Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-03-28
TURTLE MOUNTAIN.
An Interesting Discription-Nat-
ural Game Park.
Father L'hiver in Dunscith Herald.

Inc Danny atmosphere Ol tnlS ue-
lightful season Of the year invites us to
ascend our majestic bluffs, ladder like,
to the wooded valleys and meadows Of
the mountain. The day is clear, the air
is bracing, the sun shining us it does
every day in Dakota. Mr.. Hamilton,
the county surveyor, a true gentleman
from Scotland and a regular w%oodsman,
is leading us four. Remember we are
only going today on a little ramble of
exploration. From the top of the bluffs
gong into the hills. nothing valuable in
the way Of timber grows there for about
two miles, though young poplars by the
million form a dense thicket very pleas
ing to the eye. The ground is rolling
a few huts and teepees inhabited by
Chippewas and half-breeds, who have
crossed from Canada for RATloN's sake,
can be seen there. At Il short distance
from there we enter into the woods.
Some Indians have undoubtedly passed
through those wales and dales, but nc
trace at all as yet Of the thrifty yankee.
A little further on Mr.. Hamilton says:
"This is wealth, gentlemen; behold be-
fore your eyes now no less than thirty
million feet Of lumber" In fact the
poplar, oak and balm Of Gillead are
plenty there and admirable to look at;
so tall 10 and so f~eet)--so thick, like
giants in battle, arrayed, and the bark so
sleek, yet it is very %recreative indeed,
and a p~leasanter sight never enjoyed.
sawlogs from one to two feet are made
out Of them, and the price 500 per
thousand, and all Of that free and ready
for settlement. We walked q little far.
Their on and our leader stopped and said
"here, gentlemen, we stand at about the
center of the mountains, it is made, as
you know, like q turtle, and we are here
on the middle of the back of the ami
NAL Presently VIC saw a perfect laby-
rinth Of lakes, each one communicating
to the next in every direction, so grand
and bewildering; some Of them have
their outlets toward Manitoba, some
toward the south, emptying into Willow
river around Dunseith. There also we
cross many tracks of elk and deer made
on the snow, n little Of which still re.
mains; also some traces of wildcats, fox
wolves, otter, mink can be seen quite
often. No birds live there in the winter
season except the tomtit, some wood
peckers and quite numerous 1ocks O
prairie chickens and partridges, who
part of the time hide themselves in the
snow wherefrom they fly on the tops 0
trees, to bud and replcnish their empty
gizzards. The rabbits are innumerable
so much so that we make profitable eX
portation of them. Tremendous fires u
different periods have destroyed a gooe
deal of the beautiful groves of oak
Some large tracts on the mountain az
totally deprived Of them, while at tn
t same time they are plentiful at othe
spots. Now farmers, and stock raiser
! especially, pay attention. We hav
: noticed that the soil on these mountain
is richer than any where else. 1t stand
to reason. A regular rotation of larg
fires and of decomposition Of matte
has taken place there for centuries
centuries. Stones are unknown there
thousands of thousands of acres a b
!; turned out for about So per acre. 81
sides immense meadows of true blu
k joint grass are there at different spots t
open your eyes and welcome you warn
l ly. You will cut five acres of hay o
every acre and here is the fodder fe
your stock; lakes innumerable will fu
q nish the water; woods and bluffs tn
protection against wind. Think of
e friends, and be the wiser.
n At about three o'clock p. nj. We cam
to Mr.. Hamilton's camp-comfort the]
I've rested nicely, and after partaktr
Is of q substantial dinner, we came bac
y to Dunseith, walking the whole distant
x of ten miles. 1t is no question wheth'
q we slept well that night.