The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-02-28

lighted with the country and the
, scenery.
On the 18th the ground was covered
with snow. and the storm was so Sc
we're as TO keep us within doors till
. near noon. Then adding to our
number Mr. CoPLEY and Sir. Dow, we
skirted along the north bank of the
Neosho. trying in vain at several
points to ford it, until we arrived with
in eight miles of Council Grove
Night comidg on, we tarried with Mr..
GODDARD, an eastern gentleman OF
capital and energy, who has erected
a very lovely home, and with his moth
er, brother and wife, and his own fam
lilly, has surrounded himself with many
comforts which we had nowhere seen
in SO great perfection since leaving
Lawrence. He has a school for his
own family, and though remote from
the larger settlements is enjoying life
in very good eastern style. Here was
the first place since leaving home we
were able to get our horses into stable
for the night. We learned from Mr..
G. many facts in regard to the Kan
sas Indians, their lands, DC, which
we shall publish in future number.
| We visited, during the evening, Mr..
CoIrABIA, who has resided five years
at Council Grove, but who has set
tied upon a claim adjoining Mr. God
dard. From him many important
facts were CLEANED which will be of
great service while writing of this re-
gion.
On the morning of the 10Th we
were Joined by the two Goddards and
Mr.. Columbia, making eight in our
party, when we set out for ford,
short distance below their residences,
with the view of exploring the region
between the Neosho and the Cotton
wood. The water had fallen for the
night, and we were enabled to pass
over without difficulty. We found a
very good road, which we learned
came from Fort Riley, by Council
Grove, and followed down between
the two streams to near their junction,
when it crossed the Cottonwood, and
passed down toward the mouth of the
Neosho on the south side. This we
followed, passing over high rolling
prairies, and occasionally small water
courses, with the timber skirting the
two streams visible on either hand.
The rivers run nearly parallel with
each other for fifteen to twenty miles,
varying from three to fifteen miles
apart, and making very lovely region
for future residences, hardly equalled
by any portion of ofKansas. We pass
ed over the site of an Indian town
formerly known as Cohola. This
was deserted by the Kaws, some four
years ago, in consequence of the small
pox breaking out among them, and
carrying off a large number of their
braves. The town was burned, and |
nothing now remains to Indicate the
spot save large number of graves, |
erected in manner peculiar to the
Indians, and piles of rubbish. The
scenery from this point is very bcauti
ful. We stopped but few moments
and resumed our journey to the south
east. AS we approached the junction
of the rivers, the country seemed TO
improve in beauty, and the swells of
the prairie to be very regular, and less
broken, though still very elevated
Some six miles above the mouth
we came to a high elevation, with |
a commanding view of the whole re-
gion. The slope was gradual to the
south, descending quite to the Cot
tonwood. A half mile farther on, we
crossed another of those swells sloping
each way, but its general bearing the
same as the preceding one. We all
stopped and gazed around on the love-
ly prospect. Continuing our course
for perhaps another half mile, we
came to third swell. We learned
that this point was selected last spring,
prior to the breaking out of disturb
ances in Kansas, for town site, with
the intention of erecting a manual Ia
Dor school in the vicinity. This project
was subsequently abandoned because
of the political disturbances in the
Territory. Night approaching very
rapidly, we crossed the Neosho at a
very good ford, almost directly oppo-
site this point, determined to visit it
again on the morrow.
The 20th, we re-crossed the Neosho,
where we forded it the night previous,
and with our horses secured the coun-
try in the vicinity of the Cottonwood,
which we found considerably larger
than the Neosho. We learned that it
was clear flowing stream the whole
year, with an abundance of sand for
building purposes in the bed, while
the Neosho was more turbid, and in
| dry seasons lost itself in the rich allu-
vial soil through which it flows.
At noon we arrived at the same
beautiful elevation we had left the
n;s.bt preyious. which covers nearly