The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-01
THE DAILY UNION.
EDITORS coRREsroNDENcE.
(From our regGlaf cotrespcndent)
on BOARD STEAMBOAT "DohAis,"
tBouhd from 81. Louis to Louisyille,)
AoGosr goth. 1875.

The western waters continuc os,ile lo%--espeeiaf-
~ the Ohio, which below Louisville, has orl from
80 TO 3S inches on the bars. The smallest boats,
however continue 70 rum one OF winch Is the Do
main, on which | have embarkea, She draws, II
is said, only "a to % inches, with some freight on
board. We therefore have satisfactory hopes of
gettYg on without "shcking" sand banks, at
some Of which Te dressed boats hard and fast, even
in the Mississippi above the OHIO consisting of the
larger class of boats running between 81 hous and
New Orleans.
Although this month is the dullcst in the year. the
quay or wharf at St. Louis prescnted considerable
business activity AL this season of the year, am
disposed 10 think She is doing as much m all the
other western toyefs nut together, If New Orleans
be excepted, From 80 to 40 sicaffIera were at her
landing either receiving OF dscharging ftight. The
Quay every %bete presented or less quantities
Of western produce, .t!eh Of sacks of wheat, corn,
and oats bales of hemp and wool, sossheads Of To-
bacco, and pigs of lead; while such articles az Gu
gar, coffee, hardware, crockery, &c, Tor consump-
ton, were landing from New Orleans.
| left Galena the Uncle Toby, enjoying the
reputation OF being tolerably swift lght-draught
boat Which, empty, Or with moderate amount of
freight she probably merited. But stitch was the
cupidity of hes captain end owner that they never
stopped I'LL they slowed 6,0co rigs OF lead in her
| hold, and on two barges which she has m tow.
This mass of metal converted her into slow and
| deep.draught boat. When reached the head of
the upper rapids, about so or 80 miles below Gale
| ma, we foand we had as much MS she could carry
without gtbHndirg outstanding this, she land
ed at Rock island, ahd aeiialy look on 300 barrels
of -four. This caused her TO stick on iieary every
sand-bar between the upper and lower rapids; dna
when we finally reached the lower falls, it took her
whole day to divide freight RdoTg lighters, and to
make all sufficiently light to pass theiii.
While she was thus arranging her load in lignt-
ers, l., with some other gentlemen, engaged two
horses and wagon to convey around the falls,
| To nly.L Tho
foot Of the rrpids, distance of twelve miles,
on the Iowa side. Our road led through what is
called the halfbreed tract which ihclidcs Montfose
and Keokuk. We found it to be one or the most
beautiful and the most fertile bodies Of land to BIZ
| found in the West, if not in the world; and | am
told it is fair sample of splendid region of land
lying between the Desmoines river and the Missis-
sippi extending a considerable distance up and
down both streams. The titles to this halfbreed
tract are In dispute. | understand New York
company hold the best claim TO it. The people have
settled upon it without leave or license, and had
splendid crops Of corn growing on it, They had
already gathered fine crops of wheat.
| At the lower rapids caused by lodges of lime
stene crossing the river, there are found great
many round balls, some Of which are irrrguariy
| hattened. They vary in size from goose-egg to
| that of a ten-inch cannon ball. They are termed
by geoogiss ''geodes" Their outer crust generally
consists of the carbonate of lime, quartz, pre-
sentng rough and unnteresting appearance. On
| breaking them open, however, they are found to
be hollow, and studded with the, most brilliant
and beautiful crystals, of all sizes, that | ever
saw A rich casket Of the most perfect and pol
| shed diamonds would not exceed them in lus-
tire and beauty ! saw one, in particular, which far
surpassed anything Of the kind that ever fell
under my observation. The geode Cor ball was
about eight inches in diameter, aud had piece bro
ken out side Of il, leaving aperture, which
the detached piece just fitted like the top of cas-
/ ket. In looking into the ball through the Opening,
! the most splendid and enchanting cryslalization /
ever gazed upon, was seen to fill irregulsriy the
| whole cavity. The Of them presented an APP
| pearance as white as the driven snow, while each
individual crystal was not larger than stout mus
tard seed, or small grain Of buckwheai; yet each
was perfect and polished nature could form
it. When one was detached from the millions that
filed the geode, and placed upon dark substance,
it looked precisely like small particle of cut and
/ polished diamond.
/ found IA deaf and dumb half breed Indian at
Keokuk, engaged in selling specimens Of these re-
inarkable natural productions. For this interesting
specimen he asked two dollars. 1t was too heavy
to be convenient for travelling luggage obtained
a small specimen from him for a shilling-qute
beautiful but of larger yet very perfect crystals.
/ Mr.. Ncolet makes seven varieties Of these goodies,
which he calls "silicous geodes," and filed with
lmpid crystals of quartz, SPAR or with sulphuretted
zinc and spar, or with mameoated calcedony of a
red color. The lmpid crystals of quartz and spar,
Owing to the titles of the land on which Keokuk
stands being in dispute, although an eligible site for
town, and convenient and central 10 rich tract OF
country, it is but little improved. II is also infested
with gamblers, and other people of indifferent char
acter.
| few nights before we reached Keokuk it is
said merchant from ST. Louis happened to be
passing wharf-boat when dog commenced bark
ing at him belonging to the owner of the boat, and
who kept liquor store il. The merchant, fear
ing attack from the dog, picked up stone to de-
fend himself, when the owner of the dog, with
another man. came out, and demanded of the mer-
chant what he intended doing with the rock, when
he replied il was none of his business One Of the
men then let fly with rock at the merchants
head, which, striking him on the side of it, knocked
him down, cutting his head in most dreadful man
ncr. This brutal conduct considered by the
sober citizens of the place (of which there a
few as n wanton and cruel outrage. The accused
was brought before justice of the peace; but such
was the dread in which he was held by his ASSOC
cates and others, that nothing could be done with
him. He was discharged, while the wounded mer-
chant returned on boat to st. Louis.
We found, however two tolerably fair hotels
here, for new place, which also contains one
small church, from which small congregation was
issuing we arrived Sunday, the 18th instant.
The village stands ON the sides and top of high aud
irregular bluff In the afternoon the "Uncle Toby, y
lighters and ALL arrived; and the "Laclcdc," the
regular packet due at Keokuk from st. Louis, had
not arrived, re-embarked on the "Uncle," viii h
left soon after dark. We had not gone EAR before
we met the "Laclede," which was TO leave
| Quincy, forty miles below, next morning at
| eight O'Clock; and as there were still sand
bars ahead, which "Thc Uncler might stick,
| left her at Quincy, about hafpast 2, a. M,
and waited for the Lacede, on which reached st.
Louis the following night.
"The Uncle" came along next morning about
| o'clock. The usual time of making trip from
Galenu, provided there be no grounding is two and
half days. 1t took four and half, by the over
loading of "iightdraugh boat"
You aware that, at the head Of the lower rap
ids, opposite Montrose, (he site of the old govern
mcnt barracks, now abandoned } is the Mormon town
Of Nauvoo on the Illinois side. The situation on
rising ground in a large bend Of the Mississippi,
is very beautiful. The tenpe, seen from distance
now nearly completed, forms quite striking object,
standing on the highest ground of the village,
which consists of scattered wood and brick
houses. The population contains a mixture OF