The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-07-31
From the st. Louis Democrat.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE
UPPER MISSOURI RIVER.
Interesting Description, BY Tourist, Of the
Country, scenery, Villages, &c.

UPPER MISSOURI RIVER
Interesting Descripsion, by . Tourist, Of tn
Country, Scenery, Villages, &c.
Nothing could prove more interesting t
the scientific world than an accurate an
comprehensive sketch of that vast region 0
country drained by the mighty Missouri an
its numerous tributaries. But the accom-
plishment of so great an undertaking woul
require years Of toll and travel, and tn
expenditure Of large sums of money. A.
account of "Les Mauvaises Teries," or Ba
Lands, would alone require months Of labo
and volumes of explanation, to say nothiD
of the difficulties Of traversing the solitary
silent and desolate regions known as tn
Sand Hills, or the unlimited field for re
search in the great Miguite Basin, over tn
erous and cretaceous systems predominant
The Missouri-the longest river in tn
worlds for many reasons the most pecu
liar. Rising in the mountains of the extrem
North, in region of perpetual snow, ant
three thousand FIVE hundred miles, and trav
ersing varied regions of country, it still
preserves, through its whole course nearly
|
same remarkable turbidity of its water
characterizes it through its whole course
Its tributaries are very numerous, and many
of them-like the Yellowstone, the Platte
L'Eau qui Court, Riviere a Jaques anG
White River-drain vast extent of country
and yet not one is navigable, even for small
craft, and during the Autumn their beds are
almost dry. Large steamers have ascended
the Missouri for distance of two thousand
six hundred miles above its mouth, and
judging from its width and depth as far AZ
Milk river, as we'll as from reports of traders
familiar with the stream above that point,
entertain no doubt whatever, that steamers
of light draught, capable of carrying one
hundred tons, can ascend with ease, during
high water, as far as Fort Benton, the high.
est trading point within three hundred
miles of its source.
From Fort Union to Milk river the channe
was more confined, and easier found thar
IN many portions of the lower river, and
nothing except its short curves rendered i,
at all troublesome to navigate. Messrs
Culbertson, Knapp, and others well &C.
quainted with the upper river, are very san
guine about the practicability of running q
steamer to Fort Benton, and l have nc
doubt the experiment will be tried before
many summers pass. The feasibility of the
undertaking should be ascertained, for il
would not only save great expense, worry
and trouble to the Fur Companies, in car.
rying their merchandise to the Blackfeet
Indians (Which now has to be drawn along
shore, by hand, canal boat fashion, for SOC
miIes:) but would also enable our govern.
ment to control and command respect from
the formidable savages occupying the ex.
treme Northwest.
| 1t has been mooted that this would be the
easiest and most agreeable route to Salt
Lake and Oregon. But imagine the cos,
of carrying freight 5000 miles uEa the Mis-.
souri, and then 45O miles overland, to Utah
would be less expeditions and more expen-
sive than the present route. Major Redfeld
thinks better plan would be to cordelle the
freight in Mackinaw boats 800 miles up the
Yellowstone, and then convey it by wagor
along the old trail to Utah. 1t would bt
verv difficult to get it up the Yellowstone.
Prof. Swallow, assisted by Mr.. Meek
Drs. Litton, Shumard and other able men
hpf his EsgasSFsa GreRs ssTyss ss t shs
the world the formations existing along thu
lower Missouri.
Lieutenant j. X. Warren, accompanied
by DR.. J. V. Hayden, W. p. Blake, j. Hud
son Snowden and others, of the Sioux expe
dition. furnished much valuable information
gained during their exploration of the Da
cotah country, 1855.
Neither time nor opportunity will warran
me in rendering detailed account of tn
vast region of country travelled over during
the past forty-fvc days, aud consequent,
| shall only give sketch Of the genera
characteristics of the Valley of the Missouri
from Sioux City to the mouth of Milk rive
the portion which, in a great measure, vii
ever remain a terra incOgnitd to the major
lty Of the American people. Owing to tn
necessity of making most of our landing
on low prairie bottoms, the only place Wher
wood can be had, but few specimens wer
collected, but the banks were examiner
with as much care as practicable, and tn
memoir has at least the merit of truth an
accuracy.
Sioux City, 1850 miles above St. Louis, j
the terminus of civilization of the Uppe
Missouri; for although few white settle
ments are met with above this, still tn
country really belongs to the red man. Th
valley of the Missouri, which widens fror
|
gradually narrows again until at the mout
of the Big Sioux-where we find, for shoi
distance, high banks, and then very 500
come to the beautiful Vermillion prairie
and being portion of the valuable terrific
ry lately sold to the general government b
the Yankton Indians. TLa river is yer
crooked 6: this point, curving upon itsel
until it almost meets-a short cut acros
the country Of FIVE miles equaling forty b
water.
Near the the mouth of Big Sioux is a goo
body of timber, but beyond this we find
scarce, being confined entirely to the islanC
and low prairie bottoms skirting the rive
Vermillion prairie is the most beautif.
agricultural country above st. Joseph, b'
ing rich calcareous and clay sub-soil, co,
cred to O great depth with black mould
The trees are similar to what We find lowe
down, and in addition we have the America
Elm and Box Elder. The river is in place
, wider, straighter and bolder looking tina
below, but generally is shallow and exceed
ingly difficult to navigate. After We pas
the mouth Of Vermillion river, We, for th
first time, find cedars, which for some dis
lance above are quite abundant. just {
the mouth of Riviere Jaques, or Jane
river, the prairie bottom is very wide, an
upland more beautiful than any yet seen.
{ At Basie Bend, three miles beyond,
, another most beautiful bottom prairie, CO,
, cred with rich green grass and trees in {
regular rows as if planted by man. Ju
opposite is high bluff, offering a beautif'
, sight for a town. From Donow's hills v
have the high bluffs on each side, and tt
timber grows very scarce. We see no mol
walnut and blackberry, but cedars begin
appear. The banks much sleeper and higl
D er than below, and show the stratifed laye
of cretaceous and shale formation mo
beautifully. In places the same strata c!
tend four or five hundred yards without Il
least variation in level, thickness, or colo
, and aiTording n striking example of Il
: aqueous formation Of rock.
t The rivers traversing this region are Il
Big Sioux, the Vermllion, James river, ar
L'Eau qui Court, or Rapid river. The la
ter, the most considerable stream we ha,
, passed since leaving the Platte, rises ne'
Raw Hide Peak, not far from Fort Larami
and traverses a great extent of country b,
is not navigable.
Islands between Sioux City and Fo
Randall, q distance of 2lO miles, are qui
numerous, The most important one