The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-17

which II loses IL dieinctsvs e,svsGioa. tn Isuxt
z ahoot two hundred niles, and is general direction
rom north northwest to south-southeast. Il u
about fourteen miles across its head Its elevation
above the ocean II l6 feet It IL forty miles broad
on the fortyfourth parallel. The plain which ex-
pands from the head of this plateau Is most beau.
valleys and woodlands intersected with crystal
streams, and dotted with silvery lakes. This Is the
most elevated spot tween the Gulf of Mexico and
Hudsons Bay. From its summit the prospect Is
%sgnicsns extending over the broad valley Of the
Of the Hauteurs de terres, at the sources Of the
Mississippi, and the granite valley Of the st. Peters,
Another vast plateau Is interp0sed between the
Jacques and Missouri rivers, and has been named BY
Noccolet the Plateau du Cotean du Missouri The
soil is mixture of sand and gravel, and its surface
Ia about 500 feet above the Missouri river. 1t is
covered with short, sweet-scented verdure. 1t ex-
tends indefinitely north and northwest;
sprinkled all over with groups and chains Of lakes
united by rivulets, all OF which are finally mingled
with the Father of Waters. There are probably not
less than three hundred Of these lakes The region
the river St. Peters Is 80 thickly strewn with
them, that Mr. Niccolet, with admirable taste,
has bestowed upon 1t the name OF the Undine
region from an exquisite German tale 50 Sesgnass s
Only one Of them Is tainted with animal
deposits. This is the Mini Wakan, or Devils Lake,
situated under the 4Sth parallel near the sources OF
the Shayenne Ojer river. It is of irregular form,
from thfty to forty miles in diameter and studded
with islands Its waters too bracksh to be drank
except by horses and cattle, An analysis exhibits
mixture Of sulphate and hydrochorates Of soda and
magnesia. The rivers Of this region flowing into
the Mississippi are now too well known to need fur
Their notice.
He who casts his eyes over the broad territory
south Of the Missouri and west of the States will
discover that it is deficient in streams of any size
ond 1Xo Nh hou al nvor wi I'm,
that the tributaries Of the larger streams are few in
number, and that springs and rivulets are Of much
rarer occurrence than within the adjoining States
The wanderer is seldom without water of some kind
more than one two days. but he is frequently COM
PEELED to content himself with draught from small
ponds and slews. Intervals Of many miles between
fountains and brooks are OF frequent occurrence.
This sparsty OF streams 49, no doubt attributable to
the rapid evaporation on these elevated plains,
which rise gradually from one thousand to six thou
sand feet above the Mexican Gulf 1t Is also remark
ably deficient in 'water privileges" The conforma
ton of the soil bordering the streams is unfavorable
to the construction Of locks and DAMS and there
few places where water power could be obtained.
From my observations, as well as from information
received from many others OF excellent practical
sense, have no doubt that windmils might be con-
structed almost anywhere in this territory, which
would run long period, and with as much certain
ty as watermills do within the States Springs are
more abundant in the vicinity of the mountains, and
within their spurs rapid torrents rush through the
from their SUBMITS.
The Missouri river runs course of more than, 900
miles from the junction Of its three headstreams,
the Gallatin the Madison and the Jefferson. 1t has
been navigated with steamboats, to the foot Of the
Great Falls, about one hundred miles above the
mouth Of the Yellow Stone. From its mouth, for
the first five hundred miles, the river flows through
valley varying in width from three to six miles,
This valley is bordered by ridge Of highlands on
each side, in some places seeming to be continuous
and at others cut into segments and bluffs. The
valley has depth of one hundred and fifty feet be-
low these highlands. The whole of it is an alluyal
deposit From the summit of the highlands the sur
face slowly ascends towards the plains on the north
and SOUTH and probably at no great distance these
plains are elevated three hundred feet above the
valley. Major Long made an erroneous guess that
the soil would be found to be confined to the vicinity
of the river. The soil is generally good indefinitely
north, and would have been so indefinitely south
but for the interpostion of the Ozark mountains.
From the Kansas to the Nodaway the highlands are
continuous, and generally about eight miles asun-
der. From the Nodaway the northern hills nearly
disappear, and they again approach some miles
above the Platte. On the south side the highlands
skirt the stream close up as high as Council Bluffs
Above Council Bluffs the highlands diminish, and
recede for two hundred miles. The valley continues
to become narrower to the mountains, and the high
lands, after passing Calumet Bluff become lower,
until the spurs of the mountains are entered.
The lower portions of the river are thickly b0r-
dered with forest and timber trees. Above the
mouth of the Platte few timber trees are found and
at intervals the river flows many miles through an
open prairie. For considerable distance above the
Platte the soil of the river bottom is deep al
luyion, and the highlands, for many miles north
ard south, is very fertile, much more so than was
supposed by Long, and Lewis and Clarke.
The spring freshet usually occurs in the early part
freshet the navigation for steamboats, in descending
anywhere above the Council Bluffs (now Kanes-
ville) is nearly impossible, and the ascent is very
difficult In midsummer fifty ton boat is doing
xr-oIl IN ty rrslo dow Ernn fto
mouth upward the river becomes more and more
serpentine.
1t is not correct as often asserted, that the Mis-
souri, derives its turbid water entirely from the
Platte. Some Of the tributaries higher up flow
through the same formation of mari and limestone.
The specific gravity of the waters Of the Missouri
at the mouth Of the Kansas is 49, whilst that Of the
Kansas an is only z degrees This was By
Longs party, in 1918. The fall Of the Mississippi
from st. Peters, and the fall Of the Missouri from
Fort Pierre, in the ratio of As to 49, that Is to
twice that Of tie Mississippi. Long found the cur
rent at the mouth of the Platte one fathom per Sc
cond; in low water it rushes through the narrow
banks between its ponds at the rate Of twelve IA
thoms per second and when the spring rise is at its
maximum, it moves at the rate Of TO feet per mi
nute The celebrity of the Amazon equals that of the
Missouri.
The difference Of elevation Of the valleys of the
level Of the Missouri at Council Bluffs is one thou.
send and twenty feet above the Mexican Gulf that
of the Mississippi at Rock Island, in the same lati
tude, only five hundred and twenty eight feet. At
Fort Pierre, in latitude "A deg "a min, the eleva-
ton is one thousand and ftysx feet, while ct the
lower end of Lake Pepin, in the same latitude, the
elevation is only seven hundred feet above the Gulf
There are in the Missouri 2lO islands between the
Yellow Stone and its mouth one half of them pro-
duce forest trees chiefly the cottonwood and plane
tree below the Platte, and above it intermingling
gradually with trees and shrubs peculiar to higher
regions, until the predominating growth is stunted
cedar and pine The number of its tributaries with
in the same space is over two hundred Very few
of them are Of any size or length. The Kansas and
the Platte are the only ones west of the States of
any value for navigation.
Taking its rise in the North Park in the Rocky
Mountains, in latitude 40 deg, and longitude LOG
deg. 40 min, the Platte river winds through the
mountains north, aud then east, in rapids and cata
racts, until it bursts through the chain, and flows
rapidly east to point in latitude Al deg. and longi
tude 100 deg. SO min, where it receives the South