The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-05-08

country as far as Keosauqua, last week, for
the first time. We had heard great deal,
and in fact said great deal ourself, about
the Des Moines Valley, and had some anxiety
to see something more of it than its mere
mouth 70 which our observations had hith-
erto been limited So, to please some friends
who invited US, (and ouselyes still more), We
essayed journey altogether pleasant to US,
and will venture Il few rambling remarks
thereupon.
Starting out with q crowded hack, IN a
drenching rain that poured through the car
riage as though it were a seiye, the prospect
for days travel was surely dismal enough,
but jovial spirits prevailed as We swayed to
and fro through the Stree soil, - and the over
turning Of heavily loaded coach just ahead
Of US, with four top passengers upon it, in a
pool Of prairie mud and water, helped very
much to console US with what seemed, by
contrast, really an excellent fortune.
We took breakfast ut Charleston, and
thence, till we got past the squalid houses OF
the half breed tract, where the wealth Of the
soil derides the poverty of the improvements
uponit, aud over the rolling country leading
10 the river al Pennington, VIC found pretty
much such a region as We expected, but the
far famed Valley of the Des MONIES, as we
found ii from that point so fur Gs We ex-
plored it, was somewhat different from what
we had picturedit, though perhaps not infe
rior. The river is wider and stronger, it is
4 finer and more beautiful stream, than we
anticipated With no rocky rapids, with
descent as even and regular as the great
stream into which il empties, which leaves its
broad surface as smooth quiet lake,
winding around the rocky bluffs and kissing
the green meadows, surely it is beautiful as
scape Of the glowing painter. But we did not
find, as we had anticipated, unbroken low
lands upon either side, gradually sloping up,
at distance from the river, smoothly to the
prairie. Almost or quite all the distance
there was alternately bluff, generally rocky,
on one side, and bottom land upon the other.
On the bluff side it is rough and rolling out
to the prairie, on the other it swells out rich
and even to Goods great meadows" But
il was an Improvement upon our idea, SO
that We lost nothing. From the brow Of the
bluff the lands are all arabic, though uneven,
and covered with fine timber, while the bot
toms are quite as fine and rich, and more
pleasing variety of scenery is furnished than
if We had found it precisely what we fancled.
The bottom lands wherever they occurred, on
either shore, with their gentle slope prairie
wards, furnish farm localities, frequently
improved, as fine as can be imagined, and
unsurpassed anywhere. More inviting local
tiles, to the agricuturist or the man Of
taste, can hardly be found on the face Of the
earth.
BY the time we reached the Valley, the
rain had ceased. The clouds were broken,
and the sky was pleasant. The trees were
getting in leaf, The grass was fresh and
green. The wild plum ana the crab trees .
were in blossom. Crossing the river az Ben
tonsport, and leaving The driver to 90 down /
to Vernon to change the mail, we walked on
up the hill and through the woods To one
So much TN city pent," il was celebrating
70 get cut where every thing is fresh from
the hanl Of nature, both unlmprovel and
by the hand Of man. II was
pleasant 10 scent the delicate perfume from
the banks Of wildhowers, 10 hear the strange
Wild notes OF wood birds in the lone and
forest, 70 watch the shy hare crop
thc green buds, and the squirrels scampering
over the ground and ganboling among the
tree-tops. We get ample pay for rainy
morning iii that wild walk
Pennington We found TO be the somewhat
ancient and dilapidated town that We antici
patei. But the location il beautiful, and We
should Judge that there is somewha' grow
Jug life and animation latterly. The con
s.ruction Of the dam and improvement Of
lite water power will change its appearance
and add to It's thrift very much. About
mile OF the railroad is graded at that point,
and things look hopeful and encouraging
Not long hence we can hardly doubt but it
will be a prosperous town. as il certainly is a
pleasant one now.
With Bonaparte We were much pleased.
Il j. tidy, stirring little town, and withal
decidedly larger than We had anticipated.
There is tight and solid dam there, the wa
ter power is well improved, and every body
seemed busily employed.
Bentonsport we also found brisk and
ance with Bonaparte, and evident signs Of
healthy improvement obtruded themselves
upon every ones notice. An air Of neatness
in the churches, schoolhouses, and many
private residences, and the appearance Of