The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-09-15

camp. The Indian il very destructive Of
the sugar maple. He taps the tree by out
ting notch with the axe, thus destroying
the bark and sapwood for six OF eight inch.
% Of tho circumference. A small tree 10
sometimes killed BY single tapping, and
. large tree seldom stands more than three
or four. The sep il caught IN birch bark
buckets Of which many were to b seen
here. The lake WAS smooth - glass the
next morning ~ 10 crossed and entered
the outlet. OF al marshy rivers this Lseeh
River may we'll bear the palm. The
stream winds in Ill conceivable directions
through low, impossible bottom land,
three or four miles wide, there being scarce
~ more than half dozen spots dry bank
throughout its entire course. The Indians
have many outoffs by which the distance il
shortened but - We were strangers, With
out guide, No mostly missed these and
took the river pure and simple. The sun
was nearly down as ve entered Mud Lake,
IN expansion Of the river four or five miles
from its mouth. The water Of the lake IL
not more than three or four feet deep, and
tho whole is one solid rice field. The Wild,
or Indian rice, ~ it 10 sometimes called
is found growing mainly in just such places
- this. It grows in from two to four feet
of water and where there is little Or no
current. It is exclusive in its habit, o.
cupying entirely the place whore il found,
the stalks standing nearly ~ close - wheat
stalks, ard from five to ten feet in height.
The lower part Of the head branches loose
ly, but the grain is found entirely in the
long spake.of closely. competed branch
q, with which tho head tsrmin-
ates. It forms the entire food OF
Indians and birds, during its season. The
grain falls away a. soon - It 10 fully ripe
and the Indians carry on the harvest while
t is still soft, and dry the grain in kettles
over the fire before removing the husk.
This gives the rice dark appearance. and
frequently . smoky taste, and has SPOILED
it, reputation among civilized people.
Gathered properly it is almost, Or quite -
clear a. the southern rice, which it exceeds
In nutritive prspsrties, and equals in
favor. Not many days since man who
might have been younger, vas seen wan
dsriss alongthe shore Of Lake George. with
IN tho limits Of St. Cloud, and looking
wistfully st the ready growth separated
from him BY . narrow strip Of shallow va
tor. At length hs pulled Of shoes and
stockings tucked up his paass carefully I'M
til the lsSs formed tworolls above his knees
and wadsd into the water: Feeling hi
way carefully, he At length reached tuf
Of grass which promised secure footheli
above the mud, and from which The rio,
fr IL Was moth ing else, could b reached
Posing him.elf upon one foot, With Ii
other stretched out behind him, = : bal
anoing pole, and reaching over. looking IN
commonly ike gigantic sand hill Gran
about to hy, tho treachsrous grass gaI
way and he found himself waist deep; i
mud and water. But his object Wa ,ss
,, tanned. Nearly half the surface Of 'Lak
) | George is covered with the vsritabls Vii
J. rice Of the Upper Mississippi, q line .
rice field ss'sn Indian would CAIN p -. /
Pushing our canoe with some dimsult
; through the nee Of Mud Lake, We can
) | at length to tho outlet and found : largp en
D campnent Of Indians some half 'scoe
! lodges Of III sizes and shapes, oontafniA
3 At lsast ons hundred and my persons.
D was past suasst and the fsstivities .ef Il
) evsnisg we're begun. There was bsatin
: Of tin pans and kettles, some noise whie
was probably called singing, and: daaein,
5 They crowded - Tie shore, 70 ,sfset Il
strangers, and wsrs loud II. their sslat.
0 tons and their Invitations - land a
. camp there. They were unifernl
respectful and not at =, al iaelins
q teruds speeches. which white mea ars! 4
o apt to make On Ike OCCASIONS Boz i
s passed further down 10 BE- out Of hearing
= the noise, and eanpsl in : pine grave q
3 the other side Of the the river. ~, s:r% .
oil Before We had flashed supper sever,
0 eanoe.loads eans across 70 talk, and III
!. rice for -four and It ether oonnoditiea,
vas evidently . festive season with Tier
0 health and spirits were 1t the hiSaestl
they we're ready to talk and laash ,poa ,
o | subieots. Our lumbsrmaa. Who ssIleay )