ingle Creek. I did not know how to go at
it when the pole and line were given to me. I asked what I should do and
they told me if I felt my line pulling, to throw it over my head as
quickly as I could. I was standing before some thick hazel brush and
when I felt a tug, I did as I was told, landing on my back in the hazel
brush at the same time. However, the largest black bass that the
fishermen had ever seen was on my hook in the hazel brush. They thought
it weighed over four pounds.

My little sister was taken to a revival meeting in the old church in St.
Anthony. She was about as big as a minute and understood nothing of what
was going on but was very wise looking. The minister did not slight even
this atom, but asked her if she had found Jesus. She said hastily, "I
didn't know he was lost."

Mr. William W. Ellison--1850.

Mr. Ellison now in his ninety-third year, with a perfect memory says:

I came to Minnesota with a determination to lead an outdoor life as my
lungs were giving me much trouble. One of the first things I did was to
take a yoke of oxen to Traverse to meet Mr. Williamson who was a
missionary at Lac qui Parle. It was in November. I was new at this kind
of work. The oxen were delivered to me at Fort Snelling. I crossed the
river in a canoe and swam the oxen across to Mendota. Then I went on
towards Shakopee. There was a wellworn Indian trail leading along the
Minnesota River and I followed that. I went through Black Dog's village.
I started late in the afternoon.

A young couple had been married at Mendota a few days before and had
gone on ahead. I expected to catch up with them. My oxen were most
tractable and the country through which I passed very beautiful. The
trail led along a ridge.

My Uncle, Mr. Williamson, had always told me to make my camp early while
there was plenty of light, so not seeing or hearing anything of the
other wagon, I made my camp where an old Indian camp had been and
prepared to spend a comfortable night in the woods. I cooked my supper
and then turned in. The wind had come up and I soon became very chilly,
so I looked around for a warmer place. I found a windfall and made
myself a nice little fire by crossing the trunks and building a fire
under them. I spent the next four hours in comfort, though it was very
cold. My uncle had told me to start with the first rays of the sun. I
had no timepiece, so when I saw a glow in the east, I got up, ate my
breakfast and started.