Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-05-29

in mile of Cato which by the by has
only one house in it. Here we encamp-
ed for the nigh, and determined we would
90 no further south, but spend couple of
days looking a, the country around here
and then return. We are now $50 miles
from Topeka and the country is the finest
we have yet seen, having all the advanta-
ges that nature can bestow, plenty Of wood
and water and fine soil. The troubles
have not extended into this neighborhood,
and the people are plain, peaceatle and
industrious. After we had finished our
supper several persons living in The neigh
borhood called TO see us at our camp, and
we sat up till o'clock listening to their
accounts of the country, people, &c. They
seemed very anxious ioI US 10 locate a
mong them and take claims. All the tim
Der claims were taken up but great ma
ny prairie claims yet untaken. They also
invited US TO a meeting to be held next
day in the neighborbood to make arrange
ments for school and attend TO other
business. Went 10 bed tonight with
strong apprehensions of having good
duckng before morning, as there was
strong appearance Of rain.
Saturday, March GIVE escaped last
night with only slight shower, whish
we did not mind much as we were well
covered up and had good fire at our feet.
Eat late breakfast this morning as we
were in no hurry to get off, as we had
determined 10 spend the day looking about
Us aud talking with the inhabitants so as
10 get all the necessary information. Had
| rather poor breakfast this morning az
our meat and sugar were out and we were
not able TO procure any al the Fort, so we
, were forced to drink our coffee in lis pure
state, unadulterated with cream or sugar.
5 Made our meal principally of Of potatoes
s and bread. Quite number of persons
called TO see us this morning, among the
e number Col Arnett of Fort Scott WHO is
a one Of the owners Of Cato, he was very
] anxious for us TO settle here and take an
I interest in The town. At eleven o'clock
t we packed up our effects and moved our
; Camp across the Dry Wood Creek, about
) mile distant, where there was better
place TO camp and spend Sunday. We er-
) camped on the town site Of Mount Merit
| "a town lately laid off by some gentlemen
from Topeka. a rival 10 Cato, and which
a IN my own mind | give the preference on
: account of its superior situation. In fact
: i, was from these gentlemen's description
E of the country that we came 10 see 1t. we
S placed our camp in small grove with
e large spring close by. We constructed a
e chimney of loose stone and built large
f fire Of stone coal which abounds in this
e neighborhood. We found the finest kind
: close to our camp in the ravine which the
g spring formed, and in few minutes cut
= out with an axe enough TO last US for tw o
or three days. After unloading our wagon
8 and turning the mules out TO Craze on the
s town site Qor as We, there are no houses
{ on it) wa prepared our camp, and started
e out with some Of the neighbors 10 look al
0 the country. One Of our guides was a
t fellow over six feet high and dressed in a
: suite of red from head TO foot, with rifle
J. across his shoulder. lie was very good
d man however and Of great service TO Us.
r We are now in the finest portion Of Kan
e sss in my opinion. There is more TIM
b. Der ant water here than in any portion of
e the country have seen. Rich land, Dry
: Wood, Bone Legs, Pawnee and Light
t ming creeks, with heavy bodies of timber
: on their banks all in circuit of 5 miles
" around us.
5 We are in the section Of country where
: the water begins to separate and change
e their courses, the first half Of these streams
0 keep 10 the Wes, and empty their waters
n into the Missouri, the last two ctange
their course 60 south and empty into the
: Arkansas, thence into the Mississippi.
. There seems to be every thing here that
. We could desire in new country. Plenty
: of the finest stone for building, coal wood
, and water in abundance, soil as fine as
{ have seen any where.
! Mt. Merritt is situated on high bluff
over looking the whole country. At the
foot Of the cliff flows the "Dry Wood"
deep stream with a fine strong bottom,
abounding in fish. We are within six
miles of the Missouri line on the east, Is
to the Usage Nation on the West, and
five miles on the South from the Neutral
Iands of The Cherokees, $50 called from
being morigaged TO the Government.)
The main body OF the tribe lives 80 miles
further south.
There is delegation now in Washing
ton of the Cherokee Indians trying TO sell
this Neutral land 10 Government at 96
cents an acre. The neutral land extends
South so miles, to the Indian Territory
where the Cherokees have large farms and
\ soma nl ihan, nvn Sl nanrnes and are