s of which river could be seen the remains of Indian
tepees and their paths crossed the country in all directions.

Game and fish were very plentiful. During our first winter, we had a
deer hung on every rafter on the north side of the house. Our supply of
meat for the first year or two depended upon our success as hunters and
fishermen.

Mr. M. G. Cobb--1857.

In July 1857, I walked from High Forest to Austin to record a deed. The
distance was thirty-five miles, and as there were no roads, I was guided
by my compass. I passed only three houses on the way. I found no one at
home, and was unsuccessful in my endeavor to get a drink of water. I
made the journey on Sunday, and a hot July day. There was no means of
getting water from the wells, as there were no pumps. Water was drawn
from the wells by a rope and bucket. I looked into the window of one
house and could see the bucket and rope in the kitchen, but the houses
were locked. So I traveled wearily on until I reached Austin, when my
tongue fairly hung out of my mouth, and was so swollen that I could not
speak aloud for two hours. I made this trip in one day. I could have
mailed the deed, as there was a stage coach carrying the mail once a
week, but I was a young man and thought I could easily walk that
distance, and then be sure that my business was attended to properly.

Two rival stage coach lines went from Chatfield to Winona. It took a
whole day to make the trip, a stop being made for dinner at a village
called Enterprise. The regular fare for the trip was $2.50. The
stagecoaches started from Madarra Hotel, Chatfield. This hotel is still
there, and is called by the same name.

Walker & Co. ran one of the lines. It was Mr. Walker who first accosted
me and said, "If you will go with me, I will take you for 50c." I
answered that I had a lady friend who was going on the same trip, and
Mr. Walker at once agreed to take her also at the same price--50 cents.

A little later I was accosted by Mr. Burbank, who had established stage
lines on the most important routes in Minnesota and he was endeavoring
to run out his rival, Mr. Walker. He asked me to go with him. I told him
that Walker had agreed to take me for 50 cents, wherewith Mr. J. C.
Burbank declared, "Well, I will take you for nothing and pay for your
dinner besides."

Judge Lorin Cray--1859.

In the early spring of '59 my father and brother-in-law started with
teams of oxen and covered wagons from our