Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/552

 4c72 HISTOEY OF GOODHUE COUNTY miles by dense forests; occasionally, however, we were greeted by an opening meadow, covered by tall grass. We had a view of nature unalloyed by the hand of art. Night came on at last, and it was not considered safe to continue our journey in the dark. Our barge was directed to the shore and made fast to a stately elm. After evening prayers, our cheerful company spread their blankets, some on the grassy bank, some on board the boat, and laid themselves down to rest. A little past midnight our rest was disturbed. The moon appeared above the horizon in all its bright- ness. Tlie land sleepers were aroused mid summoned on board, the line was hauled in, and the boat began again to move down the bold current. Before sunrise we were In sight of what was then called " Prairie ville Station," the village of the chief called Little Six. now Shakopee. On arriving near the mission house our boal was again tied to a tree, and all accompanied Rev. Mr. Pond to his house, where we partook of a warm breakfast, seated at a table once more. After tarrying at that place some two hours, having parted with some of our company, we reembarked and wended our way down the river. The day was fine and the views mosi enchanting. We had left the big woods, and the country was ;i rolling prairie, bu1 no human habitation nor culti- vated fields wen- to be seen, until we came to "Oak Grove Sta- tion," or Black Dog's village. Here we halted, and left Rev. G. It. Pond. Hie missionary at that station. At about three o'clock in the afternoon we came to Mendota, the meeting of the waters of the .Minnesota and the Mississippi. When Fort Snelling was described in the distance, those missionary children began to dance for joy. Baving been born in an Indian village, they had only seen pictures of really civilized habitations before. Who can describe the feelings of those children on that occasion? Our bark was soon moored under Hie battlements of the fort, and we pursued our way homeward by other methods of conveyance. While the Dakotas were in possession we had no lack of wild fresh meat, hut the advent of white hunters soon diminished the amount of game in all the region. The Indians were skillful in taking their game by stealth, instead of chasing it with hounds. They were careful not to kill more than necessary at one time. 1 have seen a Dakota go through the prairie grass on all fours, or rather on threes, for he held a shotgun near the ground in one hand. At a few rods distance I should easily have taken him to be a quadruped, lie was on the track of a deer. I have the impression that a fresh sirloin steak of elk or bear, killed by an Indian, in those days was much finer than any meat I have ever eaten which came from a butcher. John Day and family were residents of Trenton, Wis., for a