there. A cloud rose soon afterward from the south, accompanied by several distant peals of thunder, and a furious wind making across the plain, and filling the whole atmosphere around us with fine particles of salt, drifted it in heaps like the newly fallen snow. Our eyes became nearly blinded and our throats choked with the saline matter, and the very air we breathed tasted of salt.

During the subsidence of this tempest, there appeared upon the plain one of the most extraordinary phenomena, I dare to assert, ever witnessed. Diagonally in point, to the right-our course being west-there appeared the figures of a number of men and horses, some fifteen or twenty. Some of these figures were mounted and others dismounted; and appeared to be marching on foot. Their faces and the heads of their horses were turned toward us, and at first they appeared as if they were rushing down upon us. Their apparent distance, judging from the horizon, was from three to five miles. But their size was not correspondent, for they seemed nearly us large as our own bodies, and consequently were of gigantic stature. At the first view I supposed them to be a small party of Indians-probably the Utahs-marching from the opposite side of the plain. But this seemed to me scarcely probable, as no hunting or war-party would be likely to take this route. I called to some of our nearest men to hasten forward, as there were men in front coming toward us. Very soon the fifteen or twenty figures were multiplied into three or four hundred, and appeared to be marching forward with the greatest action and speed. I then conjectured that they might be Captain Fremont and his party with others from California, returning to the United States by this route, although they seemed to be too numerous even for this. I spoke to the one who was nearest to me, and asked him if he noticed the figures of men and horses in front? He answered that he did, and that he had observed the same appearances several times previously, but that they had disappeared, and he believed them to be optical illusions, similar to the mirage. It was then, for the first time, so perfect was the deception, that I conjectured the probable fact that these figures were the reflection of our own images by the atmosphere, filled as it was by fine particles of crystallized matter, or by the distant horizon covered by the same substance. This induced a more minute observation of the phenomenon, in order to detect the deception, if such it were. I noticed a single figure, apparently in front, in advance of all others, and was struck with its likeness to myself. Its motions, too, I thought, were the same as mine. To test the hypothesis above suggested, I wheeled suddenly around, at the same time stretching my arms out their full length, and turned my face sideway, to notice the movements of this figure. It went through precisely the same motions. I then marched deliberately, and with long strides, several paces; the figure did the same. To test it more thoroughly, I repeated the experiment, and with the same result. The fact was then clear. But it was still more verified,

THE GREAT SALT DESERT OF UTAH.

THE Great Salt Desert is situated just beyond the Great Salt Lake, on one of the routes of emigration to California. Its exact extent is unknown, but it covers a surface of several thousand square miles. A vivid sketch of a journey across this dreary waste is given by a gentleman who crossed it on the 3d of August, 1846, on his way to California, from which we extract a description of some of the wonderful phenomena which he witnessed.

The mirage, a beautiful phenomenon, here displayed its wonderful illusions, in a perfection and with a magnificence surpassing any presentation of the kind I had previously seen. Lakes, dotted with islands and bordered by groves of gently waving timber, whose tranquil and limpid waves reflected their sloping banks and the shady islands in their bosoms, lay spread out before us, inviting us by their illusory temptations to stray from our path and enjoy their cooling shades and refreshing waters. These, fading away as we advanced, beautiful villas adorned with edifices, decorated with all the ornaments of suburban architecture, and surrounded by gardens, shaded walks, parks, and stately avenues, would succeed them, renewing the alluring temptations to repose by enticing the vision with more than Calypsan enjoyments or Elysian pleasures. These, also melting from our view, as those before, would give place to a vast city with countless columned edifices of marble whiteness, and studded with domes, spires, and turreted towers, rising upon the horizon of the plain, astonishing us with its stupendous grandeur and sublime magnificence. But it is in vain to attempt a description of these singular and extraordinary phenomena. Neither prose nor poetry, nor the pencil of the artist can adequately portray their beauties. The whole distant view around, at this point, seemed like the creations of a sublime and gorgeous dream or the effect of enchantment.

As we moved onward, a member of our party in the rear called our attention to a gigantic moving object on our left, at an appa. rent distance of six or eight miles. It is very difficult to determine distances accurately on these plains. Your estimate is based upon the probable dimensions of an object, and unless you know what the object is, and its probable size, you are liable to great deception. The atmosphere frequently seems to act as a magnifier, so much so that I have often seen a raven, perched upon a low shrub or an undulation of the plain, answering to the outlines of a man on horseback. But this object was so enormously large, considering its apparent distance and its movement forward parallel with ours so distinct, that it greatly excited our wonder and curiosity.

About two o'clock P. M., we discovered through the smoky vapor, the dim outlines of the mountains before us, the foot of which was to terminate our day's march, if we were so fortunate as to reach it. But still we were a long and weary distance from it, and from the "water and grass" which we expected to find

there. A cloud rose soon afterward from the south, accompanied by several distant peals of thunder, and a furious wind making across the plain, and filling the whole atmosphere around us with fine particles of salt, drifted it in heaps like the newly fallen snow. Our eyes became nearly blinded and our throats choked with the saline matter, and the very air we breathed tasted of salt.

During the subsidence of this tempest, there appeared upon the plain one of the most extraordinary phenomena, I dare to assert, ever witnessed. Diagonally in point, to the right-our course being west-there appeared the figures of a number of men and horses, some fifteen or twenty. Some of these figures were mounted and others dismounted; and appeared to be marching on foot. Their faces and the heads of their horses were turned toward us, and at first they appeared as if they were rushing down upon us. Their apparent distance, judging from the horizon, was from three to five miles. But their size was not correspondent, for they seemed nearly us large as our own bodies, and consequently were of gigantic stature. At the first view I supposed them to be a small party of Indians-probably the Utahs-marching from the opposite side of the plain. But this seemed to me scarcely probable, as no hunting or war-party would be likely to take this route. I called to some of our nearest men to hasten forward, as there were men in front coming toward us. Very soon the fifteen or twenty figures were multiplied into three or four hundred, and appeared to be marching forward with the greatest action and speed. I then conjectured that they might be Captain Fremont and his party with others from California, returning to the United States by this route, although they seemed to be too numerous even for this. I spoke to the one who was nearest to me, and asked him if he noticed the figures of men and horses in front? He answered that he did, and that he had observed the same appearances several times previously, but that they had disappeared, and he believed them to be optical illusions, similar to the mirage. It was then, for the first time, so perfect was the deception, that I conjectured the probable fact that these figures were the reflection of our own images by the atmosphere, filled as it was by fine particles of crystallized matter, or by the distant horizon covered by the same substance. This induced a more minute observation of the phenomenon, in order to detect the deception, if such it were. I noticed a single figure, apparently in front, in advance of all others, and was struck with its likeness to myself. Its motions, too, I thought, were the same as mine. To test the hypothesis above suggested, I wheeled suddenly around, at the same time stretching my arms out their full length, and turned my face sideway, to notice the movements of this figure. It went through precisely the same motions. I then marched deliberately, and with long strides, several paces; the figure did the same. To test it more thoroughly, I repeated the experiment, and with the same result. The fact was then clear. But it was still more verified,

for the whole array of this numerous shadowy host, in the course of an hour, melted entirely away, and was seen no more. The phenomenon, however, explained and gave the history of the gigantic specters which appeared and disappeared so mysteriously at an early hour of the day. The figures were our own shadows, produced and reproduced by the mirror-like composition impregnating the atmosphere and covering the plain. I cannot here more particularly explain or refer to the subject. But this phantom population, springing out of the ground, as it were, and arraying itself before us as we traversed this dreary and heavencondemned waste, although we were entirely convinced of the cause of the apparition, excited those supernatural emotions so natural to all mankind.

MINNESOTA.

MINNESOTA derives its name from the Minnesota or St. Peter's River. The water of this river is clear, but has a milky hue, owing to the peculiar colored clay of its bed. Mini, in the Dacotah language, means "water," and that of sotah, signifies this peculiarity of its color, but its precise shade of meaning cannot be translated in a single word; it is however, sometimes rendered muddy or turbid.

In 1679, Father Hennepin and two others, when taken prisoners in La Salle's expedition, accompanied the Indians to their villages, one hundred and eighty miles above the Falls of St. Anthony. Before the termination of that century, other Frenchmen also visited Minnesota. In 1695, M. Le Seur discovered, as he supposed, a copper mine on Blue Earth River, a tributary of the Minnesota. He returned in 1700, built a fort, remained during the winter, and in the spring descended the Mississippi with one hundred tons of blue and green earth destined for France; but it is not known that he ever returned. Within the succeeding sixty years it was frequently visited by the French fur-traders. After them came the British fur-traders. The British Northwest Fur Company occupied trading-posts at Sandy Lake, Leech Lake, and other central points within the limits of Minnesota. That at Sandy Lake was built in 1794, the year of Wayne's victory. It was a large stockade, and contained two rows of buildings used as dwellings, provision-store, and workshops. Fort William, on the north side of Lake Superior, eventually became their principal depot.

The first actual settlement for permanent objects was made in 1811, by Lord Selkirk on Red River, a stream, which, rising in Minnesota, runs north into Lake Winnipeg. The village he established, Pembina, is still flourishing. In 1805, Lieutenant Pike was sent by government to explore the sources of the Missis

sippi. Winter overtaking him ere he reached Crow Wing, he was unable to accomplish this object, and returned in the spring, after having first purchased the site of Fort Snelling, where in 1819, barracks were erected and a garrison stationed by the United States, which was the first American establishment in the country. Further explorations were made in 1820, by Governor Cass; in 1823, by Major Long, and in 1832, by Henry R. Schoolcraft, the last of whom discovered the source of the Mississippi.

From 1836 to 1839, M. Nicollet (under whom was John C. Fremont), was engaged in making geographical surveys in this region, and ten years later, a scientific corps under Dr. Dale Owen, by their explorations, revealed much additional information respecting the topography and geology of this northern country. All these surveys and explorations were by order of govern

ment.

Minnesota, from its earliest discovery, has been the residence of two powerful tribes, the Chippewas or Ojibbeways, and the Siouxpronounced Sooz-or Dacotalis. The word Chippewa is a corruption of the term Ojibbeway, and that of Dacotah signifies allied tribes. The Winnebago from Iowa, and the Menonomies from Wisconsin have recently been removed to Minnesota. They are both small tribes compared to the above.

The Sioux claim a country equal in extent to some of the most powerful empires of Europe, including the greater part of the country between the Upper Mississippi and the Missouri. The country from Rum River to the River De Corbeau has been alike. claimed by them and the Chippewas, and has been the source of many bloody encounters within the last two hundred years. The Sioux have destroyed immense numbers of their race, and are one of the most warlike tribes of North America. They are divided into six bands, comprising in all twenty-eight thousand souls. Beside these, a revolted band of the Sioux eight thousand strong, called Osinipoilles, reside just east of the Rocky Mountains upon Saskatchawan River of British America.

The Sioux subsist upon buffalo meat and the wild fruits of their forests. The former is called pemmican, and is prepared in winter for traveling use in the following manner. The lean parts of the buffalo are cut into thin slices, dried over a slow fire in the sun, or by exposing it to frost-pounded fine, and then with a portion of berries, mixed with an equal quantity of fat from the hump and brisket, or with marrow in a boiling state and sowed up tightly in sacks of green hide, or packed closely in baskets of wicker-work. This "pemmican" will keep for several years.

They also use much of the wild rice, which grows in great abundance in the lakes and head streams in the Upper Mississippi country. The rivers and lakes of the Sioux and Chippewa country are said to produce annually several millions of bushels of it. It is said to be equally as nutritious and palatable as the Carolina rice. It grows in water from four to seven feet deep, which has a