The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-10-17


appearance Of fire and yellow gold, night {.
still nesting below me in the ravenes,
where streams werelcoarsing down toad !.
in swelling the waters Of the rapid rlv-
err. ], was clear morning, and the log
soon arose and then rolled away far OFT /
into the other side, where II fell and wa
tered the thousand wild flowers with
which the whole plains are 1ecked. Far
above and below the fallen banks of the
Missouri river, coarsing onward, and the
trees leaning, for its waters wash away
the earth, aud many a. noble tree paying
its obeisance 10 the stern mountain stream.
Soon the smoke arose from yon cluster
of houses. the home Of the wild adven-
turous traders And on the othe SIDE
arose high column OF smoke, ana mere ,'ls y
was the wigwams Of the Otoes ana the
Ornahas. The Mormon settlement rs
above about 8 miles.
Descending down to the village Of ira
ders. we we're soon introduced to the
very gentlemen, who appear 10 have a
perfect knowledge Of the country, we.
went to enquire after the Proposed In.
dian Territory on the upper waters of
the Missori, about 100 miles oboYe, on
the East banks Of the river.
FRS, The People, Government Agents,
and the Agents Of Il 6 Anne rican Fur Co.
| had 10 inform them Of the object of my.
visit, and oil soon became interested In
the matter. found Mr.. Sarpey, the
Prince ofs,raders, gentleman of good
feeling, and seemingly desirous to do all
he can for the Indian, and assured me his
cooperation in the matier.
The Indian Agent was a man Of too
much consequence to get acquaintc With
in hurry--he is from the South, and has
about him, the relics Of the starved aris-
.ocracy of the South
/ was too much in a hurry 70 stop and
take time for ceremonies, and Wentto see
the former Agent, Maj. Matlock, who IS.
gentleman, and received from him q
great deal oil valuable information re-.
speeding the upper waters oil the Mlssou-
ri. He promised to use all his influence
next winter, as he then intends TO be in
Washington. After cleaning all the ne
.cessary information abou. the capablllty
my Of the country want to get for poor
brethren, to contain the reputation of
100000 souls, repaired to the Indian
) villages, which are but short distance.
Having informed my Otoe friends and
the Omahas chiefs my object, they We're
glad 10 hear Of the object Of making some
country as the permanent home Of the
Indians Of the East and their children.
I / have heard a great deal about these In
dams before, they are in a much better
condition thanAN had anticipated. My
next was 10 see The Rev. Mr.. Kenney. of
the PresbyIerian church, where had
the good fortune Of trying Buffalo .meat
for dinner.
The Territory which it is my desire
Congress should appropriate for the In
dams is bounded by the great Sioux river
on tho East, and then from lis head wa
tiers across to Missouri river for its North
ern boundary, and West by the Missouri
river to the place Of beginning.
This country want to get as the last
home Of the scattered tribes Of the two
great valleys, and form government of
their own, to be protected by the General
Government of the United States.
My letter is already too long, but may
notice again the presen, position of the
Indians in another letter.
This journey 10 me was satisfactory,
as all the Indians | have seen between
here and the Bluffs have reported favor
ably ON the matter.
After fording and swimming nine shines
and facing the equinoetial storms, ar
rived in Dubuque, and apparently much
heartier thau when / left Two things
only were disagreeable to me y lille tray-
cling in that country, and that was hun
ger, and the bowling Of 40 or SO wolves
around me during the night, when I
had to keep swapping my whip 70 keep
them off, then they stole and eat my hnl-g1
ter and peck Of oats.
hope to try them next summer should
live. Now it is just nine O'Clock, and
in the morning at four O'clock have 10
leave this city for my Atlantic home, so
for the present, good night.
Yours,