The Delaware herald., 1854-03-29
3f(i5trllanrous.
l. eEr1lG 3.

lT is so named from ore Of It's large rive r,
called Nebraska. In this Territory there are
but few white settlers besides the Indian agents,
military occupants and missionaries sent out by
! the various religious denominations of the Uni
ted States. The whites are principally located
on the Santa Fe road, and the routes leading
to California and Oregon. Prominent points
for them are Fort Leavenworth, military sta
! ton, and Council Bluffs, an Indian Agency.
| 1t is estimated that there are some 10000
people in Nebraska, the greater part Of these
being Indians. 1t is the cho, o,cest hultlng
ground of the red men, and it is supposed, OF
the estimated half million of Indians in the
United States, nearly sixth of them are with
| in this territory The Sioux tribes alone are
supposed to have 1900 lodges, and about 10000
/ people Added to these are IN Nebraska, the
Puwnees, the Dclawarcs, the Shawnecs, the
/ Kickapoos, the Stockbridgcs, the Crow, Bl OK
| foot, Cheyenne, Aricare, Grosbentres, Assino-
bowe, the Mandan and other Indians. A por-
ton of the Cherokecs will fall into this terri
tory, under the bill of Mr.. Douglas. 1t is well
/ known that the American Board of Missions
has for many years employed Missionaries
among these Indians. The Osages would also
! be included, to whom the same association for
mcrly sent missionaries.
The climate of Nebraska is, of course, differ
ent in different parts. Its southern portion
NAV have about the climate of Virginia, its in
terror of Connecticut, and its extreme northern
portion that of Maine. Then the pralrie re-
gion must be milder thun the mountainous por-
tlons on the western borders. The tops of lie
highest mountains are described as covered
with almsst perpetual snow.
The soil varies as much as the clnlatc---
Much of it is excellent, while other portions
/ ii of bYfCo md bo
/ Great American Desert, in the central portion
of the territory. The eastern portion j. gene
rally prairie, which, like the tracts tie nu-
merous rivers, IS productive. Ii Is generally
agreed that the country must be cA ely "a tCrl-
cultural one. Manufactures ny i uT.sh t.
some extent, and commerce harcly at IL, Il
is far from oceans, and has'nc gr, at k S c.ei-
ing thereto.
The agricultural powers OF the country Aay
be somewhat inferred from the retur Of IL
crops of the four tribes of Christian Ind -
the Delawares, Kickapoos, ShaWnces ~
Stockbridges-all living north anu south OF III,
Kansas river. The number of these lndla.e )!
2,702. They are mostly supported by ayr cul
ture, and these returns are or as ngle YEAR
The number Of acres cultivated. were. ovel
1 1900. They raised over $4,000 bushels o
corn $500 bushels Of wheat, and l2,00olush
els OF oats. HeN kSpGOfeT JVU WOThIuE OAGA
4 and large numbers of horses. Ofmelons of al
kinds they raised over 100000, and 400 hogs
The value of their products is. put down a
S3l 900. t-... - y
Among these Indians, civilization and chris
tianity have much advanced, and will be furthe
indicated by the statistics that follow, The,
have six schools, seven teachers, and two hun
dred scholars. Their Sabbath schools are fyi
and their churches the same. OF professors o
religion there are 372, nearly half OF whom ar
males, OF a much larger portion than is usua
in England The Nebraska, the Kansas ant
the Arkansas are the three great rivers. Th'
first two flow from west to east, and empty int
!, the Missouri several hundred miles above it
mouth. The branches or forks of these river
are many. The Arkansas rises in the western
portion of the territory and flows southeast
and empties, after crossing the State by th'
same name, into the Mississippi. The Nebrask
: river is from one to three miles broad. 1t j
full Of islands covered with cotton wood, willow
! and shrubs. Col. Long says that Aonly fort
miles of it is open to steamboat navigation
; The great emigrhnt routes to California an
/, Oregon follow the north fork of this river
The Kansas river is nayigable for 150 mile
from its mouth, for steamboats,, 4r
All accounts agree that this territory is no
: well wooded, OF, 1T least, is not timber coun
TRY. Many trees that are found in our forests
such as elm, birch, NAPLES white oak, yillov
and pines, are found there. - - ~ ssr N
= Much Of the country is high table and prairi