New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-17
RAMBLE UP THE MISSOURI
Correspondence of The N Y. Tribune.
Enpr PIERRE Thursday Inne % lSr


FORT PIERRE, Thursday, June %, 1865.
About noon of June 13 we arrived at Floyds
Bluff, which takes its name from Sergeant Floyd
of Lewis and Clarkes Expedition, who died at this
place on his VOYAGE and was buried on the summit
of high bluff overlooking the river The boat
stopped here for an hour or more and assembled
the hill to look at his grave. well-trOdden path
led directly to it, which showed me that many
pilgrim visited there before me. Nothing marks
his grave but decayed cedar-pOst, about two feet
high. visited The same place last year earlier in
the season, when the prairie was covered with
fresh green grass and flowers OF every hue. This
year the season was unusually dry and ire mad
swept over it, rendering the scenery desolate. But
from the summit the hill what delightful view!
No words can express the beauty and magnitcence
of the scene which is here painted quick as
thought on the eye. The summit of this hill COM
mands view of thirty miles around, and on either
side of the river may be the beautiful conicai
hills, rising pyramid after pyramid in the most
graceful unduatons These are covered with
rich carpet of grass and enameled with myrads oil
flowers of the most gorgeous c0lors. And the
beautiful lOwland prairies, spread out IN their
broad expanse level as the quiet sea- clothed with
rich carpet Of luxuriant grass, and dotted here
and there with fine groves OF c0tton-wo0d-how
shall describe them? Here the iieet-tOoted deer
feeds in his untamed freedom, and gazes at the
lonely traveller with an innocence that betrays no
fear. Here also the stately elk, with his widely
extended branching horns, and his steedlike bear
ing breaks away from some little thicket
and rapidly seeks a safe retreat. The bur
fao have long since left these parts, but their nu-
merous, welltrodden paths will long remain as
mementoes of a race which will ere long cease to
exist Through all this scene ofbeauty rolls the rest
less" Mad Missouri, as if 10 mar the perfection OF
the landscape Its dark, turbid waters, ITS lnnu-
merabe snags, its endless winnings, the wearing
away of its banks may be seen here In their per-
lection. | sat long the summit and admired the
beauty of the spot. A more delightful place for
Floyds grave could not have been selected. Though
cut off in the prime of life ere his plans were ma
tured be will not be forgotten. The people OF Iowa
have named county after him, and one of the
finest locations for village in this region has al
ready been laid out, and bears the name OF Floyd
CITY His grave will soon be washed away By the
insatiate river which has already consumed the
Bluff 10 within few feet of the spot
"Floyd's Bluff" or as ii is called by the French
traders, " Sergeants Hill" is now settled mostly
by Canadians and Frenclmen, who have once been
Indian traders and trappers in the mountains, and
here they may all be seen on the arrival OF the
boat, with their Indian wives and children, stand
ing on the bank ready to give their friends hearty
welcome. Here they pass sort OF seml-ciyIlized
life. They are, however, quite hOspltaoe, and the
weary, hungry mountaineer finds pleasant rest
ingplsce after the abors and dangers OF his jour
ney
Seven miles above Floyd's Bluffs the entrance
Of Big Sioux River, which is well known as the
northern boundary of Iowa. It's about two hundred
Yards wide at its mouth, and presents somewhat
conspicuous appearance. ON one side Is a nearly
perpendicular bank or bluff two hundred and fifty
feet in hight, composed of yellow sileceous mari;
on the other side is broad bottom, covered with
fine growth Of valuable timber.
This is very interesting point to the geOlogist,
being supposed TO be the junction OF the two great
formstions-the Carbonilerous and Cretaceous.
Tie river runs nearly parallel with the Missouri
for thirty miles or more, skrted with timber, such
az the cottonwood, ash, elm, and soft maple (Aeer
rubrum The intervening is n bottom prairie
covered with very tall coarse grnss aud in the wet
season Of Spring IL ID all Inundated, spreading over
IL immense numbers Of recent shels, 20 that tho
ground in many places ~ white with them. Thls
prairie extends 10 Jhrnes River, di tanee Of
/ fifty miles. This may DO considered tho lhst
of The fertile pfairiea on tho len bnnk OF
Tie Mltsouri-ths one NJ the mouth OF tho
Running Wbtef being tho lhst on tho fight Thence
10 The mountains lAe county may be- considered
worthless 10 Tho sgficniuist The valley of Tho
Zig ti0eE IL exceedingly we'll adapted 10 tho oultl
~hti0n of maize, tssefai nhe ia.ms have already
been iatsb up within fsN piiles % the fnoalb.
snd oBs sfnff ~ ns rsii IS i';7f harvested $. DW
| Laskels ~ cam, IL sfDns 'e,t hsa,iaatiy
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