New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-13
Nttu71ork daily Gribn,re
RdMBLE UP THE MISSOURI
Re Of The ". Y. Tribune.

About a hundred miles below Fort Pierre the
bluffs approach the river on either side, forming
steep escarpements and presenting fine cross sec
tiops for the seoosist. be rocks which form the
steep river banks are an ndurated calcsreous mari
easily yiedrg TO the denudiDg action of water, by
which they are parsued int numerous narrow
ravines, giving TO them saturated appearance az
q distarce Formerly the river at times would be
filled with buffalo, crossing and recrossng. Often
80 as to impede the progress of the boat; now nooe
are seeb below Fort Pierre, except nov and then
a stray bull, which is soon captured ov the starry
ing indians On The morping Of the Eth quite an
exciting scere occurred which afforded much
amusement fine doe elk attempted To cross the
rive y it'll her y,utg not more than Two hundred
wards il advance of the boat All the passengers
FASTENED On deck with their guns-more steam
wss applied, and all was confusion. The ell be-
came be adhered, aud instead OF swimming for the
shore which was very near lowered around her
Young as if determined TO save il or die with It.
Soon the boat approached Der, ami \ dozen guns
were fred the balls 4, ing thick as hail about her
head Snll sbe escaped, when a more deliberate
shot struck her in the neck and she hoated llieess
down the current. The yawl was Immediately
lowered ard both taken on boarG-the Kid as
prisoner, and the mother as an addition 70 our
harder he elk is beautiful animal, not As grace
fa or fe. as the antelope or deer. but more like
the hor,e and might be easily dOmestlcated. The
male has very large branching horns, sometimes
measuring ten feet from tip 10 tip, with six or
seven prupgs on each sntler Ih-se are shed an
pually in April and May, and renewed again fully
about September and October IL usual, stays
about the timbertd valleys and hll-sldes, where
the traveller is often startled b, Its suddenly break
ing out of some thicket and leaplng forth upon the
level prairie.
~ hos Pm linn
Wafer ard " hite river lofty and picturesque
r,pse of hills commences called Scalp hills, fcom
the bald and whitened appearance OF their sum
mits. They are doubtless capped with white
tertiary clay similar 10 that on Beloux nils
though have never had an opportunity To eN'
anime them They show the terrible denudlng
power of water in this country, which mas leie
standing so many dome-like hills over the surface
and given so dreary but picturesque 40 appearance
10 the scenery, Ii is on these hls that the cactus
and Yucca most love to grow. In regions where
no other plant will flourish acres are cOsered with
the cactus and when IN iu bloom il seems to redeem
the country to some extent from al arid waste.
am inclined to think it derives most If its nour-
islment fir, IN the atmosphere. Ii Is here thst tue
cylindrical cactus begins To appear with Its bright
purple flowers, AMI bristlng with spires, which Is,
like The other varieties, the terror OF the mecca
sibed voyageur This is q more beautiful plant
eipbt flowers of a rich purple hue, from teat-lke
I, rbercle from which II derives Its botanical name,
Mammalaris riripara it grows in large masses,
sometimes sever.l feet in diameter. They VIII
live tor several months after being taken from their
bed and might be carried to any part OF the world
| placed quantity OF them in my state-rO0m, ana
they put forth their blossoms for several days as
fresh as if in their native soil The Flora oil thls
country is very rich and gorgeous IN the coiors OF
many species of flow err. Most OF them are In
bloom curing the months of June and July. LII
luminous plants predominant perhaps fifty to
one hundred species OF that family-some OF which
furnish An important article of food. The pOmme
blanche. before mentioned, is sort OF lupine, the
root of which, during the Spring, furnishes sup
mort "a il were, for several bands OF indians fOr
months they have nothing else, ana they are
scattered all over the prairie In search OF H. Inc
apios tuberosa, or wild bean, grows 10 immense
quantities along the margins OF turbd streams,
al in the Fall of the year they follow along the
Missouri and it's tributaries, gathering sometimes
mapy bushels The wood mice accumulate large
quantities for their winters store in old logs aud
In the roots of trees These diligently searched
out, and rsbb,d without ceremony. They often
find busbel or more in one cache, which these In
dustrious little animals have collected together.
About fifty miles below the mouth VI White
river is beautiful inland, called in the Dakotah
island This is the first of three which the trsv-
eler meets with in his ascent up the Missouri
Thew differ from all others with which | am &C
ouainted on the river, in bearing luxurant
grow tn Of red cedar, q large proportion OF which
would make excellent timber 1t appears to be
Young growth very dense, seldom more than two
il ct or thirty inches in diameter, from nifty to one
hundred feet in hight as straight an arrow. these
islands contain about thousand acres each, and
les, tba phahI mr. N
Northern Iowa with excellent cedar timber for
many years. if they can succeed in rafting it down
among the snags and bends Of the Missouri. The
first island is a favorite landing place for the
steamboats,, which usually ipend half day here
it being the only place TO procure fuel for many
miles above We arrived there early in the morn
ing Of beautiful June day. The sun was shining
brightly among the dense foliage OF the cedar and
the air was melOdOus with the songs OF birds,
which seem to have coDgregated here in great num-
bers and Of many varieties 1t seems to DO IA
yorte place for them to build their nests and rear
their Young. From the eagle to the little ground
.rarrow, all are collected here and seem to en-
10Y Z perfect freedom, regardless OF danger.
Myriads of martins with their brilliant irridescent
hues here sporting in the sunshine. The turtle
dove lies cooling o its mate on every Gde. Itsund
several nests Of these birds composed OF lew
spires of grass, in some small depression Ihey
are .aid never TO return to their nest when it has
been disturbed by an intruder. l nave never seen
greater resort for the various kinds OF game.
Deer elk, and various species OF rabbits find it
delightful place to feed, and conceal Themselves
FROM their enemy. here made fine additions to
NV herbsriun Of several species of plants, which
have nat been able TO fnc elsewhere on the river.
straw berries grow here in considerable quantities.
they were ripe at this time, aud were not un,
pleasant 10 my palate. found also species OF
serauium. which bears beautiful purple flower.
The principal timber is cedar, though there are
feu trses Of cotton. wood ash, bOx-elder, red