Des Arc citizen., 1859-11-16
For the Des Arc Citizen.
 TALEauAH, CHEROKEE NATION, } 5. October, 3, 1859.

\ MR. EDrToR. Thinking perhaps l
 might be matter of some interest to yol to hear from this region. I concluded as
 had a few hours leisure to give you few
 passing events.
 ] placed my foot on Indian soil, for the first time, opposite Fort Smith, and com. menced my tour for the Creeke Agency distance of about eighty miles. Twen- ty-eighs miles brought me to the place where I took dinner with Cherokee In. dian, his wife at one head of the table, be at the side, another Indian on the other side, and at the head. He spoke Eng. fish very well--every thing was very nice. Yeti could not keep my eyes off of the Indians, it looked so odd to one that had never seen many Indians. His wife set very erect, eat nothing, and did not ap- pear to be in the right place; though she kept the flies of the table and poured out the milk. After dinner l continued my journey and fell in with very intelligent Indian, and you may well imagine asked him a world of questions. He answered me promptly and w;llingly-I mus. here tell you part of his conversation. asked him what was the religious senli- ment of his people He looked at me, hesitaled for a moment, and then said, ssthe Baptist have majority of members most all the negroes and ignorant l.boods are members of the Baptist church, the half- breeds and more intelligent Indians belong 10 the Methodists and Presbyte- rians.' Dark safely lodged me under the roof of Cherokee's house. forty-five miles from where l breakfasted. Being very much fatigued l threw myself on bed until supper. After supper,I looked on the bed and an Indian had taken my place. We'll, waited very inpatiently to find out where was to lie, after while was informed that 1 would sleep in an office fifty steps from the house, in a bed with another gentleman, and there I saw a sight l never saw before--a bed on the floor, and on 1t two white men, and an h. dian in the middle. The middle man kept warm. but I have my doubts as to whether the out side men were warm as t was quite cool night.
 The next morning commenced my Journey alone, passing but few houses turing the day, but through one of the most beautiful and picturesque countries ever saw, diversified with hills, hollows, pra- ,ies, timber and rocks-the greater por- ion Of the country was prairie. I could see many miles off, lodges of mountains ooking beautifuiin the extreme. I can not describe t better than 10 say it looked
 ike a blue canvas, scolloped. Quite lumber Of cattle can be seen grazing. many of them far off.
 Nigh. brought me to the Creek Agen. y, beautiful location with half dozen good stores doing an immense business. entirely surrounded by pralries. Most of he inhabitants are half- breeds and whites. and cleverer set of men can no where be found 1 met with Rev. MT. Slower. a Methodist preacher, who has been out here four years. The natives, he says, take deep interest in relIgIon-lhey have had several camp meetings in the Nation, and many joined the church. IF After remaining two days at the Agency Left for Talequah, crossing the Arkansas at the junction of Grand river. The Ar kansas here is quite small stream Grand river is beautiful stream, perfect-
 ly clear. Fort Gibson is two miles up
 it, beautiful location doing consider able bushes. The land on this river IS very rich-it is said to be the best portion
 of the Cherokee Nation-the country is
 we'll watered, many fine springs breaking
 out on the road side. One mile from this place is the Female Seminary, beautiful
 brick building, and one mile from that IS the Male Seminary. built after the same
 plan. They have no school at either their education annuity having been ex- hausted in erecting the buildings. They
 will pershaps commence soon, as efforts
 are now being made. The Council is in
 session. The Cherokee form ol govern
 ment IS similar to ours but called by differ
 ent names The Chief, John Ross, acts as Governor. the Committee as Senate
 and the Council as House of Representa-
 lives. They are elected for four years
 The Committee are quite an intellgen oody-the Council mostly full-blood In dians. More than half of the Commi.te are hali-bfeeds. heard the Chiefs mes
 sage read. il was read in both Englis and Cherokee: if wa ( a yvau wri,tan dot