The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-17
Correspondence.
A Trip up the Kansas valley.
LAwRENcE, Feb. Is, 1855

omle Indian. After such an onslaught,
as can be better imagined than described
for few that have spent even month
in Kansas viii be at loss to understand
the condition in which we left thing
we turned our attention to the main OBJ,
jeet that influenced us in our trip-col.
lecting information. We found our host,
Mr. La Fromboix, most intelligent per.
son, partly of French extraction, yet &C.
quainted with the English almost as well
rs ourselves. He seemed inclined TO the
opinion that the Indians would retain that
part of their territory north Of the Kan
sas; they had no desire of parting with
it, as it was all that was now left to them
In giving US description of the country
he could give US but little information,
further than what our own eyes would
furnish us with; it was of the same char.
acter as that through which we had pass.
ed south of the river, rich and beautiful
and when we consider the manifest des-
tiny" of the red man, we could not but
believe that the day was not far distant
when they would have passed away, and
their fair heritage fall into the hands OF
the "pale face" l do not, however,
think that all of the Indian race will be
extinct; many of them are to-day in a
condition of civilization that fits them for
the society of the better class of their
white neighbors; and the time must soon
come when they will enjoy all the rights
and privileges of American citizens. Il
was near the middle of the afternoon
before we could get fairly upon our jour.
ney again; yet our road being north, up.
on the bottom land. and consequently
level and smooth, we made our way rap.
idly along, hoping to reach the Catholic
Mission before dark.
During this afternoon we saw but lit
tie of the prairie back from the river
A few times only did we rise upon points
of highland that. came down near the
river but from such points we could gel
a correct idea of the character and ap-
pearance of the country, and in this re.
spect there was little difference from that
before described and that difference,
when perceptible, was in favor of the
south side of the river Once or twice
we passed refreshing springs issuing from
the side of the bluff, and winding their
silent way to join the river few rods dis
tant. The Mission toward which our
steps were tending was 5 miles from the
last stopping place, and long before we
came in sight, the shades of evening had
gathered thick around us. While the
road continued well beaten we found lit
tie difficulty; but it soon branched off in
different directions, affording US no little
perplexity in determining the right way.
Even through the darkness, that was now
fully established, we could plainly dis
cover, as we drew nigh the village in
which the Mission is situated, that we
were in very different place from the
Mission mentioned in our last. Thrift
and plenty were apparent on every hand,
large Enclosures for cultivation, and the
neat white cottages, from whose windows
the cheerful light was streaming, all SEEM
ed to speak words of welcome and l
might as well say here as anywhere, that
our expectations were not destined to be
unanswered We had been directed by
friend we met on the way to the house
of widow lady by the name of Bertram,
and we would continue the direction, ac-
companied by recommendation to any
one likely to be in need of it. This lady
came into the Territory in 1848, when
the Mission was comparatively in its in
fancy, and though She found the first
winter an extremely severe one for this
country, though even bereaved of he,
husband, yet her love for the poor In
dian was such as to lead her to remain, I'm
der whatever discouragements, and labor
for his civilization and Christianization.
! Our curiosity had been so much ex
cited by the appearance of things in the
evening, that we felt anxious to pursue
our investigation further by daylight
and it was with no little pleasure, as wei
as surprise, that we found things so mucl
in advance of what we expected. W.
called on Father Durang, the presiding
genius there, and found him thorough
going, progressive man. have no
seen things in such order in any othe
part of the Territory-so much true com
fort and advancement. Ofcourse ] hav'
not very high opinion of the spiritua
training which is secured here but ii
everything that pertains to external life
think they should certainly be PLACED
in the advance. With the majority o
Missions among the Indians, there is no
care enough taken to secure that civiliza
ton, without which but little progress
in a right direction, can be attained
When comparing the results of the tw'
Missions that had so recently come unde
our observation, some of our party fel
strongly inclined to become good Cath
olics.
i After leaving the Mission, with ou
immediate wants not only supplied, bu
with a store on hand for the future, W
rode on, in better mood to appreciate
the beauty of the country around us thai
we had been on the previous day. Ou
course was still westward, and for tim
on the bottom land, which for miles il
the vicinity of the Mission show indiea
tons of husbandry; but soon the roac
began to wind away from the river, an,
the country assumed more rolling ant
sometimes broken appearance. Larg'
quantities of broken flint appeared on tn
| sides of the bluffs, and the rock, whicl
had been heretofore almost entirely com
posed of lime, began to be intersperse,
with rose-quartz, often in large quaint
ties. This change in the rock may b
|. indicative of change of some kind il
, the soil buff it is not indicated the eye
the appearance is the same as before.
should have said that the road We ha,
been travelling since we crossed the river
was the military road from Fort Leaven
worth to Fort Riley and just below th
, stopping place of last night, the grea
California road. which We left the frs
day after leaving Lawrence. is unite'
with this. This latter road crosses th
river at Uniontown, a short distance be
low the Mission. Though this roa
seems solid as pavement Of granite i
1.-THE dry season, yet on either hand "
could trace the deep ruts left by tn
"a