The Kansas herald of freedom., 1854-10-21

/ backed with high prairies. In this neigh
borfeed the shore Is rocky. We passed {
bald bluff on the north, with a rich bot
TOM on the south side, aud high, open
lawn in the rear. A little further on the
elevated prairies strike the riyer, giving a
charming variety TO the seenery-whiie
on the north are extended bott0ms of rich
timbered land.
In this vicinity we saw many Indians
along the banks; We also passed grape
thicket, in the bottom, spread over several
thousand acres-while just above, on our
right. rose rocky bluff covered with open
woods. A little way above this. Sugar
Greek empties into the Kansas, from the
right; and a little father up, there is a
low blnff-a short dlaanee beyond, there
being another fine grsps thicket, and rich
walnut bottom. On the right side of the
river coal has been fonnd and here, again,
rises beautiful nndalating enlinehce, af-
fording beautiful site for town, on the
height there being open woods, and fine
prairie about mile back.
On th.r iaft, short distance above, the
Waks! ..sa flows ina considerable stream
with good timber for some way back.
Below the mouth there is good bluff, and
behind are the Wakarnsa settlements
Here the Methodist Church. North
have mission Coal has also been dis
covered above the Wakarusa. The Shaw
nees have sold, without reserve, all their
lands in this direction; and the whole
country on the south side of the Kansas,
aboye-except strip FIVE miles wide, and
thirty long, owned By the Patiawatomies
-is now open to settlement. There wall
probably be some vacant lands beloao, af-
ter the Shawnees haze made their selec-
tons.
In this connection it may be properly
remarked that the Wyandots own thirty
nine sections in the forks of the Kansas
and Missouri rivers. The DelaBares, by
their recent treaty, reserve strip ten miles
vide and forty miles long, running nearly
to the mouth of the Grasshopper. The
Kansas Indians. too, have reservation
twenty-five miles long by one mile wide,
north of the river, below Pattawatoinie
while the Pattawatomies have thirty miles
square, partly on each side OF the Kansas
and the kickapoos hold small reserve
near the head of Grasshopper. All the
balance of the vast regions drained by the
Kansas and its tributaries are now oper
for settlement, and viii soon arrest the at
tention of the enterprising settlers
| On both sides of the river, above the
Wakarnsa, there are excellent bottom
lands; and, short way beyond these, an
other fine site for a town presents itself on
the north side-aohile still farther up an
the south bank, the high prairie comes
dorm 10 the 'eater's edge, presenting an
other appropriate place sehere The busy
hum of commerce may By and By speak
he presence of n city, Here are sdp aa-
merous cabins Of settlers; and array as
far as the eye conld reach, in a sontbiueqt
erly direction, the prairies aoere high ana
rolling, like the mares Of Old Ocean,
Southward, beautiful groses dot h'
prairie, and the dark line Of timber Ma
stretches along the Wakarusa palieJ
l-pih the great Prairie n,oand, so Il
sneak, fired there as tie landmark o
perpetual bsamg-the meanderia9 rirer
eith ITS dark skirting forests Of timbel
on the aorfh-aH are scenes ia Nature.
imagnifcent Panorama, hers brough
within the range of vision. Proeeedin.
north, high rich bottoms extend for DaGns
Imiies. and tce saso vdsf thiekets OF grape
zines, pea-piaes, rdspberries, and pan
lpasos. The timber aeas principally oak
yqfam, ash, hickory, mulberry, hack
berry, linden, cotton -teood and cofee-bean
| A few miles below the mouth Of Grass
hopper, on the north, the prairie uEdalate
gradually back from the river as iar as tn,
leye can reach. At its confluence with tn
kansas there is. on the opposite shore,
beautiful bluff; and between the Grass
hopper and Mud Greek there is prairi
bottom where pioneers were making claims
Capt. Baker thinks that from this point t.
the mouth of the Kansas is a distance 0
eighty miles by the river.
For the pext twenty miles the countr,
| in our course presented the same genera
features as those just given-on both sides
alternating prairie and timber, all capabl
| of settlement. We passed Mr. Stinson'
ferry; his house and farm are very pictur
lesquely situated on an eminenee wher
the upland and prairies come down to tn
river.
4 About one hundred miles from tn,
mouth of the Kansss-by Capt. Baker
estimate-we passed on the north side,
| Rne bluff, with ciumps Of trees on the top
rich rolling prairie IN the background, sns
Iheayy timber shove and below. A httl.
Ifarther up on the left hank, a high prairi'
bottom comes in, which sEeils gracefully
IaNay southwark, with copses of timber
presenting to the enraptured pioneer site
/ for the choicest farms. Settlements ars
Ibeinp made on both sides ofthe river.
Passing onward, We came to the mouti
of Soldier Greek, which has its rise far ~
north, and gives variety to the landscapt
by its dark line of ringing timber. W.
next saw Pappan's Ferry. His house is
on the right, in a fine timbered bottom
while on the south, high prairies, such a
we have already noticed, come down to the
liver. Here We crossed the Pattawatomie
line. about one hundred and fifteen miles
from the mouth Of the Kansas. Timber
on both. sides of the river, was next passes
I-the prairie bluffs, on the sesith, about
one hundred feet high-soon after which
We reached the Great Crossing. Ther.
ARE three ferries together-with fattawa
tonne settlements, stores, and s Bsptis
lSchool snd Mission on the south side
land, every few miles beyond, there Wa
the same succession Of groves and ptaifi'
Jon either hand, presenting unequaled sta
atioas for farms.
Unioniomn was next seen. Il j. made
iup OF about twenty log cabins and s stu
/ The paint hers designated Is ahsut fsril
miles up ihe Kansas river. aud SIX sailes shaS'
she menih Of the sqskarasa. which discharges
iiisslf ials ias KsHsss en- tie seaih sids. 1hs
i fSrsf P.oneef psTfy ffssp7 NeV EaE5ead socstes