The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-13
CLEAR WATERS.
Summer seiourning in the Land
of the Dakotas.
A Region of Seven Thousand Crystal
Lakes.
Jauntings in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Especial Correspondence Of the Democrat.1
MrNSEApOIJs Mimi J11ly g. 1919

M1NEEAPoLIs, Mimi, July s, 1879.
Here am in the State OF "clear waters"
or, as some have it, OF "sky-tinted waters, /"
which being the correct Interpretation I am
unable to determine, not having a lexicon Of
the language of the Dakotas or any Of their
wise men at hand for ready reference. But
minnesota" with Its softrflowing eadences
of sweet sounds, has acquired O far broader
significance for her adopted children and the
sojourners within her borders than for the
native-born. The land Of seven thousand
crystal lakes and innumerable waterfalls, and
the parent of mighty rivers, Is also the land
OF beautiful prairies and magnificent wood
lands, Of rugged gorges and precipitous river
bluffs, OF hills and dales and natural parks,
of almost boundless wheat fields, Of thriving
cities and towns, Of manufactures and COM
merce extending even to the marts OF the
Old World, and above all, the land of the
purest and most invigorating ozone-laden
atmosphere bringing healing on Its wings
to many hopeless invalid and reeuperatlon
and refreshment to thousands Of the weary
and heavy-laden. seeking her shores In search
of recreation.
have been q couple of weeks In the State
but SO much have seen along It's length and
breadth that I hardly know where to begin ];
so / will describe my last trip first It was
to the "Dalles Of the st. Croix." The early
morning train over branch OF the Mime
apolis and St. Louis Railway took me to
White Bear Lake, fifteen miles distant, where
/ changed to the Saltwater branch OF the st.
Paul and Duluth Railroad for saltwater,
twelve miles further on, located on and be-
meath the bluffs OF St. Croix. / looked over
this beautiful city Of $4,000 inhabitants on my
return trip, when [ had an hour or two to
spare, not only In surveying its natural
beauties, but also In calling on it's eminent
Inhabitants, the most noted Of whom are the
Younger brothers, who have taken up @ life
residence In fine stone mansion under the
hill. But for the up trip steamer Of the st.
Paul and st. Croix Packet Company was in
waiting and / embarked at onee on the &. 3.
Knapp, for Iaylor's Falls and the "DalIes, y
about thirty miles up stream.
Here commenced one OF the most delightful
excursions Of my Iife-up the rapid river; It's
amber tide telling OF the interninabie pine
forests Of the great NorthIand whence it
flows until mid summer has dried the woods,
after which It's waters are said to be as clear
as crystal Our gallant craft stems the swift
EuETbIlt, hIll hb We SUGtu yGGHGGI btI5 WJDtIPi
shores, rising now III bold headIands, abrupt
ly from the waters edge, and again retiring 1t
little, in more geutle mood, before lifting their
butWarks skyWard, leaving little Wales Of syl-
van beauty between the verdant walls and
the waters flow; among low islands, which
are strung, either single or in groups, along
the entire distance to the "Dallea," some
times enclosing q perfect labyrinth OF narrow
channels, through which the steamer threads
her devious way. SO close TO the shore at
hort br,,
fore her as we pass as before O. carriage In O
forest road. yet 50 deep is the water that u
landing con be made almost anywhere along
either the islands or the main shore, even
though there be no wharf.
SaWmlls occur at freuent intervals; their
soft gray, Weather-beaten walls and roofs
Nesting beneath the canopy OF green In as
perfect harmony rs the gray columns which
support it, or the gray rocks which begin now
and then to appear, precursors Of the more
rugged scenes which hre near at hand. But
more brilliant colOfs are not wanting. The
lDg-drivers along the D0oms, with their red
aud blue and green flannel shirts, and an oc-
casional red "wannegan," the floating home
of these hardy WOodmen and river men--a
sort OF cabin and tlatboat combined, tied up
against the shore-give vivid touches to the
picture.
But the green itself is not monotonous,
but varies from the delicate tiHts Of the
Iichens, and the willows and poplars through
the gradations Of the golden green OF the soft
maple, the deeper tints Of the feathery butter
nut and b0x-alder, and the graceful elm, and
| the ash and the bass wood TO the emerald OF
| the oak, and the sonbre shade of the Norway
| pine which begins to put In an occasional ap-
| pearanee as we ascend the stream. The white
| blossoms OF the crab-apple also tighten uE
| the picture, and the blue bells and buttercups
spaDgle the green sWard beneath, and over
| All bends the soft cloud-ffecKed azure of q re-
| fulgent sky. A breeze laden with the fra
grance OF the woods and charged with cleo
tIcity thrills and animates the entire being
aud the glad songs Of the wild birds swinging
| i'll the branches ring through the forest aisle5
| rejoicing our hearts as we glide along this
| beautiful highway amid natures Businesses.
| Down i'll the river gorge all is primitive
but ON the high lands, back from the river,
! beautiful farms stretch away on either hand,
both in Minnesota and Winconsin, / am told,
| until the vicinity Of the "Dales" Is reached
when the prairies merge gently into the
| forests, with only occasional farms, and then
the great North wilderness, the lumberman'e
domain, sets In, where the deer and the bear
and the wolf still roam and the ChippeWas
drag out q precariOuS existence. So far, earth
and sky were in harmony. and as We de.
scended toward more rugged scenes the
heavens seemingly kept pace. The clouds
grew darker and the breeze grew stronger
Portentous purple and iron and lead were
mingled with the blue and white, In accord
with one wilder surrounding.
AT Osceola, on the Wisconsin shore, WE
made quite q stop. long enough to run up q
wild glen. some eighty rods, to the O5ceoie
cascade, where the waters after tumbling
down an irregular stairway of rocks for some
distance, dash their fretted foam over cliff
forty or fifty feet In width and plunge to the
bottom Of the gorge, forty feet below, the
precipitous walls OF rock and foliage, rising
to the height of seventy-tiye feet ON either
side, and one of these, crowned with an old
gray mill, adding to the picturesqueness Of
the scene. mile below Oseeola is the st
Croix mineral spring Of rnagnesia and iron
quite noted In this vcinityat which point
there Is g. large summer hotel on the hill.
A few miles further on, Rock Island and
the adjoining craggy shores give hints OF the
| weird wonders beyond, and presently we
/ glide into the aDalies" themselves, In all
| their Piutonian ruggedness and wild beauty,
where the powers Of darkness and Of light
have met In dreadful conflict in the ages
gone-the former triulnphing for time and
strewing ruin broadcast In an hour, perhaps,
which tho light Of untold centuries has been
| unable to efface. although 1t has softened,