Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-09-25

HEAD w ALTERS OF LEWIS NV Eif,
July 18th, 1888.
DEAR DocToR:-
You see have arrived in Oregon, OF
Mexico. think the latter. have no'
vet been able to take the latitude. an
Iin fine valley, eight or ten miles wide
with snow-clad mountains on each SIDE
This morning a frost-at noon, summer
Iheat-then slight shower of hail--to-
wards evening a squat, and now pleasant
again.. Such is the weather; still the
vegetable kingdom hourishes remarkably
well. There is in this region considera
BE timber. On the streams poplar a"d
willows, and several kinds of pines on the
mountains. The botany of my journey
has been much neglected. 1t is true, as
the poet says, and he, who like myself,
has traversed the wilderness, or wander
ed through the soltudes Of nature, will
often have found it so:
"Ful many flower buds to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
Ii has grieved me much to be compel
led TO foIcgo opportunities OF scientific
observation, which otherwise ] should
have been most happy to embrace. But
excessive fatigue, and the care Of myself
and horse, took away some of the interest,
and most of my time. We were just
eight weeks from the line of Missouri to
his place. The traders call the distance
500 miles which think is overrated.
Our horses became sore, and in conse-
qpence of which, we had to walk great
part of the way: still, never enjoyed an
equal space of time more to my own salts
faction: and one weeks rest has fully re-
stored me to my former state and condl-
ton.
About the middle Of May, we bid fare
well to the settled country, and common
ced our march across the boundless prai-
ries. Ii was of course a new scene and
new life to me, attended with some hard
ships and privations; but the novelty bal
anced all difficulties, and | enjoyed the
Journey right well. Our route was first
across the line Of the State Of Missouri
about 30 miles on the Santafe Fee road
thence northwest. crossing the kanza
river, about 1000 miles from its mouth
near the Kanzas village, which is pleas
antly situated on an extensive bottom o
that river, against Grand Island, the prai
rie all the way continuing, and rolling like
| The waves Of the ocean. In some places
it was even billy. Lime stone, and occa
sional blocks Of primitive rock, were seen
The lime stone appeared shelly and full
of holes, as though worm eaten. Ih'
grass had become much diminished, anC
was very small and thin. The quality
Of the soil duinishes rapidly as you de
part from the Missouri, it becoming be
fore you reach the Platte barren, will
little water and vegetation. There is :
plant they call Wild Sage, growing OF
most of the barren plains, from the Platte
to the Columbia, so thickas to impede the
progress of the traveller. 1t grows fron
one to five feet high, saw too, along my
path. many bright flowers, raised hardly
an inch from the earth.
The Platte is broad, shallow, rapC
stream; like all the tributaries of the
Missouri, from the west, it has wide
bottom. Receding from the Platte the
country is broken, grayelly plain, no
aflording single tributary. We travel
led up this river, on its south side to the
Forks. then up along the north Fork tt
the mountains. More than half on,
journey was on that river. We alway'
encamped on its bank, in hollow square
stalking our animals within, and setting :
guard at night. at which each man watch
ed his turn. Up the north fork are ex
tensive fertile bottoms, often SALINE
There are salines and ticks all over thi!
country.
Our party consisted Of about eighty
raen, and 800 horses. When under wa,
we formed two lines, the packed animal;
being in rear Of the rider. The first
Buffalo we met with was at the Forks Of
the Platte, a subject of rejoicing for il
was the coming Of harvest. They fine
excellent feed on the bottoms Of this rlv
err, and hence are here found in abun
dance. Isaw on the north branch a herd
that extended fifteen miles.
J The country wore monotonous APP
pearance till we came to the Black hills
These are broken elevations of sand
stone and lime. But on the left of the
river the country is continuously noun
famous. The river itself incllnes to the
north till you arrive at the mountain; il
then proceeds to the southwest. Nc
map gives any of the mountain country
alluded to. Here we first came to the
primitive rock itself, the granite appears
to break through the sandy plain ant
sand stone like Islands-and the earth is
entirely destitute Of vegetation. There
is little or no timber except on stream
l. orton ,ot ~,