The Kansas herald of freedom., 1854-10-21

: sted on the south bank, about mile from
|. the river. Steaming onward, we passed
Red BInffs and DarliBg's Ferry; and lit,
tie farther ON is Mill Greek, considerable
. stream, on which the Pattawatomies
have erected mill The soil here is Of
red mulatto color, and is very productive
lup this little river we saw fine groves oi
Timber, and many high mounds, forming
scenery ofsnrpassing beauty.
+ Above Mil! Creek, ON the south, We
passed an excellent prairie town site. A
little farther on, On the same side, there
are lofty banks of red mari. with hlgh
prairies In the rear. We saw large band
of Indians, who had been holding conn
ell in the neighborhood, and here the car
Icass Of huge buffalo floated past Again
We had the rich bottoms aud praifirs On
either side of us; and when We could
withdraw our gaze from the country near
by, We caught glimpses nf the splendid
portions stretching away far beyond
Coming to an Indian wood yard, fifteen
cords of wood were taken on board, for
which was paid the sum of $3.50. This
| is new employment, as well as a profit
liable one, for the red men and the owners
promised to have fifteen or twenty cords
more ready by the time the steamer re-
turned. Our fine little craft was most
interesting sight TO most of them; and
she was examined from the bank by over
La hundred, whom curiosity had drawn
together to see what had made such a
shriIl whistle! They were very animated,
and commerce may yet inhlse industrious
habits into the Indian race.
i A little farther up, and a little back
from the river, is the Catholic Mission
lSkimming along for about twenty-five
miles farther, We reached the mouth of
yermillion river, enptying from the north,
the timber on it, banks forming dark
1 Iline through the. landscape for many miles
along its course. Two miles. or so, above,
ne passed the western PattaBatomie line
supposed to be about one hundred and
seventy miles, By water, from the mouth
of the river.
And from this western line, let it be
remarked, all the country westward and
northward is open for settlement.
From this boundary to Its mouth. the
Kansas river presses on its southern bank,
touching the uplands every four or fse
miles; while on the north side, from a
point just below the mouth of the Blue,
: down fifty miles there is continuous bot
tom, four or FIVE miles wide larger and
more magnificent than the far-famea
American Bottoms, below St. Louis
Here excellent corn has been raised by
the half-breeds for many years. The soil
lis black, sandy loam-kind, warm and
lquick; and produces mneh earlier in the
iseason than farms in the same latitude
east. Emigrants to ealifofnia and Ore
gon, who are aware of this fact, prefer to
cross the Missouri river, at Parkyille, and
take the great road up the Kansas Valley
on the north side. on this account. They
! find most excellent grazing for their stock
by the first of April, often earlier. We
hare not seen strdmp, or a aoet slough,
or any stagaanf aoater, an the pdiiey
drained byth Kansas rispr. The streams
J, generally speaking, .foac oper grdpeliy
beds; the fe,e that are ioW are OF dry
:, sandy character; and the prairies are
rolling enough to drain the mater freely.
Passing the vest liRf Of the Paitawa-
Z tonne nation, We entered upon an open
2 prairie, often reaching the river on both
' sides; now and then small grove, and &
: light fringe of timber on the banks. On
the right, in great prsirie bottom, in 4
!, bend of the river extending back to Rock
: Greek, Mr.. Perry has made selection
|. for stock farm; and little way above
: his claim there is another great bend, offer
5 ling a tempting iHdaeemeHt ta some other
E enterprising farmer who has taste fol
g stock raising. Beyond this We passed q
q large grove of timber on the right, and
then passed most appropriate bluff for 8
town site-the first We saw for several
miles. Here we saw the Blue Hill, which
0 is prominent landmark, overlooking the
4 mouth of the Blue river. From this point
upward, the bluffs are higher and more
abrupt, and the country back more eleyat-
ed and broken. Here we saw a large
) leagle nest, out of which the old bird look
9 ed sngrily at us, for intrading on its pre-
emption; but she, too, must give way, with
: the red skins, to manifest destiny. A
e little way above, another huge buffalo
e taoated past; he may have been anxiois
to slake his thirst in the Republican o,
g Smoky Hill, lost foothold, and got carried
$ AWAY BY the rolling food.
al Passing the mouth Of the Blue, which
, comes in from the noTth-as nearly all
1.-THE tributaries Of the Kansas do--and ap
E Ipears to be navigable for some distance,
e we wera pleased with its fine bottoms and
? long strsak of timber; while on the left
, were Cynical bluffs, snd high prairie
5 mounds, with figured lines, and steps MS
. ing one above another in the distance
contributing to the scenery a very roman
i tie appearance. immediately above this
!, important tributary, there Is another beau
} ltifal prairie bottom, sioping back north
; Iward farther than We could see; and on
, | the left, still another. containing more than
!; 1000 acres in bend not more than three
} lfoarths Of mile across the neck. The
. Ienticing features of the latter area grove
} iof timber on the height cool, gushing
) jspring, and plenty of rock at hand in the
J, bluff, with which 10 raise an enduring
fence over the narrow isthmus. The world
i does not present more excellent situation
tfor stock farm indeed, the whole line
) fof the main riser and branches, from here
upward, may be said To- be adapted for q
t leontinuous series of such farms. On the
;; right a huff comes in TO the riyeF, tils
j .iTst above the mouth of the Blae, offering
; an appropriate tosn site; and We saH
stakes sci est on the slope, . well q 8
Itent OF cabin on the back Of the high
! pssirie-iinsiicaiing that oar conatsymea
: aere fhere. Just sboEe, there Is eteaz
Irapai.g stream, and 8 line Of simber fsacll.
! ling fsr back. Fngthk 10 the Fast The
riser uiads Ike haiaral canal, thsoagh
jgrean hoEery mksaiows svith siIniia1
scenery IN The aisiSnes. Onalhs leti, We