, 1876-11-27

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lattun. Al u IA, IL 10 rapidly aeslltng np and
the people make good living. even tak!ng tho
'hoppcss into consideration; aud It ktanls to
rcatoa that, even II tho grasshoppcrt continue
In a. great numbers az heretofore, the larger
the crops put In tho smaller will DO tic per-
certags destroyed, and therefore the less felt:
The soil Is very rich, deep, aud productive, and
About l2o milea from Yankton We reached tho
last of the outlying settlements, and about
here We began To scs sosne fine herds Of ante
lope. numbering from dozen 10 forty or iltty
iovinE ia, a Tines, ionT @ dI.ta,,ee. Feathtred
gatno wa.. also abundant, ,-sith as Eecse, brant,
and duck. About hero wc entered what
must hare been. within very. lew years,
vast and fayo5ts AVERT hiifalo-rangc, for tho whole
Eonc Of which can cvcn now hc found remnants
Of flesh. and thc whole country ia deeply cut.
at ifeqnsht Intervals, by their wcl,.dcAne1
trails. These praries arc covered, for the most
pars, With luxuriant growth Of rich, nutritious
buflalo-Rrass, which was eagerly tleyourch By
our stock. IN preference even to the blue
Joint, which also grows IN considerable
ceptton OF occasional beds Of aikall, some OF
which have the appearance Of patches ii snow,
being perfectly willie: tho alkalt looking and
tasting like soda, and being, in Some places,
nearly an Inch deep, and producing no vcEcta-
non. nut i, beds Of thts T., kna arc very rare, as,
incorporated Ttth tho soil, and can only be dis
tlnyntsllca from tho general prairie By being
!!ttte bcloF the common level, harder, and pro
ducfhg sparse and mucl, darker vegetation.
cactus,-onc predicting delicious berry, re-
sctnbtlnE . cultivated gooscberry, onty being
lar more Juicy.
We lad no trouble in flrdiuC water while NC
sou, thouGh, with THO exception Of The jim"
l!ivcr aud tew creeks running directly into II,
there ts no rapld.tunning watef.-..tllc creeks
resembling claims Of small ponds
mora thhu anything else; for they crawl along
fur few rods and tleu sink, and rise few rods
!uwer down; The wntcr !s very good, however.
A'ohE tho base Of the CotcAu ues PrRlrlGst or
Coteaus rs they arc generally known, lies
beautiful atid very rlcli piece Of country, en-.
riet'ed hy the eontnuu washing from tho hils;
running streams and occasional timber, and the
htila themselves arc capital ,pasture'laud. l
have used too much space already. perhaps,
giving details; but thought they might lnterest
parity TO some ot the large portion Of our
people WHO arc thinking Ok inmlgrating 10 tho
FaI West
Now Tor q little ianktnn gossip, such NJ
llaye been ablc 10 pick up sihca my rcturl:
Yankton now presents iquite The appearance
now lying along her leyec, md on the ways for
repairs, soo lo9rscen n e. or hteyn s'eat'o9ats,
Turning PAT o. tho l., ncet Nhch Lave ocen keps
70 the Indian lighters, Terry and Crock, In nd
tlition to their usual business OF supplying the
forts anu t.Ve'lCies above. Tue boats are all
down 7oa,. with the exception OF the Fon-
tanele. Of St. Louis. which is stu W tue river
nnd VIII pTobaa'ly stay there TIL next spring. as
the big Muddy, Ii row firmly frozen. over.
Next spring fankton e 70 have several new
boats. s''cl,llnE t,vo ol Hight draaghs, 10 run
between here and Fort Pierre, to aceou,nMlato
the Black Hills travel, which. 1t Is expected, Will
DC very neaVG IhFbulh hcsc. 1Herc mas not
l>cen sufficient humber OF boats on the river
tA!s season 10 do the business, as There now r.
mains considerable freight, Which has 10 be