Nebraska advertiser., 1859-09-15
Trip to Table Rock.

and crossing the Little Nemaha at Mel
WINS Mills after travelling some ten or
twelve miles over a most beautiful and
rolling prairie, with here and there "a
claim shanty'' and small patch of breaking,
the firing monotony of the almost bound
less prairie was broken by the beautiful
slips of timber -skirting the limpid waters
of the serpentine muddy Creek" Here
and there, you see the peaceful abode of
the independent squatter, surrounded with
his prolific garden and fine fields of corn.
A few miles further on, after crossing
another "divide,' we passed ''the little
muddy" and were soon in view of another
most delightful creek, called "Long
Branch" 1t does one good to see its
clear waters gurgling over its rocky bed,
hurrying along to loose itself in the turbid
waters Of the great Missouri. Here, too,
we see several good houses and we'll i'm
proved farms, around which "there re-
maineth yet very much to land TO be pos
~sesseSsed." A little further on, upon
rising another beautiful divide" you be-
hold "Kirkham's Branch" skirted on
either side with fine slips of timber, and
studded with the homes of the Industrious
pioneer, pitching i'm to improve his farm
and obtain his "bread by the sweat Of his
face" Having assembled another "divide,"
il is now dark-the route is new and the
road dim ; and being weary and in doubt
about the way, we were encouraged on a
sudden, by the light of a distant village,
and rounding the base of a rocky bluff
we were made glad by the noise and light
of the Table Rock Mills. These, owned
by Mr.. Hoadley, situated on the west bank
of the north branch of the Big Nemaha,
in the midst Of a comparatively thick
settled and well improved country. The
mill seat is excellent. The mills, built
upon a rock foundation and with plenty Of
water and a good fall, do quite an extern
sive business. A new Bolter and Smut
Machine are about to be put in, and all
things made ready for making good -four.
The current of the river here, with a
rocky bottom, is quite rapid. The bottom
is wide and very fertile, timber and
good building stone are plenty.
Hard by the mills is the Nebraska Gu
riosity. What is it? A strange and
none-such rock. 'Tis hard to describe
As you approach it, you look and gaze
with wonder and surprise. There it
stands-a freG monument of the handi-
work of Him who commanded, and it
stood fast" AS you draw near, you ex-
claim how wonderful! From top to bottom
it is about 80 feet. Although it is one, it
may be said to consist of three parts
the base-middle-top, or rather body,
head and neck. In form, it somewhat re-
sembles, (viewed at a distance the chest,
neck and head of a man. The lower, or
main part of it, Is very soft, easily cut
with a knife, and is about "A feet in
diameter at the base, tapering to the
height of near 90 feet, in the form of a
cone, to the neck, which is divided into
two parts, with a hole through which a
man can easily creep. The neck, or con-
Meeting link, is neal four feet long and is
like the base very soft. The top part, or
head, is hard sand stone and widens out
somewhat in the shape of a turnip,
strangely cemented or connected to the
neck, and is of a diversified strata. It
contains many Indian hieroglyphics or cuts
of Indians on horseback and engraven
with the knife or dart. Many whites
have undertaken to immortalize them
selves, by engraving their names thereon.
1t, and the trees close by, were formerly
all strung round with indian beads, and
many suppose it has been an object of
worship or alteration to "the poor Indian"
Without doubt, it is the greatest curiosity
yet discovered in Nebraska. There are
others very singular close by, which clear
ly show that the whole hill side has under
gone a great CONFUSION.
A mile or twofurther up, is the beauti-
full village of Table Rock, situated in
Pawnee county, along the waters of the
Nemaha, almost surrounded with fine
groves of timber. and most splendid slopes
for building sites. The society is very
good-most of the people belong to the
Methodist Church. We enjoyed, very
pleasantly, the hospitality of Rev. Mr..
Giddings, and preached in his house one
evening, with but a short notice, to good
congregation. And, although the even
ing was wet and unfavorable, yet the
whole town turned out. This is encour-
aging. There is not a drinking saloon in
the place. A camp-meeting viii com
mence this weekina grove hard by. The
own is improving and will no doubt,