The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-06-04
A Glimpse at st. Paul in the Days of
Long Ago.

Long Ago.
A little photograph OF the past is found
in the following clipping from the Ameri-
can Magazine published IN 1s47. Its title
was Caravan From the Selkirk Settle
ment:"
On the 10th of July there arrived at the
village of St. Paul. near st. Peters and the
Falls of st. Anthony. on the upper Missis-
sippi, the most novel and Original-loOking
caravan that has ever appeared since
NOah's ark was evacuated. Our readers
are aware that there is an isolated settle
ment OF several thousand inhabitants in a
high latitude of British North America,
known as the ''Selkrk settlement" Cut
off from the commerce of the world, they
rely entirely upon their own resources.
their farms. their fOckS, and fishing for
suppOrt-being community, so to speak,
OF Robinson CrusOes. Their crops have
tailed the two last seasons. they have been
forced to break out of the wilds again and
seek food in the market of the great brawl-
ing world. Formerly their chief point of
contact with commerce was at Toronto; but
now, owing to the increase of supplies on
the upper Mississippi and the abundance of
game and forage on the route. they trade at
st. Paul, the head of steamboat navigation
OIl GlC MlSSlSolppi llNcI 1utO Ot. dul
they came on July 10 caravan of 100 carts
in single file. wearily moving along by
moonlight. Long after the head of the
caravan had reached the village the length
ened train of followers could be seen nov
ing over the undulating prairie. partly visi-
BILE and partly hidden between the billOwy
ridges OF the extended plain. crawling on
ward like some huge serpent, the extreme
rear still invisible and partly hidden in the
dInness of distance.
They had travelled southwark over the
prairie six hundred miles, having been nine
teen days on their way, through a region
abOunding in buffalOeS- -encamping at night
in tent, around which the carts were ar
ranged in circle to fence in the cattle.
They were hindered considerably in cross
ing some of the streams-and in many
places found scarcity of fuel and of even
the dry eXcrement of the buffalo, which
they use for fuel. They often suffered for
want of water-as many of the smaller
streams were so strongly impregnated with
the excrement OF the buffalo as to be un-
wholesome. They brought along a large
elk, bear, and some other animals,
which they had captured on the way-and
many packages of furs. They had very
choice lot of buffalo robes. we'll dressed,
which they sold at St. Paul by the lot at
So. so each. They had with them also an
abundance OF specie; and waited few days
at st. Paul. for the arrival of a steamboat
load of flour and groceries. The caravan
was made up of men and boys of all ages,
kindreds. tongues and compilations, includ-
ing large proportion of Gumboes. Their
dresses were as various as could be i'm.
agined; being uniform in only single
article of apparel-all wore mOccasns.
The carts were made wholly of wood and
hides. the hubs being covered with band
ages of green hides, drawn on while soft.
and there shrinking until they became
nearly as tight as bands of iron. Some OF
these odd two wheeled vehicles were drawn
by little horses. and others by oxen. each
animal. horse or OK, being geared in har-
ness of green hide. They are now again on
their way back to the frozen wilds of the
north. many of them probably never again
to commune with the great world. .-WiscOn.
sin Herald.