New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-16
RAMBLE UP THE MISSOURI


States is so rare that often an interval OF sew
eraI months will elapse before letters from this
70 gion will reach their destination. l will,
however, resume ny description of the Upper
Missouri country, commencing at Council Bluffs.
Heretofore / have spoken OF the emery along
the river, the beauty Of its groves and prairies,
the richues. Of it's soil and the luxuriipee ofits
vegetation. | slso said that this description Of
the country applied only TO that portion boz
deripg on the river, which have in no respect
overrated, as all will testify who have seen it.
OF Nebraska about nine counties may be formed
along the river, as fine country as any IN the
world of which seven have already been made.
On the ElkhOrn Rivera tributary OF the Platte
one county has been formed and ilourishing set
Element il In progress Some beautiful farms may
be found in the vicinity Of the rivers, but as gen
ersl thing the interior presents boundless, open
prairie, destitute Of timber and IN the dry season
of Fall and Winter destitute Of water. Could
permanent supply OF water be obtained, very much
of this country would be well adapted for grazing
and some portions for agricultural purposes.
These broad plains and fluctuations are covered
with short nutritious grass, on which the wild
game thrive finely and the Indian horses obtain a
most luxurisnt repast The soil along the river is
exceedingly fertile, composed of black vegetable
mari or loan of almost indefinite thickness, thor
ouebly impregnated with lime, oxyd of iron,
sulphate of magnesia, and alta salts. About
twenty or thirty miles into the interior the soil
becomes more sterile, composed OF yellow
silicious mari, sometimes covered with drift of
sand and pebbles, in many places clothed with
very good growth OF grass, but destitute OF tim
Der except in rsvines on the borders of streams
This region must ever remain broad pasture
81 tam fha
mouth Of Running Water to the mountains the
country can never be inhabited by whites-eyen
the perseyeriDg, Stubborn Yankee would yield in
hopeless despair. For any kind Of manufacturing
purposes there are no facilities az all. The
streams &Ie not permanent in the wet season
exceedingly high OverfiOwiDg their banks and in
undating the fertile land in Fall and Winter
dried up-scarcely sufficient water in the largest
10 call it running stream. The water is mostly
impregnated with some mineral substance or salt
as sulphate Of magnesa, alum, &c, rendering its
taste exceedingly unpleasant. The whole is clay
country, easily yielding to the drenchng power Of
water, and consequently il is cut up in the region
Of streams to frghtful extent into rayines and
eullies so that the sure-foOted mule finds his
way among them with difficulty. Its mineral re-
sources are doubtless deficient also. But little if
any coal will be found-beonging geologicay to
the cretaceous formation mostly.
Bluffs City behind us, bressting the swift current
of the Missouri at the rate OF about sixty miles
per day The snags are so numerous and travel
ing go dangerous that the boat runs only by day
light. VIE find no other places Of Importance
along the river, and have undoubtedly passed into
the domain of savage life On our right are the
hard-bottom and upland prsiries Of Iowa, por-
ton Of which was purchased by Government many
years ago, from the Yancton band Of Sioux. As
yet uninhabited, except here and there by hardy
pioneer, who has taken a claim and is patiently
waiting for the civilized world to advance upon
him On the left is Nebraska as yet uninhabited,
save by the red man of the prairie. think the
Iowa side of Missouri River much better than that
of Nebraska On the one side are immense allu-
vial bottoms covered, In the vicinity of the river,
with huge growth of buttOnwood, elm and black
walnut, while on the other the high bluffs come
abruptly TO the river with little or no valuable
timber, and far less fertile soil
At Kanesyille the bluffs approach quite near the
river, then gradually recede We ascend until in
the vicinity of the Little Sioux River the bottoms
are from fifteen to twenty mil les in width. These
hard bottom OF lOwland pralries are OF the great
est fertility-the soil alluvial, dark vegetable
loam and very easily cultivated The most luxq-
rant crops of corn are raised with very little
labor Wheat is not raised very extensively on
account of the roots being " thrown out during
the Winter season. Large herds of cattle are
raised, requiring but little care either in Summer
or Winter. In the Spring and early Summer-say
May and June-n0thiDg can exceed the beauty OF
these broad bottom prairies. AS far as the eye can
reach, they present the appearance of limit
less field OF wheat, fresh and wildly
green-over which a prairie breeze is ever
blowing causing il TO wave in the most
graceful fluctuations. And oh the flowers
How beautiful Myrisds upon myriads set
like jewels in this boundless carpet of grass;
the lupne, with its sweet blue howers-the pur-
pie Astragalus-the scarlet rose shedding most
grateful perfume on the air numerous varieties
of violet, with modest heads concealed by the rank
grass and taller flowers, and here and there the
compass plant, standing like guide, as it is, 70 the
voyager and savage, its large uncinate leaves point
ING north and south. We passed many fine locations
for villages, watered sites. In many places the
country seems TO have been parcelled of By nature
into farms Of about q thousand acres-giving
to each its proper amount Of woodland, pasture
and meadow and il needed only the pleasant farm
house and outbuildiDes to give it all the aspect of
an old settled country. / could easily imagine
that il had once been owned and cultivated by
some sncent people and thatby some means every
trace of their existence had been removed. |
often walk out into these beautiful carpeted praires
and among the gently slopng hills, expecting every
moment TO discover the ruins Of some ancient vii
lsge or farmhouse, the remains offormerindustry.
The country near the mouth Of Little Sioux
River, or as il is called in the Dacotah language,
E-yahy an-kee, or Stone River is perhaps the finest
along the Missouri above Bellevue. The best
farms have already been taken up, and flourish
ing village is in contemplation. Most of the in
habitsnts have once been Indian traders, who,
wearied of mountain life, have settled down here
with their Indian families, and spend the time in
incidence ard pleasure. Drinking, dancing and
card playing are their chief amusements The rise
in the value of the land, will, however. render
them quite wealthy in time, for they had the pre-