Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-08-25

loose cattle had to swim over the |
river all of which was accomplished
without any accident worthy or
note. The ferry boat at Prairie du
Chen was larger and propelled by
four mule power, but the water being
high, the Mississippi river was near
| ly two miles wide and much time
| was taken to get to the western
bank. Thirteen miles northwest from
McGregor at Poverty Point, since
| called Mopona, another halt of
week was made. The scouting party
before alluded to had visited several
! localities and opinions were divided
as to which was the best point to
settle down. The company was now
divided into three divisions, we go.
ing with the original leader to the
vicinity of DEBORAH, landing on our
claims on the 3rd of July. The jour
ney had taken five weeks, counting
from the time of starting. Those
who had room enough slept under
the wagon covers, others slept on the
bare ground under the wagons
If time and subsistence are taken
into account, then our journey was
quite expensive. 1t was indeed a
fine country where we settled. Roll
ling prairies with fertile soil and
an abundance of pure water. For
miles there were no houses
nor roads or other traces of civili-
cation to be seen. Indian trails,
well marked, crossed the country in
various directions, and with little
deviation continued to be the roads
of the early settlers, until the fenc-
ing in of the fields pushed the roads
into the worst places, where they
now remain. 1t was high time to
break up prairie so as to be able
to plant and sow next year, also to
put up hay for the cattle for the
coming winter. This occupied the
time at first, so the building of log
houses was put off till late in au-
tumn. Many of us were not under
roof from the middle of May till
September or October, yet all were in
good health.
The Indians, who had inhabited
this portion of the country where we
settled, were removed by government
troops two years previous to our ar
rival. They had evidently intended
to return at some future time as they
had made large cellar-like holes in
] the ground in which were deposited
all kinds of goods carefully covered
over with the bark of trees. Such
things as corn, feathers, axes and
kettles were in good preservation
when exhumed by the new settlers
Quite large parties of Indians ira
versed the country, but they had
their homes in the territory of Min
nesota and did not modest us in the
least. There were no settlements
whatever northwest of us the irst
year, hence being on the frontier, we
often felt uneasy, having heard that
some traders sold them whisky. On
the banks of the Upper Iowa river
many Indian graves were found. The
bodies were buried in a sitting posi-
ton, with the head sometimes above
the ground. A forked stick put up
like post at each end of the grave
held ridge pole on which leaned
thin boards placed slanting to each
side of the grave. Thus each grave
presented the appearance of the
gable of a small house.
The question Of subsistence, that
is, something to eat and to wear, was
for many of us the most difficult TO
answer. The small stores brought
could not last long. The nearest
trading place on the Mississippi was
| fifty miles away, where a barrel of
-four cost twelve dollars and a BIZ
shell of corn seventy-fve cents, OF .er
things in proportion. My father work
ed what time he could spare from
mis- own home for fifty cents a day,
while all of my time was put in a.
driving a breaking team of eight
oxen for twenty-five cents day. At
this rate it was hard TO make ends |
| meet. Hunting and fishing was re-
sorted to and gave some help. Men
who could be away from their homes
spent the first winters up in the |
Wisconsin pineries or down along |
the Mississippi cutting cordwood. |
Ny father took me along on an expe-
dition of this last named descrip-
ton two weeks before Christmas, |
1850. A heavy fall of snow knee |
deep set in just as we started from |
home. Walking some twenty-eight |
miles to where we stopped over the
night was no easy task Upstairs in
log cabin covered by clapboards,
was the place given us to sleep. Dur
ing the night high wind made the