Litchfield enquirer., 1842-07-14

first steamboat that ever ascended the Red River, was called the Western Encinecr,- It was small, low vessel, then belonging to the government, ascended the Red River about the year 1915 or l6, on a voyage of exploraiion. The funrcl which is intended to carry of the smoke, and which ordinarily stands upright like large pillar in the cen. Ire ot lar boat, was so cOntriVed as to lead the smoke to the bow of the vessel, which was fashioned to resemble the head of an enormous serpent. When the red sons of the forest beheld this singular object advan- cing against tho powerful current, without the assistance ot sails or oars, bearing the white men on dts bosom, and vomiting from its mouth fire and smoke, the simple, but awe struck savages lined the banks of the river and declared they would never take up the hatchet against the white men, who could construct and control such useful and huge 1 fiery canoe.
 Mir. Catlin, the celebrated Indian traveller, who is now in Europe, in his late work on the Indians, gives the following interesting des- | cription of his voyage in the first steamboat up the Missouri:
 "Ifany thing ever did astonish the Indians, in was steamer. These poor ignorant peo- pie for the distance of 2000 miles upthe Mis-. souri river, had never seen nor heard of steamboat and in the same places they | seemed at loss what to do or how to act they had no name for it so it was like every thing else (with thcln) which is mysterious and un- accountable, called medicine (mystery.) We had on board one twelve pound cannon and three or four eight pound swivels, which we were taking up to arm the fur company g fort at the mouth of the Yellow Stone {; at the ap. proach ot every village they were all dis C en nnsA which threw the inhabitants into utter confu- sion and amazement-some of them threw their faces to the ground and cried to thu great Spirit-some shot their horses and dogs, and sacrificed them to appease the Great Spirit, whom they conceived was oitendcd-some deserted their village and ran to the top of the bluffs some miles distant; and others, in some places, as the boat landed in front of their villages, camo with great caution, mud pecpcd over the bank of the river. to see the fate of their chiefs whose dutyit was, Qrom the nature of their oftlce) to approach us, whether friends or foes, and go on board. Sometimes in this plight, they were instantly thrown neck and shoulders-mcn, women, and children, and dogs-snge, sachem, old and young-all in a mess at the (rightful discharge of steam from the escape pipe. which tho Captain of the bout let loose upon them for his own amuse. ment.
 There were many curious coniecturcs among their wise men with regard to the m. ture and powers of the steamboat. Among the Mandans, some call it the big thunder canoe ; for, when in the distance below the village they saw the lightnings flash from the sides and heard the thunder come from it others called it big medicine canoe with eyes; 1t was medicine [anedicine) because they could not understand it; and 1t must have eyes, for, said they "it sees its own way and takes the deep water tn the middle of the channel" They had no idea of the boat being steered by the man ut the wheel, and well might they have been astonished at its taking the deepest wator.- Youth's Medallion
 Ieetotal Governors.-I'he following arc the gubcrnatorial dignitaries who have given their names to the pledge, and are lending the aid of their precepts and example in fa- vOr of the noble cause of total abstinence: Governor Cleveland, of Connecticut. Ex-Governor Ellsworth, of Connecticut. Governor Porter, of Pennsylvania. | Governor Seward, of New-York.
 Ex-Governor Gayle, of Alabama.
 Governor Fairfield, of Maine.
 Ex-Governor Kent, of Maine.
 Here is found pretty respectable group ofteetotallcrs, and especially so. when their respective characters, and the extent of ter ritory and population over which they pre- side, are considered Worcester pa.
 Children are inquisitive bodies for in. stance,-" What does cleare mean, pa !" z" It means 10 unite together" Does John unite wood, when he cleaves it?" Hem,-well, it means to separate" Well, pa, does man separate from his wife when he cleaves to her !" Hem, hem.-dont ask 50 many foolish questions child."
 | DANprEs.-There are some fools in the world, who, after a long incubation will hatch out from hot bed of pride a sickly set of fuzzy ideas. and then go strutting along the path of pomposity with all the self impor- tancc of speckled hen with a black chick. en have an antpathy to such people, They are mere walking sticks for female fiirts ornamented with brass, heads did say! No! their caputs are only half ripe muskmelons, with only thick rinds md hol. low inside, containing the seeds of foolish ness, swimming about with largo quantity of sap thickened up with broadcloth, finger rings, safety chaines, soft solder, vanity and impudence. They are no more men than plated tea spoons are solid silver! detest a dandy as Cat does a wet floor.
 1 [Dov, Jr. l ROmantic.-A short time since gentleman who purchased some strawberries from girl in Cincinnati, in picking them over found gold ring among them worth 1000 l dollars. The Cincinnati Microscope in ref.