Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-01-25
BEAUTIFUL SKETCH OF THE MISSOURI
RIVER.

RIVER.
The following beautiful and highly interesting
Sketch of the Missouri River is from Catlins
Notes on the North American Indians not yet pub
hshed in the United States
The Missouri River is, perhaps, differ
ent in appearance and character from all
other Rivers in the world; there is a ter
ror in its manner VI ich is sensiby felt
the moment we enter its muddy waters from
the Mississippi. From the mouth of the
Yellowstone River, which is the place
where am now writing, to its junction
with the Mississippi, a distance Of two thou
sand miles, the Missouri, with its boiling,
turbid waters, sweeps off in one unceasing
current; and in the whole distance there is
scarcely an eddy or resting place for ca
noe. Owing to the continual falling in Of
lis rich alluyal banks, its waters are al
ways turbid and opaque, having at all sea-
sons Of the year the color Of cup ofcho-
colate or coffee, with sugar and cream
stirred into it. TO give better definition
Of its density and opacity, have tried a
number of simple experiments with it at
this place, and at other points below, at the
result Of which, was exceedingly surprised.
BY placing piece of silver (and after
wards piece Of shell, which is u much
whittier substance in lumber Of this wa
ter, and looking through the side of the
glass, | ascertalned that those substances
could not be seen through the eighth par,
Of an inch. This, however, is the spring
of the year, when the lreshet is upon the
river, rendering the water undoubtedly
much more iurbid than it would be at other
scasonS-though it is always muddy and
yellow, and from its boiling character and
uncommon color, stranger would think,
even in its lowest state, that there was u
4 freshc, upon it. For distance Of one
thousand miles above ST. Louis, the shores
Of this river, and in many places the whole
bed of the stream, are filled with snagS and
rats, formed of trees of the largest size,
which have been undermined with the fall
ing banks and cast into the stream--their
roots becoming fastened in the bottom of
the river, with their tops floating upon the
surface Of the water, and pointing down
the stream, forming the most trightlul and
! discouraging prospect for the adventurous
voyager. Almost every island and sand
bar is covered with huge piles Of these
cd It's surface is almost literally covered
with floating raft and drift wood, which
bids positive defiance to keel boats and
,stcamers on their way up the river. The
scene is not, however, all so dreary; there
is a redceming beauty in the green and
kcarpctcd shores, which hem in this huge
land terrible deiormity of waters. There
lis much of the way through where the
mighty forests of stately cotton wood stand
and frown in dark and horrid GOODNESS
oyer the filthy ablSS below, into which they
ire gcrmed and reared has been washed
out from underneath them, and is with the
8rolling current mixed, and on its way to
#thc ocean. The greater part Of the shores
Dot this rlver, however, are without timber,
where the eye is delightfully."- relieved by
wandering over beautiful prairies most
Of the way gracefully slopng down to the
waters edge, carpcted with the deepest
green, and in the distance, soltening into
4 velvet of the richest hues, entirely beyond
the reach Of the artists pencil. Such is
the character of the upper part of the RI
YER cspeciallv-and as one advances to its
source, and through its upper half, it be-
comes more pleasing to the eye, for snags
| and RATS are no logger TO be seen, yet the
current holds It's stiff and onward turhid
character. 1t has been, heretofore, very
enormously represented TO the world, that
the scenery on this river was monotonous'
\ and wanting in picturesque beauty. lh's
I intelligence IS surely incorrect, and tina
because it has been brought perhaps BY
men who are not the best Judges IN the
world Of natures beautiful works; and /
4 thew were, they always passed them by
IN Il pain or desperate DISTRESS IN TONS AM
f,embling fears for the SAFETY OF 'helr 'ur
and peltres, or for their lives, which ar
at the mercy Of the yelling savages VIII
| inhabit this delightful country.
| One thousand miles or more OF the up
| nor mart of this river was, to my eyes
like fairy land-and, during our trans
through that part Of our voyage was mos
| Of the time riveted to the deck OF the boat
| indulcing nv eyes in the boundIess an
| tirnInSs pleasure Of roaming overthe thou
/ sand hills. and bluffs. and daIes' ana ro
vines, where the astonished heruS OF ou'
faloes, of elks, of antelopes, and snoaN'n
wolves, and mountain goats, were ~
1 seen bounding up and down and over ~
green fields; each one and each tribe, oan'
and gang, taking their own way anu us'"
their own means to the greatest adVan."S
possible. TO lose the sight and sound OF III
putting Of our boat, which was for the hI'
time saluting the green wild shores oil III
Missouri. distance of two thousand 81