July 10
LeftLong Prairie in a skiff at 10 o-clock a.m.
with family and baggage. Had a young man in company
with us to help row the boat. Every thing seemed fair
for a prosperous and pleasant journey. But at about
2 o'clock p.m. a cloud arose attended with lightening
which brought a drenching shower upon us.
We kept on our way however until a second or third
shower accompanied by a strong wind drove us
to land. Here we unloaded our things and made
us a shelter by turning our boat bottom upwards.
The rain continuing we were obliged to pass the
night in a rather damp condition. The musketoes
were very plenty and showed us no mercy. Bad as
it was we had reason to be thankful, for none took cold
though our clothes were thoroughly wet before we
got under our boat. Had a box of matches in my pantaloons
pocket, but they were soaked with water and
we could make no fire. The morning came and
the rain ceased.
The Voyage of Return to Red Wing
The spring had been backward and rainy. Streams and
swamps were almost impassable for teams; and therefore, after
due deliberation, we concluded to travel by water. We took
the longest way round to be our shortest way home. Obtaining
a skiff, we started on the Long Prairie river, which runs north-
erly and empties into the Crow Wing river. The latter runs
easterly, and, we were informed, would convey us to the Mississippi river.
It was a bright morning in June when we went aboard our
boat. Besides myself, wife, and our little child, a young man,
wishing to leave the place, took passage with us for St. Paul.
He was a great help to us, being skillful in the use of oars. With
our necessary baggage we took provisions for several days, be-
cause we could not expect to see any human habitation until
we should arrive at Fort Ripley. This fort was at the time occupied
by United States soldiers, and was on the Mississippi a few
miles below the mouth of the Crow Wing river.
We enjoyed our first day's journey down the winding
stream, until the middle of the afternoon. Then we noticed that
some clouds had begun to spread over the sky, hiding the sun.
Soon muttering thunder was heard, and evidently a shower was
near. We turned our boat to shore, and had just time to haul
it upon the land and turn it bottom upwards, putting ourselves
and lading underneath it, when the rain began to pour down in
torrents. Shower after shower followed till night came on,
and we remained there until the light of another day dawned
upon us. The clouds had disappeared, and we launched our
boat again.
Red Wing: Joseph Hancock
