The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-04-13

| below. lhat taStldlouS portion OF society
which reads Fanny Fern, and yellow cover,
ed novels, may object to passage or two in
the letter, but as it was not written for pub.
lication, we beg the reader to pardon John,
and attribute all the wickedncss of the epis-
tie to the TINES. So long as Statuary and
Painting arc the rage Of our upper circles
there is no manifest improperly in CRITICS
ing animated excellenccs wherever they
may be discovered.
Coon RIVER ENcAxpMENr--near Adell,
Dallas Co., Iowa, March oath, 1859 {
Dear w ILL:--I had intended to write
you long letter from Ft. Desmoines but an
unusual stupidity, consequent upon exten-
sive and long continued fatigue, precludcd
the performance of that pleasing duty.
My last epistle to McGrcgor addressed
to Col r. left me at farm house five miles
north Of Independence now propose to
describe our programme from that point to
our present location on the banks of Coon
River. On Friday, the 1lth, at ii o'clock
(having travelled over a road that defies
description), we reached the beautiful town
Of Independence where we met with n. NJ
Tuttle, d. s. Lee and several old acauain-
ces. Tarrying until after dinner, we hasten
| ed Southwark, hoping to make twelve miles
in the afternoon, but formidable snow
storm compelled us to halt at the end of
four miles. We were comfortably provided
for during the night, and had no reason to
! regret our delay. Early On Saturday morn
ing we were on the road, hurrying on at as
rapid pace as the snow and frozen ground
| would permit. At o'clock in the after
noon we reached the Cedar Bottom where
we found fouror five teams which had been
waiting week or more for the river to fall
-fording they considered impossible
We encamped alongside Of them and anxi-
| ousl y awaited the the coming of Sunday
morn. 1t came, ushered in by beautiful
sun, and we were quite confident that night
would find us on the othcrside ofthc stream
but soon ascertaining that the river had
risen four inches during the night, (instead
of talling) we concluded to sojourn until
Monday. Unable to attend church Gas is
our custom on the holy day. and unwilling
to spend the Sabbath in absolute idleness,
we resolved to visit band of Pottawotamie
Indians who were encamped on an Island,
three miles above us, engaged in making
maple sugar. | have not time to give you
description Of their wigwams, their COM
Portable contrivances mode of living &C.
We saw several beautiful squaws, and, as
matter of course, passed our time agrecably.
These squaws, generally, are possessed of
very pretty feet, but their calves are far less
plump and rotund than those of our white
Iowa women. What greater ornament can
a woman possess than nice, plump, ro-
bust calf! | once saw pair in McGrcgor
(it wasn't MY fault-the wind revealed
them whose faultless symmetry would far
excel the famous Greek Slave, or any other
work that chisel ever made. Oh! they
We're beautiful beyond the power of pen to
describe, and would give more to see them
again, even at Il distance, and through a
yhole, than would to see all the muse
ums and manageries that travel the world
in the language ofTeabout, ''it makes me
laugh''-but digress.
Having dallicd with the Indians to our
satisfaction, we hurried towards camp by Il
nearer route. Several streams were before
us which we succeeded in crossing by cling
ing ON to brush, bushes, logs, poles and
whatever lay withen our reach. We had
crossed all but one, and was making my
way over charmingly on slender pole,
when, suddenly, a treacherous twig, to
which | was clinging for support, gave way
and your unfortunate brother was precipi-
tated backwards into the merciless stream.
Happily the water was only three feet in
depth, and escaped with merely cold inn
mersion-quickly arose, like the Phoenix
from the ashes, and made better time to the
camp fires than Blink Bonny ever made in
her palmiest days. have heard of persons
being wet TO the skin, but I was wet
THROUGH the skin. I felt as aquatic as a
young ocean. My flesh seemed fishy-and
had it not for my whiskers could scarcely
have realized that belonged to the genus
homo. Arrived at the fires, I dotted my
dripping garments, and began to dry
Having succeeded in this experiment, l ar
rayed myselfin new apparel, (who wouldn't
change clothes on Sunday y lighted my pipe
and feltas comfortable and happy as though
l had been lord of thousand isles.
Late in the afternoon we were overjoyed to
see Fales, W Wooliscroft, Davis and George
bearing down upon Us. We had a merry
talk, merry laugh and went to bed, Won
dering five should ever be able to cross the
Cedar. On the following morn we arose
early, and discovered to our horror that the
river had risen six inches during the night
The prospect was gloomy in the extreme,
but something brought to mind the old
song
81 can but perish 60,
am resolved to try,"-
and we determined to cross at all hazards.
Fales engaged yoke of experienced oxen
and trusty guide-we followed behind
with our noble mares-the order was given
to march, so
sin We plunged boldly, ...
No matter how coldly
The rough river ran" -
The oxen swan Justify but the current
bore them down the stream-the wagon
lodged against tree, and our case seemed
hopeless, but the guide leaped from his seat,
disentangled the wheels, and after great
difficulty reached the opposite bank. Our
team crossed with less trouble although the
wagon was nearly upset q had forgotten to
mention that the Bottom at this point is
trayersed by numberless streams issuing
from the Cedar, all of them very rapid, and
some of them very deep. These streams
are full OF brush and fallen timber, thus
rendering passage over extremely peri
lous. Footmen can cross with less danger.
The wagons proceeded on their way through
the mud, brush and swollen streams until
they reached the bridge. Woolliscroft and
| remained behind, talking with the Indians
until we discovered that we Were very far
in the rear-at least fifteen streams rolled
between us and the teams and often we
were compelled to walk up or down half a
mile before we could effect crossing-we
leaped from stump to stump, and from
brush heap to brush heap with an agility
that would have done honor to Gabe Ravel
Half the time up to our knees in water, and
almost exhausted it seemed impossible to