Kansas weekly herald., 1854-09-29

Country Scenery FRUITS Creeks
IN general, and Stranger Creek in partic-
!. ular-aa Indian hotel- Timber on the
Kansas SC.
VALLEY OF THE KANSAS. RIVER,
September 25th 1854,
ED1ToRs OF THE Kansas HERALD =
l wish to place myself right with your read
ers on one point. An impression is quite
prevalent and too we'll founded, imagine,
that many of the letters from foreign cities
and especially from London and Paris, are
written in the Immediate vicinity ofthe pa
pers in which they are published. Now l
don't wish itto be thought that am prac-
ticing similar hunibug, when in fact, I am
nearly forty miles from your sanctun, and
amid the scenes endeavozsFto set forth.
Shortly after leaving the city of Leavcn-
worth, on the morning Of my departure,
about two miles from 'sPilot Knob I fell in
with a party of nine gentlemen on their
way to the New England settlement. Like
myself they were on a tour of observation,
and arriving just as they were leaving
camp-for they had slept out in delight
full grove attached myself to the caval-
cade. The place of their encamplnent is
worthy of special notice, because for some
distance around, the view is most tranquil
and enchanting. A more agreeable place
for residence can hardly be found. 1t
combines fertility of soil with romantic seem
cry. Whoever gets a homestead there will
surely have prize. As approached it, l
felt anxious to learn if any one had made a
claim upon it. was not long in suspense,
for I found three men already building a
cabin as the means of securing title. This,
mind you, was on the Delaware land and
I was told that all the ssclaims" adjoining
were taken.
Our course being in Southwest direc
ton necessarily led us through the central
portion of the Delaware country. This sec
ton appeared to be much more fertile than
the the eastern part, OF that bordering
on the Missouri. In many places the grass is
over five feet high. Weeds and flowers of
every hue shoot up with luxuriance that
can hardly be described. Not only is veg
citation thus rank inthe low land, but on
the more elevated prairie the same fatness
Of soil is frequently observed. Here and
there the curious phenomena ofquick-sands
appear. These are spots thiekly matted
with fine short grass, and which In wet sea-
sons are miry. A little way off they re-
mind one of the cranberry beds which dot
our northern meadows. No where In the
route do we lose sight of the ''taH ancestral
rees" The timber,-I would fain call it
Of Kansas grows in such varied forms, or
clusters as almost to enable careful eye to
IDENTIFY any section of the country. In
one place you will see the edge of the for
EST entirely even for miles; then cluster
in as much order as if planted for
| grove by human hands; or collection
If sturdy elms, standing in solemn majesty
alone, as if sheltering the temple of an an
,ient oracle. Such indeed is the magnifi-
,ent appearance of the woodland that a
Jew will more than counterbalance the
nonotony of a tramp across the prairie.
Of all the native fruits of Kansas, the
,aypasc is certainly the richest. Its flavor
$ similar to the banana which it also re-
embles in color. Il has large seedssof the
ize of coffee bean, and grows on large
,owed trees about fifteen feet in hight
The fruit begins to ripenin the middle of
september. To some they are at first taste
lnpalatable on account of their condensed
weetness, for they are tssweeter than hon
y or the honey comb" We also noticed
species of plums. The red are
most abundant, there is another kind larg-
rsof light purple color which rigen later
han the red. There are also various spe-
les of grapes and small apples. Some of
he grapes are respectable in size, and
greeble in taste; but the apples. oh, how
our. fortunately they are few and far be-
ween, after biting one of them lis diff I
alt to draw the countenance into its nat.
rallshape: have hearda story Of a man
rho went so far as to eat wholesone,s but
S 7 can't think your readers would belieset
Iawon't stopIto relate it, ieoa 2 szi.
The ecreeks we crossed, especially the
il Stranger, are all well skirted with
mber and slirubbery..- They all lear Wit