Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-08-22
THE AMERICAN DESERTS


''the DESERT" widely differing from the popu-
lar notions. He says:
Ihero is radical miSapprehension in the
| popular mind as to the true character of the
''Great Plains of America as complete as
that which pervaded Europe respecting the At
lantlc ocean during the whole historic period
| prior to Columbus. These plains are not des-
erts, but the opposite, and are the cardinal ba-
Sis OF the future empire of commerce and in
dustry now erecting itself upon the North A
merlcan continent. They are calcarious and
| form the pastoral garden OF the world. Their
| position and may be understood. The
meridian line which terminates the States of
Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri and Iowa on the
west, forms their eastern limit, and the Rocky
Mountain crest their western limit. Between
these limits they occupy longitudinal paral-
telegram of less than 900 miles in width. ex-
tending from the Texas to the Arctic coast.
There is no timber upon them, and single
| trees are scarce. They have a gentle slope
from the west to the east, and abound in rv-
ers. They are clad thick with nutritious
grasses, and swarm with animal life. The soil
is not slllclous or sandy, but is fine calcari-
Gus mold. They run smoothly out to the nav
igable rivers, the Missouri, Mississippi. and
st. Lawrence, and to the Texan coast The
mountain masses toward the Pacific form no
serious barrier between them and that ocean.
No potion oil their whole sweep of surface is
more than one thousand miles from the best
navigation. The prospect is everywhere gent
ly unduiatiDg and graceful, being bounded as
on the ocean, by the horizon. Storms are
rare: except during the melting of the SHOWS
upon the crest of the Rocky Mountains The
climate is comparatively rainless the rivers
serve, like the Nile, to Trigate rather than
drain the neighboring surface, and have few
affiuents. They all run from west to east, hav-
ing beds shallow and broad, and the basins
through which they flow are fiat, long and mar.
Il1ao q ~ ,EEIf IL.
alent to the surface of the twenty-four States
between the Mississippi and the Atlantic sea,
but they are one homogeneous formation,
smooth, uniform, and continuous, without a
single abrupt mountain, timbered space, des-
ert, or lake. From their ample dimensions
and position they define themselves to be the
pasture fields of the porld. Upon them pasto-
raj agriculture viii become a separate grand
department of national industry.
The pastoral characteristic, being novel to |
our people, needs minute explanation. In |
traverSing the continent from the Atlantic |
Beach to the South Pass, the point of greatest |
altitude and remoteness from the sea, we cross |
successfully the timbered region, the prairie |
region of soft soil and long annual grasses, and |
finally the great plains. The two first are irri- |
gated by the rains coming from the sea, and |
are arabic. The last is rainless, of compact |
soil, resisting the pillow, and is, therefore, pas
forat. The heritage is peculiarly adapted to
mosphere, and is perennial. 1t is edible and
nutritious throughout the year. This is sgram-
MAJ or 'sBuffalO grass.' 1t covers the ground
one inch in height, has the appearance of a
delicate moss, and its leaf has the fineness and
spiral texture of ncgro's hair. During the
melting of the SHOWS in the immense noun
tain masses ,at the back of the great plains,
the rivers swell like the n lie, and yield a CO.
pious evaporation in their long, sinuous cour-
ses across the plains storm clouds gather on
the SUBMITS, roll down the mountain hanks,
and discharge themselves in vernal showers.
During this temporary prevalence of moist at
mosphere, these delicate grasses grow, seed in
the root, and are cured into hay upon the ground
by the gradual returning drouth. 1t is in this
longitudinal belt of perennial pasture upon
which the Buffalo finds his ,0inter food, dwell
ing upon it without regard to latitude, and
here are the infinite herds OF aboriginal cattle
peculiar to North America-buialow wild hor-
ses, elk, antelope, white and black tailed deer,
sheep, the grizzly bear, wolves, the
hare, badger, porcupine, and smaller animals
The aggregate number of this
cattle, by calculation from sound data exceeds
one hundred million. No annual fires ever
sweep over the great plains; these are con-
fined to the prairie region.
The great plains also swarm with poultry
the turkey, the mountain cock the prairie
cock, the Sandhill crane, the curlew water
fowl of every variety, the swan, goose, brant
reptiles; the horned frog . birds of prey, ca
giles, vultureS, the raven, and the small birds
Of game and song. The streams abound in
fish. Dogs and demi-wolves abound, and buff
Ialo are found in great numbers. The i'm
mense population of nomadic Indians, lately a
million in number, have, from immemorial an
tiquity, subsisted exclusively upon these alb
original herds, being unacquainted with any
kind of agriculture, or the habtual use of veg
etable food or fruits. From this source the
Iolu |
his fuel, harness, clothing, bed, his ornaments,
weapons and utensils. Here is his sole de-
Dendence from the beginning to the end of his
The innumerable carniverous ami ,
mails also subsst upan them. The buffalo a
one have appeared to me as numerous as the
American people, and to inhabit uniformly
arge space of country. The buffalo robe at
once suggests his adaptabilHy to winter eli
nate. The plains embrace very ample pro-
portion of arabic soil for farms. The ssbOt-
oms" of the rivers are very broad and level, I
laving only few inches of elevation above /
he waters, which descend by rapid and even
current. They may be easily and cheaply sat-
lrated by all the various systems of irrigation,
zequias, artesian wells, or flooding by ma !
;hinery. Under this treatment the soils, be- ,
ng aluvial and calcarious, both from the snl- !
)hate and carbonate formations, return a pro- | {
ligious Weld, and independ ent of the sea-
ons. Every variety of grain, grass, vegeta- .
DE, the grape and fruits, flax, hemp, cotton t
md the fora, under perpetual sun, and irri- {
rated at the root, attain extraordinary vigor, 7
lavor and beauty. I
The great plains abound in fuel, and the ma
eras for dwellings and fencing. Bituminous I
.oa is everywhere interstratified with the cal I
,arious and sandstone formation !; it is also a
,undant in the fianks of the mountains, and is
conveniently accessible. The dung (
If the buffalo is scattered everywhere. The T
of unr fob 10 nufh hofr cod hu c