New-York tribune., 1871-08-30
THE NORTHWEST.
VIII.
BY BAYARD TAYLOR.

thing perhaps owing 10 the circumstance that tle
sekrk drew only IS inches while the river had risen
three four inches from rains and escaped the
aous delays Of the downward trip but there also
marked difference In the effect OF heading torards in
stead of troW the The wealth of foliage
along the winding banks was broken by the
most charming Interruptions OF shadow, and
gave us succession OF simple, quiet YET
constantly changing pictures The heat was still great
during the day. every evening the hurricane deck
seemed like fresh dyl!of the wilderness, pure and
perfect the nts Of the sky CLASSY the reaches OF
the river.
Once or twice we had some electrical effects which
astonishing. The lightning had Wild freedom OF
action as II released from all o, 1l Itra uOn and simply
dispOrting itself in space First 1 would come
broad red fash dmg all the Ky then, dozen streams
OF fire would dart all directions, sometimes rushhg
up,cdrd from the earth and seeming TO explode IKE
rocket, sometimes wriggling like SO many frlgheheo
snakes or whirled horizontally Ike whp-lash. Al
times the cir apparently filed with these rolhckng
streaks, which came from oycroharged cloud nut
formed themselves everywhere II ia singular that the
cultivation Of the earth shond to such an extent tame
and regulate these tremendous forces.
After leaving Winnipeg we had long, bright ana
beautiful day on the river. Passing the frontier during
the second night reached Pembna long before dawn,
and found that hosptahle embargo was laid on our
further progress The officers Of the post had expected
us the evening before and had prepa supper in the
large room Of the unfinished hospital AZ we had not
arrived time they proposed 20 turn the supper
into breakfast, th the consent OF ouI friendly cap
The members OF the party were called from their
berths sunrise and in brief space OF time suf
feed for hosts and their soldier assistants,
summoned to pavilion inclosed with boughs and
Overhung by striped and starry bunting Guns drums,
swords and buCles artscay arranged were the orna-
ments. The tables were pine planks on restles but
upon them salmon and lobster salads, ham and
tongue, potatoes, excellent bread butter and coffee,
and wholesome wines. After the scanty fare OF the
steamer this luxury and the officers really gave us
much charity as compliment Col Wheaton presided,
and Capt Bradley. Dr. Woodward and the other officers,
with several sku privates superntended the supplies,
which had been provided far beyond our needs.
We turned TO Gov. Hawley natural representa-
tive and he said the things which each one desired TO
have said Afterwards the minstrels OF the party led
by Gov Bross. sang marching through Georgia." with
a chorus which stirred the flag OF jubilee over their
heads We had barely time TO pay respects to Mrs
Wheaton when the whistle sounded, sharp, discordant
and impatient, and in ten minutes the lonely little post
OF Pembina vanished from sight behind twist Of the
river But fortified TO endure another day or
two OF hash beans and salt pork our semiinvads be
well in trce, and the nest OF the Pembna eagle
remained as warm in memories the lair Of the
Winnipeg lion.
All that day and half the next we meandered south
ward still cheerful although quite ready for any change
in the mOnotOnOus voyage That very afternoon came
three incidents in succession. Our young spOrtsmen on
the bow wasted great deal Of ammunition upon hawks
ducks and wild pigeons trying the range of their rifles
in the longer reaches Of the river until fully expected
the slaughter Of stray settler cutter OF telegraph
poles and when at last there rumOr Of a dead
body in the water my first idea that OF the rec
less bullets had found unexpected billet The body
lodged among the branches Of tree on the western
bank 1t OF middle age, in shirt and drawers
he had been apparently days in the water and had
probably Coated down from above. The extended
and crooked fingers hinted at violence. Some OF the
steamers fastened the corpse the shore and left
to be cared for by the settlers at Grand Forks
miles above.
In another half hour there second excitement
and rushed deck In time a she-bear and two
cubs swimming the river In advance of the
steamer. Our best marksman failed through sheer
eagerness-the three animals reached the shore made
two leaps the mud and lost among the willow
thekets Then again. in OF the widest and Oneest
Of the riFer, there sat young Indian girl alone
and smiled upon us with the innocent rankness peculiar
TO the noble savage She decidedly pretty her hair
hung in long, unbraided tufts. but teeth daz-
cling and the soft flush her checks not the result
Of war-paint. Either the unsophistcated Whitman, or
the sophisticated Thoreau could have made much OF this
picture One Of the Chippewa halfbreeds, AT Pembina,
when asked her the name Of boy who sat near her.
replied " don't know eeSf an petit saupage" The
girl the bank alone with the belt Of wild woods be-
hind her. and the symbol Of Civilization screeching past
was Impressive enough IN the mlndS eye Dut-c ctdu
petite saurage," and herithoughts possibly d
reoted towards piece OF bacon, or drink OF whisky,
at the nearest wood-cutter's camp.
Our arrival at Frog Point, early Saturday morning
-S.as a jubilee We were even less fortunate than
Holiness freshman:
PED oo coarse tubers end Eoian beans"
for the tubets had Seen wanting, and that
should get them at Geolgetown Newspapers. letters,
and stages in waiting and l. for should have
been quite happy bat for the announcement that instead
of making straight line for the railway terminus at
Morris we were destined to be taken eastward by a
roundabout trail through the lake region Of Minnesota
adding two days TO our stage Journey. This change,
which came nigh demorazing the party, was founded
on an imperfect knowledge of human nature We should
have had the longer at first while fresh and tOler
ant OF pvaons but these matters are not yet reduced
70 science as they should be- One who lacks the eX-
perence would how hard 1t is to see many
thngs and describe them, the same day; and thus
Western hospitality, which is anxious TO show every
thing for the sake having everything described some
times defeats its own purpose. Heat and dust by day,
and musketos by night no longer uxuries ana we
were all sorely tagged when the end came.
To be sure the change OF route enabled us 10 Ve the
reports of the beauty and fertility of the region ana the
rapty with which IT is being hlled up win se'uers'
All OF this grant and willingly yet should have been
content 10 accept the statement from ohors One Of our
urivatops however came end aft leaving George
town After weary day on the hot PRAIRIE anda uheh
on the banks OF Buffalo River we encamped Tor the nght
besde travelling town. the construction camps OF
the North Pacific Railway. There we exchanged salt
pork for wild duck beans for potatoes and old
for new cakes and thencefOrth we Jared we'll
Twenty miles OF Red River the plain begins TO roll
gently and its black sdty gives place to clear ponds
and lakes while groves of oak stud the country with
life effect Thus far the workmen now pushing
the grading Of the railroad, which Is finished nearly 10
Detroit Lake place and opportunity for dense
agricultural population, and hence, westward through
Dakota the line the road opens TO settlement thou
sands Of square miles Of the very finest SOIL nave NOT
tbe least doubt that the North Pacific trains will be able