posing upon his credulity; and when I compare the present St. Paul with the first sketch ever taken by an artist, from the opposite bank of the river, and which I placed in the hands of the engraver, I myself can hardly realize the change. Mr. Bond afterwards copied this lithograph, and it may be seen in his work on Minnesota and its Resources.

In 1849, when the Hon. Alexander Ramsey was appointed the first Governor of Minnesota, there was but a handful of people in the whole territory, and they principally Canadians and half-breeds; now the present population of St. Paul alone exceeds 15,000, and in 1856 the number of visitors arriving from January to July, at only four of its principal hotels, was 28,000. In 1849 there were 85 steamboat arrivals, and in 1856 they had increased to 837. Several railroads are now rapidly approaching, to connect it with the Eastern cities and Lake Superior.

Having always asserted that a great city would naturally spring up at the head of navigation on the Mississippi, and that another would also arise at the head of Lake Superior, in Wisconsin, and altogether disclaiming any consideration as a foreteller of future events, yet, let any one, if he can, now deny either fact.

We might proceed to describe the Fuller House, the largest hotel in the Northwest, the old Catholic church, from which St. Paul takes its name, the Historical Society's building, the Baldwin school, the numerous beautiful private residences, the gas works, the new bridge across the river, the famous cave, the pleasant afternoon drives to the Falls of St. Anthony and the lovely Minnehaha, Fort Snelling, the sailing and fishing on Lakes Minnetonka and White Bear, and many other objects of interest, which our limits will not allow. One little occurrence is worth mentioning; strolling along Fort street one evening, in company with several friends, as far as Winslow's

Addition, we observed a German family, consisting of five persons, seated under a little arbor in the centre of their garden, each playing upon some musical instrument. We listened with great interest for some time, until the gathering shades of twilight admonished us to retrace our steps homeward, and then requested, at parting, one of their favorite airs; they complied, and played a most beautiful and touching German melody. The wife and mother appeared much affected, and with difficulty finished her part; her thoughts, evidently, were carried to the home of her childhood, so far away in the Old Fatherland.

VOYAGE ON THE ST. CROIX AND BRULÉ RIVERS TO LAKE SUPERIOR.

One pleasant morning in the month of June, a few friends of the author, tempted by the pleasing anticipations of hunting and fishing, left St. Paul for the City of Superior, by the way of the St. Croix river, preferring this as the most romantic route, affording them an opportunity of camping out, and ascending this river in canoes. The party consisted of seven persons, and, on arrival at the St. Croix Falls, found two bark canoes which had been sent from the lake to meet them, in charge of four voyageurs. The navigation here commenced; one voyageur, pole in hand, stood at each end, and the swiftness of the stream required them to exert great strength and dexterity to urge the light bark forward. The provisions, baggage, tent, and passengers, completely filled the canoes. After leaving St. Croix Falls, no houses were seen until Superior came in sight.

The party were obliged to camp at night, and landed to cook through the day. The Upper St. Croix is a beautiful stream, in romantic scenery surpassing the Mississippi; it has its source in a lake of considerable size, of the same

name. There the company landed, each man carpet-bag in hand, to cross the portage, in order to reach the Brulé, or what is called on the map Burnt Wood, a distance of two miles, up hill all the way. The voyageurs carried over the canoes and provisions, and launched them again on this narrow stream, 800 feet above the waters of Lake Superior; its width at this point is about four feet, but widens and becomes more rapid in its descent, until the canoe has to be held back by the navigators. This little stream surpasses, if possible, the St. Croix in beauty; its banks are lined with verdure, and the trees and shrubbery in many places meeting overhead, form a continuous grove, through which the clear water meanders with a gentle murmur. Numerous adventures occurred on the route, and many porcupines, muskrats, deer, ducks, geese, sturgeon and trout were obtained, and after sundry picking, cleaning, &c., they at last found the way into the camp kettle, and were considered delicacies after living on salt pork. The porcupines and the rats, however, were left to the refined taste of the voyageurs, who soon made way with them.

After many exciting incidents, the voyage terminated at the City of Superior at 8 o'clock in the morning, having started from the last camp at 3 o'clock. The shore of the lake resembles the sea-side-sand, with the surf roaring and beating on it. When the canoes were upon the lake the billows were running at least three feet high, but the little vessels being of so light weight, and managed by skilful hands, they rode the waves in safety, and reached Superior after a twelve days' trip from St. Paul.

Here they found a large hotel -the Superior Housekept by Mr. J. H. Willard, and were delighted with the excellent fare and celebrated lake trout. After a few days pleasantly spent in this rising city, they embarked on one of the floating palaces, and coasted along the north shore

of Lake Superior to Isle Royale; then the steamboat directed her course towards the opposite shore, and soon arrived at the famous copper region, at each port taking in quantities of pure ore, both in "masses" and in barrels ; thence her course was to the outlet of the lake, passing the "Pictured Rocks," against whose front the waves dash in storms with a continuous roar; shortly after doubled White Fish Point, and entered the St. Mary's river, passed through the far-famed Sault Ste. Marie Canal, and arrived at Mackinaw. At this point the party separated; some took steamboat for Chicago, others for Cleveland, and one or two the Collingwood boats, and returned to their homes via Canada and Niagara. They found the atmosphere of Lake Superior perfectly delightful, and its waters, during the entire voyage, perfectly calm, with not even a ripple to disturb its glassy-like appearance.

MUNISING. *

A beautiful city of this name, signifying in the Chippewa language, "Grand Island," has been laid out on the east side of Grand Island Bay, and opposite the island of the same name in Lake Superior, one hundred miles west of the Sault Ste. Marie. It possesses a capacious, deep, well protected and easy accessible harbor, being six miles in length by four in width, with a depth of water of fifty feet, and an eastern and western entrance, perfectly land-locked by hills of from one to three hundred feet high, and is capacious enough to contain the entire fleet of the lakes. A road 38 miles in length has been opened, connecting Little Bay de Noquet, on Green Bay, with Munising, by which over 300 miles and two days time is saved in the communication between Lakes Superior and Michigan at these points, beside avoiding the intricate and often protracted route, via the Sault Ste. Marie. The country around Munising and between that point and Bay de Noquet, is fine farming land, well watered, rich, and heavily timbered with maple, beech, birch, hemlock, white and Norway pine, of extraordinary size. This is government land, open to entry at $125 per acre, and affords great inducements to those seeking homes in the north-west, as they are on a great transit route, intermediate between two markets, the upper lake, whose immense copper and iron interests require large supplies, and the lower lakes, to whose markets all the surplus productions of thousands of miles beyond look for their outlet.

* Formerly called Grand Island City.