Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1925-07-16

after having passed that region
during the Black Hawk war in 1882
1.-THE lakes are the most beautiful
bodies of water have ever seen,
and If they we're anywhere else,
than in the place they are, they
would be considered among the
wonders of the world, but it ap-
pears :. the Almighty intended this
part of the country for the children
of the forest"
The central portion Of the state
of Wisconsin was but little known
at that period, for travel between
Fort Howard, Green Bay and Him
oils was upon the Fox and Wiscon-
sin rivers by the way of Fort Craw-
ford, Prairie du Chen, but not ov-
erland.
"The Saukies"
Jonathan Carver, who floated
down the Wisconsin river in 1866,
tells us Of the. Great Town of the
Saukies" (present site of Prairie
du Sac). "This town contains
about 80 houses, being the best
built Indian structures I have ever
seen. They were built of hewn
plank, neatly joined and covered
with bark. The streets are regu-
lar and spacious, so that it appears
more like a civilized town than the
abode of savages. Their planta-
tions are neatly laid out, and they
raise great quantities of corn,
beans, melons, etc" In describ-
ing the surrounding country he go
es on to say; while | stayed here
/ took a view of some mountains
that lie about fifteen miles to the
southwark Blue Mounds) they
abound In lead ore | assembled one
and had an extensive view Of the
country For miles nothing was to
be. seen but lesser mountains which
appeared at distance like hay
cocks, they being free from trees.
Only a few groves of hickory or
stunted oak covered some valleys.
In 1914, Colonel Mckay of the
British army, fioated down the Wis
consin on his way to capture the
Prairie du CHEN fort from the Am
orleans. In 1918 William Farms
worth, later a resident Of ShebOy-
gan, in company with 90 others,
travelled from Green Bay to St.
Louis.
Y Ebenezer Childs, we'll known in
Madison later, madeSthis same trip
In a bark canoe, during 1921. The
3rd U. s. Infantry was taken down
this river toSSt. Louis in 1926.
General Cass also passed along
this route during the Winnebago
Indian war in 1927. So the terri
tory now constituting the counties
of Dane and Sark was continually
being passed and repassed but lit
tie was known OF the interior.
French traders and vogageurs
were the first to discover the beau
ty Of the lakes and the vail of
the Yahara. OF these adventur
ers, history remembers Michael st.
Cyr, Joseph Pelkie, or "Old Pelkie"
Philip Covallie, Oliver Emell and
Lavec. Having lived almost all of
their lifetime among the Indians,
of which race they had chosen their
wives. these pioneers disappeared
as civilization advanced.
Lived Like Indians
St Cyr had built his home just
north of the present village of
pheasant Branch. His cabin, about
IL feet square with a dirt floor,
housed his Winnebago Indian wife
two sons and two daughters. A.
F. Pratt and companion stopped
at st. Cyrs in February, 1887. Their
meal consisted of a pot pie which
was greatly relished by them. Up
on inquiring what kind of meat
they were eating, St. Cyr informed
them it was pheasant and muskrat,
noting their surprise he added,
Most people would just as soon
eat pheasant as rat, if cooked to-
gether."
Joseph Pelkie, a French-Canad-
ian, thoroughly "Indianized" lived
with his family near Lake Mendo-
ia. Pelkie at one time had dis
pute with Berry Haney, the notori-
aus borderer, then living about two
miles east of the present village
of Cross Plains, Haney drawing
his horse pistol fired once and drop
ped the Frenchman, the ball going
entirely through him and then i'm
bedding itself in an oak table. Han
ey however, nursed him back to
health.
Covalle was a fisherman, hunter
and trapper. Born and bred among
the savages, he pressed On into
the wilderness as the white man
advanced. He, with his family of
halfbreed children were living near
Lake Monona when the white men