed.
/ Wabaslaw and Maneiski, when dark
night overlook us. IN fog and dark We
we moved Slow. I'll morn, when, To-
our cid liyal appears. The Object O.
our envy-snd may lie CT our admira
t;on--is square beside US. and quietly
together we tie up a; La Crosse. Thi;
ci;y, though it may vie With Milwaukee
as city Of bricks, is not an elegant
city. il is fUI! Of life aud business, but
degenerate in morals. Its genera! ap
pearnuce is ;h't of life without living
but niarely a state of lively being or ex
istence-exist silence with no proper apple
citation of life itself. Too much Of thei
education-t0o much oftheir style ha
been gathered from that recklass sheet
the La Crosse Democrat, any singl,
number of which ought TO make au hon
est man blvsl for shame. Immodest
indecent, irrsligious, irreverent and infa
nous. oh, shame whore is thy blush
Now down the river we glide, our
selves attracting little, if any more atten
ton, thsn did birchen canoe, on Id,
Pernigewssset, ninety years ago. con
tanning only an Indian Warrior and BIZ
Gu>ky bride. The eye tires with same
sess, the ear with duluess. and we turf
to our state room to find rest and relief
Agsin that shrill whistle literally shriek
! a new Tarning, snd we make shore a
the liveIy, bee hive city called Lansing
Again we are on our winding way and
st length We behsld Prairie du Chen
that now is, and Prairie du CHEN. tha
once was, the old city being fairly de
serted. And then, nearly opposite il
the busy, lively, antique city of McGreg
or, which is wedged in between twC
bluffs. How SO many live, what they
a,s here for, and why they stay here, arc
questions which naturally arise 10 The
MINI of the casual obser,e or. Hence W,
wander. menndering among the mound'
snd hills. AM seek an hamhIe, rural re
tfsat. Thence to the River again. steam
ing sgaiast tide ani wind, the White
Collars sIawiy ascend, and nothing pc.
culiar IS made visible by darkness. The
morning comes. and no variety till we
: bybcI.l Pho R|uf. below FED Wing,