Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-06-02

Des- Moines, it is situated several hum
dred yards from the river, on hand
some elevated settle, the village is built
in the same manner and Of the same
materials as the Sauk's, is as large, III
not larger than Keokuck, and contains
upwards of three. hundred fighting men,
Antac, is ! believe the principal chief
OF this village.
For twelve or fifteen miles above
Appearances village the river winds
through beautiful country, diversified
by small prairies and picturesque bluffs,
then is to be seen an immense prairie,
stretching westerly as far as the eye
can reach, with not an object to break
the monotony Of the scene, but here
and there venerable cotton wood,
on the river bank, in the topmost
branches Of one Of which, an Eagle, fit
tenant for such place, has formed her
nest. The firing Of this great prairie
was sight, awful and sublime in the
extreme, the long waving grass perfect
ly dry. the wind blowing strong from
the north east, the night on which we
fired it being very dark presented a
scene which totally sdcfes description
After passing the prairie, and sever
al romantic bluffs, situated both on the
east and west side Of the river, we come
to the mouth Of Cedar river. beautiful
but small stream. coming in from the
west. Immediately opposite to its
mouth is fine Lluff covered with small
cedars; from which. the river takes its
name, here the river takes one or two
very short bends to the east and the
current is very rapid, however, l can
not say that there are rapids there,
some eight miles above Cedar river
and on the east bank of the Des Moines,
are several beautiful bluffs, presenting
immense strata Of slate, a species OF
sulphur ore,' is also to be found short
distance above the bluffs, fron which
the Indians procure lasting black dye.
Some miles further up on the western
side are several other bluffs, containing
large qantities Of coal, Of quality SUI
perior to any have yet seen on the
river. The scenery above'these bluffs
is romantic in the extreme, presenting
succession ofviews supposedly those
on no river in the west, immense mas.
SEES Of rocks rise UP from the waters
edge, here and there, presenting as
smooth wall, for many feet above the
waters level, as if the hand of art had
fashioned them; the color Of the rock
~ a dark red, and in some places vel.
lowish, and grey, in the crevices Of
which myriads of small cedars have
taken root and add much to the scene
A mile or SO above the bluffs, which
have mentioned is chain Of rocky
rapids which extend several hundred
yards and completely across the river
the fall here must be very, great, as the
murmuring Of the waters can be heard
for some distance, these are in fact the
only rapids ofany consequence on til,
Des Moines, the river has tho same
beautiful and romantic shores above
these rapids as below only in some
places tho land is much more level ant
heavily timbercd, several small paririe.
are 10 be met with on the west but O
no great extent.
Some forty miles above the rock J
rapidsthe southermostofthe stworiyers
mingles its waters with those Of tn,
Des Moines it is stream presentin,
much the appearance Of the Cedar, bu
smaller in size, fifteen miles further up
is the northern twin river, stream
similar in most respects 10 its ssistcl
stream,' the land on the shores Of tn,
river, with a few exceptions is leve
andtimbered, diversified here and tl,er,
with small prairies. Antac's band o
Pottawatamies were scampcd' last win
ter on the southermost river.
/ Eighteen or twenty miles above III,
two rivers, the Raccoon river, the prin
cipal Fork Of the Des Moines, comes in
the waters Of which as well as thos,
Of the two rivers roll from the west
The Raccoon is as large at its mouth
as the Des Moines, and to all intent
and purposes, to be the principal stream
ofall the Forks ofthe beautiful sRivicr,
Des Moines. - Fort Madison Patriot
The following is said to be a goo,
recipe for make Stucco White wasl
for houses inside or out: "Takc clear
Jumps Of well burnt lime, SACKED
Add4one fourth pound Of whiting, o
burnt alum pulverized, one pound 0
loaf augar, three pounds Of rice fiou