Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-01-12
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in the Territory. entering At the north.
ern boundary. and striking south 10
Dthe Kansas river. thence up 65 or 10
miles from Fort Leayenworth. thence
crossing aud returning south Of tho
river nearly to its mouth, thence back
10 the Fort. and down the Missouri
again 10 within a few miles Of Parks
vile, where we crossed over into "the
States" on our trip homeward. While
there, We lost no opportunity Of gain.
ing all the knowledge we could OF the
country, not only from our own obser-
vations, but from men Of intelligence,
missionaries. some Of whom have been
there i6 or 10 years. traders. travel
ers government officers, and settlers,
and now, from these sources of infor-
nation. we proceed TO give very gen.
eral sketch In the present article, leav-
ing il TO your readers TO give weight TO
our views, only as they may deem them
worthy.
The first thing that strikes tho atten-
ton Of the traveller onrentering the
Territory, or on taking his stand on
any point of observation, is the bald
ness, yet beauty and scope Of its un
dulating surface. II is emphatically
a land Of rolling prairies. Far as the
eye can reach. rises up before you. in
gentle slopes, one elevation after an
other. While at your feet perhaps.
spreads out an extended plain, beyond
rises as il were wave upon wave. until
the horizon is skirted with q ridge OF
high land. Sometimes the scene is
interrupted by the abrupt interruption
Of come lofty mound or numerous bold
bluffs. Yet seldom is the surface so
uneven as TO be badly washed by rains
or so level as to be wet OF marshy.-
The soil is generally dry-a rich, black
sandy loan, or in soms places, what
is called mulatto soil. II is gener-
ally kind and lively and favorable TO
the cultivation of almost all the pro-
ductions OF countries in the same lati-
tude. The general substratum is a
firm yellow clay, with good deal OF
sand, and under that. usually, a thick
layer of excellent stone.
We saw scarcely any poor lands in
the Territory. Even the highest ele-
vations seem almost as good as our
best lands, while the river and creek
bottoms are exceedingly rich. On the
whole, we think the Soil will compare
favorably with that Of any other re-
gion through which we passed.
The climate We cannot consider as
any otherwise than pleasant and very
healthy. So rolling, high, and dry is
the face of the country, so pure and
bracing the atmosphere DUNG great
part Of the year, and the heavy growth
Of vegetation being burned off every
fall, we cannot see how II can be in
tested with malady or any other fruit
ful cause Of disease. The winters es-
pecially, though tolerably sharp, as in
almost all prairie countries. are much
dryer and more regular than ours. -
They have but little rain through the
whole season excepting a few weeks in
the early part of spring.
The Territory is supposedlto abound
in minerals of various kinds. The
Governor showed us a piece of lead
ore. taken out Of hill near Ft. Rely,
which he supposed contained at least
80 per cent. of pure lead. Several
mines Of coal have already been dis
covered; though so far it is rather an
inferior qaality of the bituminous.
But the great recommendation oi
that country is the sbundancy of stone
of an excellent quality, white and gray
limestone. sandstone, and granite
Some Of it is susceptible Of good
polish. Scarcely was there a point
over which we travelled in the Terrific.