When the traveller reached the capital of Minnesota he was in the
greatest perplexity. His coming had been anxiously looked for by a
deputation of the Scottish settlers from Red River. But they were nearly
five hundred miles from home and a tedious cart journey lay before them,
so that the time of the year did not permit their delaying any longer.
On the 1st of August, just at the time their long-looked-for missionary
was leaving Toronto, the deputation left the Falls of St. Anthony to
return to Red River.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
At this most important point a happy deliverance came to the young
missionary. He learned that Alexander Ramsey, the Governor of Minnesota,
was soon to set out to the north of Minnesota, attended with a mounted
escort. Governor Ramsey had organized the territory of Minnesota two
years before, and had the year before negotiated a treaty with the Sioux
Indians, by which they ceded a large tract of land in southern
Minnesota. He was now to proceed northward to Pembina, to make a treaty
with the Chippewa Indians. Mr. Black, though, as he tells us, at a
considerable expense to himself, was given the privilege of going to his
northern home along with this party.
We are fortunate in having two camp-fire sketches written by Mr. J. W.
Bond, who was also one of the party. He tells us that the party met from
several different points near the Sauk rapids, on the Upper Mississippi.
Besides the governor and his staff there were Rev. John Black and Mr.
Bond. The escort consisted of twenty-five dragoons from Fort Snelling,
commanded by an American military officer, and accompanied by six
two-horse baggage wagons. The baggage of the party and the provisions
were carried in light Red River carts, with eight French-Canadian and
halfbreed drivers. In number there were comprised about fifty souls in
all. John Black and Mr. Bond, each mounted on an Indian pony, became
companions during the journey, and Mr. Black won the regard of all the
members of the party.
EN ROUTE.
We may give a few notes of the journey over the prairies:
Sauk Rapids, August 21st, 1851: "Fine, clear, cool day. We struck tents
and went away early. Passed over the worst piece of road between the
Rapids and Pembina. The dragoons were busy for several hours in
repairing the 'corduroy' for the passage of the teams."
August 23rd: "We to-day rode over the rolling prairie, full of strips of
marsh, when, after a march of ten miles, we came to an almost impassable
swamp. We crossed with some difficulty by pulling the carts and horses
across by ropes, during which Rev. Mr. Black and Mr. Bond completely
mired their ponies, and came near going with them to the bottom, if
there was any. After this we took a cup of tea to refresh ourselves."
August 24th (Sunday). "To-day our French-Canadians and halfbreeds, who
have charge of the provision and baggage carts, have been shooting
pigeons and ducks, and also making new cart axles. The day has not
seemed much like Sunday."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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