The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-11
FROM THE PLAINS.
Fort ELLswoRrH, KANSAS,
AnUOSt ~ IRI;R

l
prising our little military family hUs
been disturbed by tho introduction by
one of our members of two grHCeless
scnmpS, JnO. BArlOyCOrn and .. Rie,
who arc generally tho primitive cause
OF so much trouble in families not mili-
tnry. 1t would have been my great
pleasure to have been moro frequent
correspondent, but was deprived of that
satisfaction for the above reason. JnO.
aud .. kicked up such tHntrums that l
was fMin TO fly their proximity, and
Rtter many applications for permission
from tho decentralization Otllce" ut
Fort LeNVenwOrth, l at length sue
CGCdod.
Fort Kearney having been tho scene
OF ono of the most diSRgreenble periods
of my life, 1t was not long after the re-
Ceipt of my ordOr to start for Ellsworth
that was prepared TO move.
Before the sun went down we deter
mined to be on our way. Bundling
books, papers, coats, boots, dressing
gown, slippers, saddles, brides, dutch
oven, stew pans, and Il whole host of
etcetCras chNOticNlly into cracker boxes,
champagne baskets and trunks, We
were soon ready. 1t don't take bach
elOr long to make preparations for
travelling, and especially when he is "a
soldier.
All aboard! shouted my compdgmOm
titt VOyGSe, Hs still linger to say good
bye to, and clasp the hands OF those
who had been my friends and Comp4n-
ions during the past winter and spring.
On tho plains, where society is SO
sparse, one becomes so deeply attached
to his associates that, be they man or
brute, (they are sometimes OF necessity
the latter, he separates from thom with
reluctance almost ineXpreSSiblC.
could imagine just then what IL pnng II
must have cost old Robinson Crusoe
to part With tho rocks and trees, and the
dumb animals who had so long been
his only companions in that remote
solitude.
With my bundle of bed clothes on my
back, my cOmmissnry department, n
box containing II few cans of
steamed oysters, aud two pounds
of sweet crackers, under one
two revOlverS and IL sCalping knife,
under the other, stepped on board,
followed by my atfectionate friend
/ Patsy.
There was no magnificent or luxu-
| rious cabin to enter, with its soft and
finely woven carpet, painted and gild-
7 ed wood work, etched glass sky-lightS
and ventilators, to soften and subdue
the light; no cushioned arm chairs in
, which TO sit and contemplate the ever
changing panorama of wild western
I scenery. No extensive dinuer tables,
from which to supply tho elmer man.
with dainty cuts of roast pork,
roast mutton and roast beef, nc.
cOmpanied by green peas, string beans
/ new potatoes, light bread and butter,
with desert of ice cream, Strawberries
and cake. No berths, with their spring
mattresses and snowy sheets, inviting
/ one SO SeduCtively to n comfortable nf.
ternoon "snOoze" after partaking heart
I lily of the above. No inner temple, nc
3 10 OF rnfN Nhn,i
from side to side, beyond whose sacred
folds you dare not advance, Il speak tC
bachelOTs,l wherein those angels in pet.
ticoatS are wont to conceal themselves
so mysteriOusly. l speak, my friends
| OF the ladies cabin, that strange place
into which we have so often cast Sleeps
| eyes at the aforesaid angels. Nor hRG
we there stuck up in n convenient cor.
nCr the bUr-roon, with its host of Cul
| glass goblets and deCanterS, where tht
hot and thirsty could imbibe refreshing
cobblers, mint iuleps, whisky Sours, and
that nectar of which tho old German
I Gods, we are informed in mythology
quRtfed huge goblets known as Lager
No laundering, deep-tOned bell sig
nailed our departure; no hoarse grOwl
ing puff of steam, or revolution OF pad
die ngitated the quiet in air or water
We simply placed our long pole against
the bank and showed Off our little raft
arm chair, our table, our ladies' cabin
our bar room, our everything. In llel
of white sheets we were content will
Buffalo robes; for spring mnttrasS W.
sought soft board for cobblers anC
lager, we had Platte river water.
1t was our intention to navigate thu
trencherous Platte $50 called) by thil
primitive mode of transportation, a!
far as Columbus, one hundred AnC
fifty miles below kearney. Our friend,
advised us to give up the proposed triI
and go by stage or RmbulanCe; 1t wal
too dangerous; but that wns too tam,
an idea. We desired the romance an,
the danger. Thousands had gone by
land, few by water; we desired to e
the way of the few; and we did.
WASN'T" II delightful, this way o
travelling? All, but II was. One fel
SO independent.
We sat hugging our knees, yer,
comfortable position, and watched tn
bluffs and green banks as we lonteC
liar beauty, which then rs the shadow
: fell on their eastern slopes, looked lik
Immense waves bending over ant
breaking with an emerald spray.
Our course was not expected by an,
means to be an unimpeded one; ther
were sandbars without number. w
calculated on striking some, nor wer
we disappointed. Overheard we wOult
go, nl except Patsy; our legs wer
our spars, our hands our monkey-en
engines. We would soon be oil. Hov
many times we went through this per
formance before finishing our jOurne,
cannot state, but II was vast mum
Der.
The scenery at this time of year n
we flOated down, was ofthe most beau
, tiful and fairy-like character. Th
Platte River, as / mentioned in pre-
vious letter, Is in places filled witt
hundreds OF islands, separated b.
channels, more or less wide and swirl
The smaller islands, called STOW
heads" arc covered by n growth of tai
rank grass and low bushes. Others
, quite large, are covered with groves q
! huge old giant cottonwoods, witt
/ with beautiful vines, as If for mutua
: support ngninst the fierce attucks @
Old King Storm, while the ground be
tween was covered with an Rlmos
tropical growth of bushes and trailing
, vines, SO kuOtted and massed that I
force an entrance among them was a
impOssibility. II did not require Il sc
we're stretch of the imagination to ena
bio ono to fancy himself in some on
chanted garden, like Aladdin of tn
Arabian Nights.
Bright plumaged birds twittercd an
sang, and flashed in and out of til
deep shadows of those grand oil
trees, or darted quick as lightning i
innocent play among the dense gree
shrubbery. The wood pigeon with IL
low mOurnful coo-woo, lent shudo {
sadness, while the partridge, with II
quick far renching call, "i5ob White,
counterbalanced it with n spirit Of iih
Beautiful wild flowers were In bloom
immense bushes of wild rosna hnnL OVf