New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-07
FROM THE UPPER MISSOURE-A TEN
MONTHS TRIP.
Erom The 81 Lonis Renublican.

From The ST. Louis Republican.
Through the courtesy of Captain Samuel A. Turner,
of the government steamer ID. Fl. Morton which ar
rived here on Saturday afternoon from ten months
trip to Fort Pierre, on the Upper Missouri we en-.
abed to lay before readers account, condensed
from the clog" of the incidents and accidents of the
trip.
The D. II. Morton left St. Louis on the morning Of
the 10Th Of September, 1856, and proceeded ON her
course without material interruption until the 18th day
of October, when she struck snag, fewI lies below
Nebraska City. BY this accident hole was broken
on the port knuckle under the pennant shackle hole,
Of the dimensions of twenty-fOur by sixteen inches.
She was Immediately headed to the nearest bar and
the carpenter and engineer set to work to buda bulk
head around the hole. Before they could succeed in
stopping the leak the water had gained three feet in
the hull In the evening light bulkhead was COM
pleted and the boat getting under way succeeded in
reaching the saw-mll about half a mile below Ne
braska City, Here, it was discovered that there wa,
no lumber at the mill of the proper character to
repair the damage and the carpenter was dispatched
TO the woods, where he cut tree which was
brought to the mill and fashioned into the proper
shape. On the 18th of October the steamer again
got under way, and the Doth came in sight of the
Omaha village at the foot of Blackbrd Hills. They
soon began to meet frozen ice and the goth of De-
cember were frozen up at YanktOn Village what is
bette k" s SH"s BfsTs css rssSf
above St. Louis, and 80 miles below Fort Randall
During the entire trip, up to this point the wind blew
almost gale every day. and the weather was intense
ly cold. Finding they were ice'bound, the officers
and crew made preparations for passing the Winter
best they could. he chimnles were taken down, the
rigging slowed away and every thing got in readiness
for Winter quarters.
On the 25th OF December twenty lodges of Yankton
Sioux Indians came into Smutty Bears Camp from a
hunting excursion and in Il nearly fanshed con-
dition. They crowded around the boat and picked
up the corn and decayed potatoes that bad been
scattered around The snow was so deep that their
usual supply OF game cut off, and the wolves and
foxes were too scarce to supply their wants.
On the oath of January, the royogenrs experienced
tremendous gale, during which the cabin was shifted
about four inches, Notwithstanding they had taken
the preceuion to secure the pilot house and texas
with guys to the shore and ice and to rig extra iron rods
connecting the first to the boiler deck. The swaying
of the cabin to and fro seemed to cause the hull to
open. Many of the seams above the light water
mark showing daylight.
On the Sd of February they experienced another
heavy gale and more Of the Yankton Sioux came in
from hunting, not overloaded with game. They re-
ported great scarcity of buffalo and elk many OF them
having taken more than enough to supply their i'm
mediate wants. Extreme cold had caused them much
suffering and loss Of many Of their animals and some
of the band had been frozen to death. They made
such constant appeals for bread that they were very
annoying, and there was no means of supplying them.
They were obliged TO subsist entirely on corn which
had been cached in the vicinity during the Fall They
informed the officers that this would not last
them until the corn came in, and thst in the
mean time they must subsist roots and what game
theWnight chance to get.
On the 9th of February they were visited by deci
dedy the most storm of the season and looked
every moment to their cabin swept of. "Lashng
upon ashing no doubt saved it. TIE night was spent
IN watching the issue prepared to meet the worst On
the following morning, the gale abated some what its
fury and the men were sent to the Island below for
| fuel. The wind s0on again, however and the
crew on their return lost their way in the binding
snow-storm. They were going in opposite direction
and would not have found the boat again had il not
be for the assistance of friendly Indian who heard
their outcres and acted their guide. Some of the
party returned with their feet badly frost bitten The
snow at this time was level with the guards Of the
boat clear across the river In order to chop down
trees for fuel the obliged to stand waist deep
IN the snow At the period Of which we speak, in
consequence Of the scarcity Of provisions, only one
ration per day served. This was entirely nsui-
Gent 10 satisfy the keen appetite engendered by the
peculiarities Of the climate. They remained thus Ill
bernaed, and suffering many vicssitudes and pnva'
tons from cold and hunger, until the I'D OF March,
when the ice broke, and they were again afoat. The
precautionary measure had been taken OF erecting
crb" around the boat yet when the ice started the
steamer was in imminent danger of being wrecked
every moment. The vessel, however was rescued
from this new peril, and after encounterng many Oh.
sacles from ice and storms they reached Fort Randall
ON the Let of May and Fort Pierre the 18th OF the
same month. On the 18th Of May they were "home-
ward bound" and arrived at st. Louis, a. we have
stated. last Saturday Notwithstanding the many per-
lis and hardshps OF this tedious trip the men gener
ally preserved excellent health and spirits, and, with
the exception OF their Drowned and weather
eountenances, look mono the worse tor wear.