Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-11-13
From the National Intellgencer, soth ult
L0ITERINGS IN LEISURE HOURS.
Sketch Of a Prairie Tramp through Northern
Missouri.

hlnd reader, you that have lived the liif OF a.
"ct," shut up in smoky towns and crowded
marts, did you ever, when the shortening days
of autumn come on, and the face Of Nature wears
her most inviting looks-by turns
@, "Glorously gay and pensively sad"--
did you ever escape from your prison-place into
the pure, free, open air OF heaven, and, leaving
behind the cankerworm of care and Thought which
had been eating into your vitals, wander on, on
ward, rejoicing in your freedom, until you found
yourself at last making an autumnal tramp over
the glorious prairies of that underlined region,
the "Far Westp'' Iftyou have not YOU have
not worshiped Nature Alright. Talk not of your
pleasure trips TO Saratoga, 10 Newport, to Mag
ara, or any other crowded resort for fashionable
loungers of the present day. These may all do
well enough; but they are not the thing. One
sees at them the same rivalry between man and
man; the same struggling to keep up appearances;
feels the same cares which have wearied him,
and from which he hoped to make a happy es-
cape. 1t is only by worShipping Nature face to
fsce that be can fully realize the object of his
desires. He must leave behind MIN, TOO, those
with whom he has heencaccustomed To act and
speak and think. But am wandering from my
purpose, which is simply to endeavor to impart
to you, gentle reader, portion Of the pleasure
and utter abandon which | myself realized over
twelve-month since from tramp over the
magnificent prairies and through the noble forests
of Northern Missouri portion Of the State
Boosting not OF oiyilization-where the log cabin
tor the canvass tent is the travellers shelter at
night, and where his homely meal is furnished
him by the hunters Skill its only inhabitants the
pioneer farmers of the ackwoods-Nahrre's
best and truest nobility.
Behold us in the beginning Of October, party
Of twenty starting on a reconnaissance of pro-
fha l.. 1 III
tween the two mightiestrivers Of America-the
Missouri and Mississippi; the waters of the one
rolling from their home amid the mountains Of
'eternal snow the other flowing through the
valley into the lap of which Nature has poured
all her choicest gifts-the frontier town of st.
Joseph, on the Missouri, being the starting point
of our reconnaissance; Hannibal on the Missis-
sppi, the terminus. .-# s.....
As we took up the line Of march with all the
paraphernalia of a surveying party, camp equip
ace, Sc, Summer was sinking gently away into
the arms of Autumn. The ancient forests had
partly DOTTED their robes Of green, and the Ell
tans of the wood" now stood arrayed in all the
gorgeousness of autumnal drapery. The bright
pllmed paroquets were on the wing; the squirrel
ieaped from limb to limb in the tall hickory and
cotton wood trees; herds Of sleek and contented
cattle browsed upon the verdure fthe prairies
whilst the red deer, collected in small bands, as
they rested on the heather, dreampt not Of the
hunters skill Now the sun shone out in all his
,.pa, sp!cndor; the next moment he would vel
himself behind the heecy clouds, which seemed
chasing each other through the heavens, Wills
a gentle voice Of singing went through the woods
and tall prairie grass like requium for the brigh
foliage as it floated from the boughs. Such wa
the season when we started on our trip.
A few days diligent use of surveying instru
ments, whilst the camp hands employed them
selves building rough bridges for us TO cross tn
various streams, sufhced TO place us beyon
reach of the Missouri river. Our course la,
now through region OF unsurpassed fertility
wild and as vet but thinly settled, vast stretche
Of nrairie land unbroken to the furrow; .nobl
forests which knew not the stroke of the wood
mans axe; streams which scorned the restrain
cf bridge or dam. Here and there log-cabi
reared its humble and unpretending front, II
owner some sturdy pioneer more indePender
ON this his quarter section" than even an En-
0lish baron in days of "Magna Charta." Th
DAYS we spent in the field-in use Of our instru
ments. the nights we passed at camp, or else
some neighboring cabin. The labors of the da
over, field notes, calculations, &c, made, out, u
social ring would form around campfire, SON
huge deeayed tree which had been devoted to tn
flames, } and as the pipe went the rounds, yiel'
Angup our incense 10 ule uoa " iVoH''0' "
Joke or the story Of border hfe passed from !
to lTp. -,
Our sturdy chain-bearers tfrom the wild regi'
Of Grand riyer-the heroes of many targ
match and deer hunt-would then fight over
Gain the battles Of the tabled Mormon wa
fhrough the scene of which we were passing, al
nonr into the ears Of willing listeners many
ialc of the DAYS when the bandits OF the prairl
oxisted as an organized body, and had their ca
dom Of enissaries over the whole valley OF t
mississippi They could point out where SUI
~ notorions horse-thief had been caught, su
another lynched and yet another had paid t
forfeit of his life Thus passed away the eve
.;ngs. till, as night stole on, one by one OF !
gr0,n would stretch out before the blazing !
IN shlmber, or seek fepose beneath the shei
of the tents. .r
In one month from thetme OF our depaf'l
from ST. Joseph we pitched our tents upon
hanks of Grand river, small stream ASVig'
Co.. tbe lower class of steamboats, as hign as
forLs at (which point we crossed. inns, the IN
noteA and largest stream otany watering thS
,ion is wild and romantic IN the extreme
ssernentine waters are fringed with oyer-hahg
willows and the mighty cotton-woods lining
',ttom lands Of untold Fertility impress one W
Soen sense az the sublimity Of Nature, At
boz t,,notior of theforks with the main stream Is
I;tte town Of Utica. This is laid out0wlln
tLe nagnifieence Of a city on paper. It's mn
;tarts Sointed out 70 us with no little PRIDE u
various reservations for public squares,
-. WV L,n,Us but what their dreams may s.
o. ~ nfhsr he realized? At present 1t II
heoonfessed they seem but visionary Ger
Il IL However, that wefound it the most thri'
r. town we had vet passed through Success u