Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-08
LIFE IN NEBRASKA.


Now that Congress, the politicians and the people
are talking Of Nebraska, It may be interesting for
our readers to accompany to the territory ITSELF
and see where and what it is, who inhabt it, or
life in Nebraska.
In visiting this unorganised territory, upon
which there is now 50 much dispute, we must first
60 by any route we choose to the city Of ST. Louis
Here We will take steamboat and float for humid
reds Of miles to the mouth Of the Kansas river.
We land here, and in the region called Nebras-
ka. FIVE were pleased to take another steamboat
we could go up the Kansas river, or nearly west,
towards the interior
But let us prefer rather to continue our voyage
up the Missouri, still by steamboat, for some hun
drods Of miles. We are now at the mouth Of the
Platte river or the Nebraska, which means "Shal-
low Bottom" 1t is rightly named, for though it is
from one to three miles wide, it is generally very
shallow, and steamboats, pass up its waters for
only forty miles. BY this river Col. Fremont pas
sed much Of the way, on his route to California
and Oregon in 1872 In his journals of his two
expeditions, there is, probably, more information
on Nebraska than can be obtained from all other
books.
We find Nebraska to be vast region. BY the
late census it is estimated at 1876 700 square miles,
or a region as large New England, New York,
New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, and even
larger ii organised as proposed by the bill of
MIR. Douglas, now pending in Congress, it will be
larger still, rs it will embrace much of what has
been known as the Indian Territory.
We find the Northern part of Nebraska as cold
as New England; the interior cold rs the eli
mate Of the Middle States, and the southern por-
tion with something of the mildness of Virgini'
There is, however, this difference; Nebraska IS
moro Asiatic in its climate and general features.
There vast praires high table lands, thousands
of miles above the level Of the sea- rivers of almost
intcrminable length. On the west it is bounded
| by the Rocky Mountains. whose highest peaks arc
covered with perpetual snow, A large portion OF
the great American desert is in this territory here
many an emgrant, bound for California, has lain
down TO die, worn out with fatigue aud hunger
The soil Of Nebraska is mostly fertile the geolog.
ical formation being that Of limestone and sand
stone, which always indicates a good soil. Ii
must, in the future, become fine farming region
. Already many young farmers Of our country have
their eyes upon it, and will be bending thitheI
their steps as soon Senator Douglas bill or any
other passes, organizing the territories.
: But who nhabit Nebraskag Indians. and hard
ly any but Indians 1t is their grandest hunting
ground. and it is supposed that from 5000 L
s0000 or about one-sixth part of all the Indian,
that yet remain in the United States, roam oyei
its praires and table lands pass their canoes oye
, its waters, pursue game by rivers and over noun
tains and wage war one upon another. Here arr
Christian indians, called, such as the Dcawares
Stockbridges, ETC. here are the wild and warlkt
Sioux, and Cheyenne Indians that delight in scenes
Blaekfoots, the Assini Jones, the Aricares thu
Gros Vcntres and the Mandans Our civilization
has driven them beyond the Mississippi and sooI
I another wave OF civilization will push them west
ward, where it is expected that they will be itet
to become part Of the body-politc, and to b.
duly represented in Congress.
' Hunting the buffalo is the great pursuit of III,
wild Indians Of Nebraska, and their creates
source Of profit Their skins they sell to the fur
traders but, alas! the buialos are becoming
scarce under the influence of the many rifles tha
are aimed at them. What will they do when the,
are gomez They must become civilized and iii
the soil ms the Christian Indians now do and will
considerable success, as will be seen from the fol
lowing statistics:
These Indians, less than 5000 in number, tha
live under the Fort Leavenworth agency nortl
, and south Of the Kansas river, cultivate NOR
| than 1000 acres. From these acres they raised
in single year, so bushels Of corn, 5000 O
wheat, 10000 of oats, and 100000 melons Of al
kinds. They have large numbers Of horses an,
oxen, and live like happy and Independent farmers
e OF whites, permanently living in Nebraska
4 there are but few, and these either militar'
men stationed at some Of the forts, or else Indai
agents. else missionaries sent out by the yariou
r religious denominations Of the States IL is true
there are always less white travellers pass
J. ing to California, TO Oregon, to Utah, or New
y Mexico or returning from thence which gives n,
! inconsiderable variety to the lives of those wht
! are confined there. Indeed, il is now stated tba
= a newspaper Is Immediately to be printed at old
, Fort kearney, and that postofice is to be estab
= lished only forty miles from it, for the benefit OF
V the emgrants, who may write home from that
point, that "hey have gone 80 far, safe aud sound