Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-07-30
DOMESTIC.
Scientific Expedition to tie sources of tke
Missouri

Missouri.
ST. LOUIS, (Mo. - June 23.-The
Western Engineer set out from 81. Louis
on Monday, 2lst inst. 10 ascend the Mis-
sour. We understand that she is no,
limited To lime, and will proceed at lei
sure TO explores the vast region of the
| Missouri, and of all her tributary streams.
| HE cause of science Is exceedingly i'll
| lerested IN the results OF this expedition.
| Every body knows, who knows The Mis-
sour river at all, that she differs in all her
qualities aud attributes, and Characters
tics, from all other rivers i'm the world.
Her wafer cold, rapid, light, muddy,
sweet, and saiubrious The atmosphere
through which she flows dry and elastic,
and so favorable 10 health that the yoya-
| gers and traders consider themselves as
leaving disease and sickness behind, the
| moment they enter the stream OF the ri
yer. What is agreed in by all mankind,
llterate and illilerate, must be so; but
though all are sensible of the astonish-
ing qualities of the Missouri water. and
the unrivalled healihiness of The climate
through which II flows, it belongs TO the
learned alone 10 tell the causes. A re-
| gion so vast, so different from all others
III air and water, must have vegetable
kingdom OF its own, aud the botanlst
the employ ment of his talent. In the
history of the white, or grizzly bear, the
zoologlst will discover fresh cause for CO.
vering with contempt that theory of the
Count Button and the Able Raynal, which
attributed 10 nature a dispD hon To be
little her animal productions III the new
world. This bear finds no parallelin the old
| world among The rest of his species, either
| IN his size, his strength, or tis daunllesS
| ieroclty. Beyond the Rocky Mountains, If
| these should be passed, still nObler in
! stance OF animal production will be found
| The horse OF the Columbia River, taken
all IN all, is perhaps the finest animal of
has kind in the known world. lie is de-
rived from the old world but instead Of
| degeneraiing. has improved on the banks
OF the Columbia. Fineness of form,
tuilness of all the muscular parts, dociliiy
OF spirit, capacity TO sustain great fatigue,
| to provide TODD tor himself, and 10 hunt
down the deer and the buffalo for his
master, are apart of his characteristics. =.
The geology and the mineralogy of the
country will present enquiries of great
| interest. Different parts oi the region
through which the river flows, exhibit
clays and earths OF great fineness, and
must uncommon composition, from the
| properties of which the river Is supposed
To derive its peculiar qualities.
The Rocky Mountains have not vet
been examined. They are supposed TO
contain minerals, precious stones, and
| gold and silver ore. Ii is but Of late they
have taken The name of Rocky Noun
iains, name which imports nothing ap-
propsid,e or peculiar. as all mountains
are rocky. BY all the old travellers, they
are called Shining Mountains, from an
infinite number of chrystal stones, of an
Amazing size, with which they are cover
ed, and which, when the sun shine full
upon them, sparkle so as to he seen at
great distance" Cdruer.) The same ear
| ly travellers gave ii as their opinion,
" That in future ages these mountains
might be found 10 contain more riches I'm
their bowels than those of Indostan and
| Malabar, or which are found on the COL
| den coast of Guinea, or i'm the mines of
! Peru."-Ibid.
Military EIpedition to the Upper Missouri.
II is supposed that Col. Atkinson's re-
| gimeni will leave Belle Fouaine in the
course of this week. The expedition will
| easily reach the Council Bluffs, distant
| 700 miles, III the month of August, where
II is intended 10 vimter. Repacking the
provisions, and the non arrival of some
of the steam boats, have alone prevented
the departure Of the expedition before
this time. The Calhoun has not vet ar
rived. She is below in the river, and,
from defect in her machinery, or in her
management, makes wreicbed progress
against the current OF the Mississippi.
Gen. Jesup asreturned from having seen
her; an ; II is believed that Col Akin
son will not wait many days for her arri-
val. Isl L. Ehq.
GEORGETOWN, July 2i.... Ii is, per
haps, no longer TO be questioned that
preparations are actually on foot among
certain individuals on the westerH waters
10 aid the inhabitants of Texas in an effort
for independence. That this effort will be
speedily made, and that it will be COM
plrieiy successful, we cannot doubt. =.
The inhabitants of that province are. ma
Nv of them, American emigrants pos
81 ssjng all that love of liberty and attach
mentto country which is the characteristic
Of their nation and OF the rest, the far
greater part have long been convinced that
both their own interest and The prosperity
of The province require d connection with
the United States. The general wish is,
therefore, for emancipation.
Although our laws may not cOunie- |
nance the preparations which are said 10
he making 10 aid IN This undertaking, yet
iIie sympaihies and The wishes OF our
people are and ought to be in its favour
Indeed, independently of The general CON
c RI which we cannot fsil TO have in The |
emancipation of any people, there are
circumstances which place The people Of
T. xas in relation towards us somewhat |
different from That of the other provinces |
Many of the settlements WHICH have been |
formed there, and many Of the improve
meDts That have been made for some |
years past, have heen undertaken with |
belief, that, as the country belonged Of |
right 10 the United States, il would, upon |