The daily union., 1854-10-14
From the N. o. Picayune, Oct S.
CAPTAIN MARCY'S EXPEDITION


Discovery Of he Asacaiers tie Big Pichna and the Bra
sos, and Of immense Jfetds Of gypsum.
The Fort Smith (Ark.) Herald publishes an interesting
letter from Dr. Shumard surgeon and geoogist OF Captain
Marcy expedition dated Sin camp river Brazos forty
miles above Fort Belknap, Texas August To-"
We learn from it that the expedition consisting of Capt
Marcy Major Ncghbors Mr. Parker and DR.. Shumard to-
gether with four soldiers and five Delaware Indians after
suffering from heat and thirst succeeded in
reaching the head of the Big Wichita and subsequently
head Of the Brazos. DR.. Shumard says
The Wichita river takes its origin in system of high
bluffs (thc borders of the Llano Estacado) which, the
head of the river form regular semcrcle horseshoe
and from which sent out number of small streams
convegng tae distance of two three miles from the
main river which, from its to its mouth
through high bluff banks composed mostly of clay and
red gypsum The water of this stream well that of
the Brazos and Red rivers their bitter to the
gypsum through extensive beds of which all of them flow
According to analysis, it yields gaubcr and Epson salts
well as other substances
Having reached the head Of the Wichita the party
struck off in search of the of the Brazos They
proceeded due SOUTH and reached the Brazos after travel
ling about twenty miles. The doctor saws:
The river where first struck it, runs like the Wichita
through high bluff banks composed of red clay and gyp
sum. The water which about four feet Deep
clear crystal but intensely bitter that horses
would hardly drink it, After travelling about thirty miles
in northern direction we came to a high hill on the
prairie, from which obtained extensive view of the
surrounding country In due north direction the dis
tance of about thirty miles appeared two mountains each
feet above the level of the surrounding plain. These mark
ed the head of the stream From them the could be
distinctly like cord of silver, eandering through
the prairie to the spot which stood Beyond the
mountains appeared line of high bluffs 1.-THE Llano Esta
cado which, in the distance looked like clouds floating
upon the horizon Having satisfactorily ascertaned
the source Of the river decided unanimously to return
The party, after absence of nine days during which
they travelled three hundred miles returned to camp Dr.
Shumard they obtained only geographical
as wea geological knowledge of this heretofore unex-
cries which may hereafter be of considerable importance
p government as well as to the public ge21@ly. He
r" In this connection it may be well to sd Fl gum
arabic has been discovered in ineyhaustbc Bites and
OF the very best quality while have been eia trace
the gypsum field several hundred miles further tan when
on our Red river trip Near the head of the Wichita river
presents the thickness of hundred feet
and is of the very purest qualify With regard to the
river have only to say that is complete barren waste
totally unfit for agricultural purposes and only be
valuable on account of its gypsum beds During our
journey to its with nothing but succession
OF bluffs ravines and hills all Of intense red color and
almost totally devoid Of vegetation Neither ever be
employed Ar railway pprposes No one in his senses
would ever think of attempting railroad any other
knd OF road through it after once seeing it,"
Nothing is striking in the history of the abolition
crusade of twenty years duration than the revou
on in the southern public mind which it has produced
not too much to say that quarter of century ago
the South looking to and waiting for the period which
oud y some agency yet to be developed by Provdence
9pen the way or the extinction Of savery At that time
men had not looked into the philosophy or examined the
muhmenH OF defence, of African slavery in the United
o@s They seemed to have taken granted without
inquiry 'hat 1t was evil Of which day they hoped
DC rio and IN which they willing to acquiesce when
he une WAS ripe for the event Maryland and Virginia
were rapidly travelling in the footsteps of the States east
OF them and paving the way to become free States
but "natcsn at the North up the subject Its con-
science became sorey geved because of an niqutyo for
wnch II had no manner of possible responsibility before
900 or man II mounted its hobby booted and spurred
.o he crusade And what has been the result? Slavery
. stronger to-day than it was twenty-five wears ago
stronger IN reason and argumeustronger in the united
Gonyichons of TIE South that II is not an evil but GOOD
70 he African, first and next the South the Union and
the Worid-songer in the deicnces which agricultural de-
eopeh and the great staple of cotton the basis of com
ece nave raised around it in the commercial necessities
OF omankind-stronger in the will and power of those who
are responsible for to defend iand stronger in the un
answernble logic in which southern intellect has eutrenc
ca Mobile lAta.) Register, Sept 2s
SissNo on THE MnTA-lt was reported bv telegraph
Tue o'her day that this steamer had sunk at the head
Oh hurricane island, in the Ohio river and that some
"tv nFes were lost We learn from passengers who
'sS.eo ~ Sg last night in the Umpire that the Malta
s"SN ios Whch caused her to sink in very few min
us As lar as aseertained only three lives were losa
woman and two children deck passengers The boat sunk
70 her boiler deck Its supposed that she will be total
loss The freight WIN be saYed in damaged condition
Louisville Democrat.