Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-02-27

spot about twenty-four years ago, two
of the bottom logs were still there.
Samuel Lee, now of Swan River, says he
saw; it about the same time, when two of
the logs were still there. I accordingly
made trip down there last year to sat-
isfy my own curiosity, and was amply
rewarded for. my pains by finding the
precise location of the stockade. 1t was
where Bolt said, about fifty rods below
the rapids. At that place the bank rises
about fifteen feet, when it comes onto lev
ell land where the stockade was built.
Immediately below it a low flat of con-
siderable width commences. Although
the logs were entirely gone when I was
there, the place they lay was plainly Wis
ible. The stockade was put up, as near
as I could measure, thirty-eight feet
square. At the northwest corner there
is large pile of rock, about the size of
common hay-cock, out Of which they
must have constructed a fireplace. In
Pixies account it is stated that his fleet
consisted of two long boats, one of which
they put upon either side of the passage
way from the stockade to the river The
distance from the waters edge being not
over sixty feet in low water, there is no
inconsistency in his statement.
The Sioux Indians are sometimes
called the Dakotas, and according to
the best inform alton can get from ex-
amining several Indian histories in the
State Historical department, they were
driven from the whole country east Of
the Mississippi river, by the Chippewas
in about 1770 In 1888 Frenchman 90.
ing by the name Of "The Blacksmith"
who had a trading post at the mouth Of
Pcna river, a stream emptying into the
Grow Wing, was attacked by about 200
Sioux. About 10 men, Chippewas and
Frenchmen, were with him, and they be-
ing armed with guns while the Sioux had
only bows and arrows, they successfully
resisted the attack and defeated them.
A big story is told about hunting in
the country around Crow Wing about 95
years ago. The great grandfather Of the
present White Fisher went out from that
place and in one day killed 16 elk, buf:
falo, 5 deer, 8 bear, mink and powu-
pine. It is not to be wondered at that
the Chippewas desired to possess this
country in preference to remaining in
the inhospitable region about Lake Super
ior; and as they came over from there
lean and half starved, they were in much
better condition for fighting than the fat
and lazy Sioux, and as natural conse-
quence prevailed and drove them from
this land of plenty. In 1881 French
man commenced to trade at point on
the Mississippi about 10 miles above
Crow Wing, but shortly afterwards he
was robbed by the Leech Lake Indians,
who have ever since that time borne the
name of Pillager Indians.
The last items since the account of
Pixies coming up the Mississippi were
furnished me from manuscripts in the
possession of Hon. Henry NJ Rice, of St.
Paul, and he claims that they are we'll
authenticated. Mr.. Rice says that VIM.
Akin commenced to trade at the mouth
of Little Rock river, and G. H. Beauleau
at Crow Wing. in 1916, and were fur
nished with goods by him from Prairie
du Chien, and that in that year he ran
fat boat up the Mississippi to Crow
Wing, towing the same with a horse the
most Of the way.
Among the early travellers, we find in
the narrative of an Italian by the name
Of J. G. Beltrami, that he went up the
Minnesota river, down the Red river, and
came across the country by Red and
Leech lakes, and went down the Missis-
sippi river. He passed down by Little
Falls on the 9th day of September, A.
D. 1928. He mentions the place by say
ing, "From Birch river (Mosko-sibi)
which flows also from the west, we pass
through succession of rapids, till we
reach that of Great Rock (Ceke-bicauge(
which is a small fall Here generally
portage is made, which, however, we
avoid by passing through narrow chan
mel on the east behind an island. This
fall is formed by small strait. The riv-
er confined by two rocks, forms a gulf,
from which it rushes with tremendous
roaring" The river was well up at the
time Mr.. Beltrami passed down, which
enabled him to go down by the island,
and caused the great roaring. He speaks
of tremendous showers of rain about the
time he started down from Sandy Lake.
ITO be continued.]