The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-17
THE GREAT WEST.
THE GREAT WEST.
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Report Of tho Herald Commissioners 20
the Rocky Mountains.
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Fall Particulars Relative to Ncbr8Ska
and Kansas.
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A Complete Survey Of the Vast Country bct&eoR
the Mississippi River and the Rocky
Mountains,

toUNDAhiBs OF TEA DISTRICT EIPL0RED-TTS *
TENT-ARKA OF TIVE SEVERAL STATES AND TERBH-
TORIES If SQUARE MLRs--aRoGRAPHY AND GEO.
HO0Y or THE COUNrRY-FIRST IMYkRSSIONs or A
TEAvELLEa-cURioUs PARTICULARS As THE
SOIL-gHE CHIMNEY ROCKs-TEnEIToRY OF MIN
NEsOTA-ITs GENERAL APPEsRANCE, SOIL, ErO--
THE PLATEAU OF THs MIssI3sIPPI--yqIE USDISH
RiyER--wATsRCoURsEs IN IOWA AND MINNESOTA
TIDE MISSOURI AND PLA ATTE RiyERs--CBRTAIN Err
GoRS SET BIeHT-FORMArION OF THE KANzAs
HryERs-THE YELLOW STONE AND RED RIVERS
ANALYSIS OF THE WATER-CURIOUs INFORMATION
AS TO THE soURCE OF THE YELLOW STONE RIVER
AN ERROR OF MAJOR LONGS RELATIVE TO THE
SOIL BETWEEN TEE RED AND PLATTE RIvEss-rHE
CLIMATE, PRODUCTS, ETC., ErC., ETC.
What propose to give your readers is founded
upon q d2igent reading Of all the accounts Of
scientific corps and travellers, and upon more than
FIVE thousand miles OF actual journeyings over the
vast space between the boundaries Of the States
and the Rocky Mountains.
The territory comprised within the bounds Of the
49th parallel the north the Mississippi river ON
the east the Arkansas and Red rivers far as they
formerly constituted the line between the United
States and Mexico, on the SOUTH and the Rocky
Mountains the west contains about 100000
square miles. About 10000 square miles are
comprised within that portion of Louisiana lying
west of the Mississippi river; 546l7 within the
boundaries of the State of Arkansas 10000 within
the boundaries of the State Of Missouri; AZ, 900
within the boundaries of the State of Iowa; 12s,7SS
within the boundaries of the Territory of Mime
sofa; that portion of Texas in the general boundary
before indicated about $4,000. This will leave
within the general boundary Of what has been called
the Missouri Territory, because it has been at
tached to that State for judicial purposes 2l62l4
square miles. The boundary Of Nebraska, as fixed
by the late act of Congress- is the 49th parallel on
the north, the western lines Of Missouri Iowa ana
Minnesota the east, the main ridge Of the
Rocky Mountains on the west and the 4Oth parallel
on the south The boundary Of Kansas as fixed by
the late act, is the 46th parallel ON the north the
wes.efn line of the State of Missouri on the east
the 37th parallel on the SOUTH and the eastern line
OF the northern horn of New Mexico, line from
thence to the 3sth parallel the main ridge of the
Rocky Mountains, and the eastern line Of Utah, a.
far north as the 40th parallel OH the west. How
many square miles are embraced in each of these
Territories have no means Of determining; but an
examination Of the map will enable the reader to
apprcxmateto to it with satisfactory accuracy.
Of the geography of the States west of the Mis-
sissppi il is my intention to treat at large The
material. facts may be found in many accessible
sources. l. will only sum up a few of the leading
features In order to give completeness to what l
design saying in reference to that portion of the
West yet nearly unocoupied by civilized men. The
soil OF al the States is excellent for the most mart
That OF Iowa and Missouri rests upon a limes.one
basis, and is fully equal If not superior to tae son
ofthe States Of Kentucky and Tennessee. A Dor.
ton OF the soil of Arkansas has the same foundation
and the remainder together with the whole OF Lou
isana consists Of auvion deposited for ages by the
great streams flowing from the West and Is very
deep, and ofwonderful fertility The State of Iowa
is bountifnlly watered by multitude Of streams.
which originate from Or expand into large num-
Der Of lakes, filed with fish, and these streams are
ringed with fine forest trees, such as the oak, the
hickory the walnut, the ASH the sugar maple, the
elm and the cottonwood. The States of Missouri Ar
kansas and Louisiana are also abundantly supplied
with streams and riyulets, garnished with noble
timber trees, and abounding in variety Of fishes.
In all these States the highlands between these wa
ter courses expand into open rolling praires, the
soil Of which is generally fertile, and producing @
variety Of rich grapes and succuent shrubs but in
few localities destitute springs. The only sterile
portion Of land within the States is that which is
intcrsected by the main chain Of the Ozark noun
tains and their spurs,. which take their rise near
the southwest corner Of Arkansas traverse the west
ern portion of that State and the southern portion
Of the State Of Missouri at an elevation Of from 500
to 900 feet above the level Of the Gulf with gene
raj bearing northeast, until they break into spurs
and knobs along the highlands, which separate the
Mississippi and the Missouri on the South. This
chain Of mountains presents a succession Of rugged
ridges precpitous heights sterile plains and fertile
valleys, where the bleak aspect OF the mountains
tufted with stunted trees and feless nosses exqui
sitely contrast with the dark and shadowy gorges
and the deep green valleys, all Of which are more or
less illuminated by the sun. and relieved and adorn-
al l.x,I 1;r0 o,Jaca apI I,So1I,, fIa<,n
The predominant feeling upon first entering the
vast plain which stretches from the line of the
States to the base of the Rocky Mountains Is that Of
profound melancholy. The mmeasurable expanse,
apparently without distinct features to attract the
eye or fix the attention spreads out into monoto-
nous series of gentle unduations. The eye abors in
vain ridge after ridge until wearied and heavy.
it is lest in dizziness Of distance. Suddenly separ
rated from friends and kindred from the sympa-
thies Of social intercourse the charms ofthe dome
tic fireside, the familiar faces and wellknown oh
jects Of his daily routine, with all the habudes q
mind and action disrupted, and without solitary
object in unison with the feelings, the pilgrim 10
alone with his God The powers Of the mind turn
inwards for occupation and relief. Imagination
moves upon the troubled waters Of memory, until
dim and indistinct, the faro scenes Of early youth
are slowly awakened from their long sleep; gentla
and innocent faces of paymates, and the hills and
valleys and streams the scenes of many gambd
and prank Of childhood, and anon the wild energies
Of youth and the vaulting ambition Of early man
hood with its brilliant hopes and confident antici-
pations, all array themselves as in mirror for
his contemplation. But the wounds Of the spirit
will not bear the probe, and egotism herself win
soon shrink from selfcontemplation. Aroused from
his reverie with his senses stimulated and sharp
ened, the traveller eagerly looks and listens for
new objects Of interest and he discovers that
the scenes through which he is moving, If entirely
different from those Of his habitual haunts, are
marked by new peculiarities One by one the fea-
lures Of the country are developed-at first scarce