Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-01-27

Aust ~ Wy WV Ou0 btAAueSUb0eCby
suggested that some Of 10 would 49, esy
much 70 sss the wondrous falls of he
great Missouri, and seriously protested
chat nothing would AFFORD moro pleasure
- myself for one than . sight's rest by
he sumbling waters side thsnGh l 1--we
reason 10 suspect tia, at the same time ]
would have gladly escheved forever the
desire Or intent 70 see oil the falls in the
known world, Nisgsra included, for cup
Of the dirtisst juice that tsDbIss ovss si.
Their Of them. However the suggestion
wss we'll received aud econ found An able
ally in the Colonel, whose torrents we're
rendered doubly severe BY trasient though
severe fever. With his accustomed decis-
ION and prompsness he pronounced Sun
river . humbsg, - We were likely to be
pretty we'll dried up internally before We
could possibly reach il, and Immediately
effected . change in our course TO the
south. A. 70 nsared the river our inps-
sience made il seem y receds, until ct
length the Major, the Colonel, myself and
One other stirred our horses into . full gal.
lop and scAmpered on. each rs fast - bis
horse could carry hin. A nice little run
Of two or three miles brought " 70 The
edge Of . stesp, abrupt bluff, towering
some four or 1--WE hundred feet above The
bsd Of the river. The distance vas not
great, yet We found the descent difficult
and tedious, and We were . full half hour
in clsmbering down the slope Of s''cooley,' y
(guily), sometimes following in its rocky
bed, and again pursuing the dubious way
Of the marrow sheep path along it's precip
itous banks, until st length we reaehed
tie rivers eide
10 W pluDgsd-man and horse-nor
Was word spoken, or even thought taken,
in regard TO the magnificent and startling
scenery which surrounded vs. Is we issued
out Of that Cooley until we had swilled
our gil. When 1t length our thirst was
sufficiently sllsyed to allow US to lift our
heads and open our eyes, We found that
Ne bad kneeled almost upon the very
brink Of the Big Falls Of the great Mis-
souri,; 90 near indeed that the drops Of
water which gurgled by our parched lips
and barely escaped our 6rst suck, had
leaped over the precipice and contributed
each their mite 70 the tremendous roar
and brilliant spray Of one Of natures
Hrsndest cstarscts, long before We slipped
our con,entirg drsught
From where Ne stood, above tie fall, We
watched the current - it glided swiftly
on, it, speed and power family indicated
By the rapidly and unessiness Of the
harmless chip which danced and tossed
upon it, surface, until suddenly it vas los,
il the abrupt obscurity Of an abyss near
ose hundred feet deep.
The bed Of the river 10 about one hun
dred and 6fty feet wide, shut in by barren
and almost perpendicular bluffs which rise
mp near four hundred feet in all the rough
grandeur Of natures widest mechanism,
from the very waters edge. Confined
within this marrow channel. the mighty
Missouri rusbes On in enc shallow flood,
varying in depth from one to two feet. un
sil the brink 10 reached and the whole
sheet precipitated over . perpendicular
rock full ninety feet, from the bottom Of
which il gradually frees itself from the
tossing and turmoil Of its astonshed wa.
tiers, and resuming its usual modest air Of
sober quiet, again flows smoothly ON, un.
conscious Of and uncsring for its recen,
ludicrous attempt to run along wi,hou.
touching bottom
My serious contemplation Of the scene.
novel and grand IS it appeared, Was sud-
denly interrupted by Col. VAUGHAN re.
marking, with come bitterness, thought
81 took nv last look, and bid everlasting
forewell to this COMPOUNDED place the 9th.
rr day, and now ] do hope I've seen it fol
the very last time y
turned round and found I was the sin
gle admirer of natures picture. Is the
Major was up to bis knees in the river
enjoying demi- bath, coolly intent upon
refreshing his pedal extremities, and the
Coloael stretched listlessly upon smooth
rock, neither caring . FIX for the Falls
Both l learned had seen the sight before
Indeed it had been but = few days since
the Colonel, while out land looking with
. party of gentlemen, had put into the
came place in great distress, ss their cool
was lost, with all their bread and baggage
and their only provision for the day and
night was deer's head, which be haQ
snstchcd almost from VOLTS mouth.
But it was growing late, and it behoovec
10 70 seek wood and grass sufficient fol
ourselves and animals for the night
Therefore taking another draught from
the river, We turned without regret from
the big falls, and leading, or driving. oul
horses, commenced precarious ascent Of
the bluff: and in . short time the rock W,
successfully scrambled over. when satisfied
and weary We mounted our horses again
on the high prairie.
Pursuing . small path or trail along ths
edge Of the bluH-said to be the sam.
frat followed BY LEWIS and CLARKE many
years ago in making portage around the
Falb--we clambered along the sides O
the steep bluffs and crossed tbs deer
"eooleys," slowly and YEARLY travelling
four long miles Of the toughest rood inag
Unable, until at sunss. we came 70 III
Horseshoe Falls. Here we made another
zig Tag descent to the river, and pitched
our tent in small grassy bottom not ex.
ceediDg ten acres in area, little below
and in full view Of the fall. Scarcely 4
glance was bestowed upon the cataract
% every one was nimhly intent upon sat
isfying the cravings OF the Muscular maj
a. soon - possible, and busted himself il
pitching the tent, building FIRE, making
down the beds. or doing up the chore,
about camp before II should be quite dark
In tho general hubbub our dark friend o
the pots and pans was quietly flying around
the IRE, AID with his accustomed alacrit,
. little preceded the blank blackness o
night BY the softer and to us more inter
es;ing hive Of cup Of rich coffee.
Soon the men we're suppered. Ne hors
~ hobbled, the consolirg pipe smoked
and everybody comfortably blanketed fo
the second nigh. in camp. Our limb
we're weary, our beds soft as down, tn,
more wAkefui, senses soothed to quiet b,
the eternal lullaby Of the caiaraets wa
tiers near us, and soon the deep stilMes,