Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-24
UP the MISSOURI.

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Tho Diary ola Passenger on the steamel
C.K.Fsck. Recorded for tho Denent .
b Readers OF the Press and Dakota
s. Continued From Yesterday).St !
July e7-Unfortunstely my little sleep
ing roonlies next the cooks gallery, and
every morning I am awakened by tn
quarrelipg of the old colored steward will
some of his walters. At st. johns ,woot
yard we stopped, for after We leave here i
is some distance before We find another
lyard. 81. John 10 . Frenchman, who 'hal
been here for q great many years, and ha,
grown rich in stock, and the keeping wood
for steamers. He bought over forty dol
lars worth Of goods of the boats store. Two
Of his squaws came down to the landing,
one of them having two white pretty
children, and one Of them two very black
ones. Every wood chopper that, we have
seen has one or more squaws, and the cap
tain informs me that it is just the same all
the way from Niobrara to Benton. AT one
thirty p. m. We passed old Red Cloud
agency which is now abandoned. 70 day
we met two boats going down, the Carrier
and the Western.
July 3d-At 1890 p. m. VI arrived at
Fl. Pierre. Here We ind the frontier town
in all its glory. A motely collection Of nerd.
ers. teamsters, minersand bull whackers, of
every nationality from the swarthy Mexican
to the moon.eyed Chinaman. They swarm
down to the wharf, when we land, we find
them everywhere in the town, all Of them
talking, shouting, cursing. Mud everywhere
here knee deep. These freiHhters' wagons,
carrying their immense loads Of sever to
eight thousand pounds. make anything like
good roads an utter impossibility. . From
five 10 ten bull teams handle these ponder
Gus loads, and the amount Of profanity a
first class driver will get off in driving one
of these trains to the Black Hills, would
furnish a first class eastern city with oaths
for q year. I counted twenty log houses,
and about eight or ten frame houses. One
of the citizens proudly informed me that
they have not a doctor, lawyer, constable,
justice of the peace or minister. Pierre il
located at the mouth of Bad river, and on
the extreme south end of a very fine piece
of bottom. The bluffs around close to tow
are bare. black and dreary. At $50 p. NJ,
We leave this landing. Away across this
fine bottom We can see the freight trains on
their road to the land of gold. I have
counted IS wagons from where l can see, and
they seem 10 be in five different trains.
July 4th.-The glorious fourth has dawn
ed bright and beautiful, and over n great
nation thousands of amor are giving
their salutes to liberty, while in most all
places preparations are being made for a
grand day, and if we have longed at all te
be back again where friends are thinking o
us it is on this day of all others. We pas
Sully at 8 a. M, but do not stop'b here. w,
have been fortunate enough to get a few fir,
crackers, and when We run into a wood yart
the boys have grand fun throwing them a
the bare legs Of a band Of C%heyennes VIII
stand OF the banks. They are good nature,
about it, laughing heartily to see any Q
their number jump out Of the way. ~
We arrived at Cheyenne a short time be
fore noon, and remained there about two
hours. The location here is fine. Five
companies Of troops comprise the defensive
force at this place. One of the Indians
here painted his face a bright red and came
aboard o show of, and shake hands all
around. He was highly pleased with him
self. After we leave Cheyenne the country
seems to gradually change; looking more
level, with less PERCEPTIONS bluffs. Away
above Cheyenne We can hear the roar of a
heavy gun, for they are firing a national
salute. They FIRE very rapidly, and we
could have the full number of one hundred
and three guns. - rra
July 5th-I am again awakened thi,
morning by the bowling of the cocks wait
er who is making a breakfast row outside
The old steward went to his bunk at 4
o'clock this morning, and before he was up
commenced beating him with q stick o
wood in the face. After breakfast when ]
him his eye was closed, and his face
bruised in a shocking manner. The
Immediately discharged the steward
who then went to his room, but the fun was
not yet over The boy who was hurt by the
steward is a half breed Mexican and negro
and like Tom Sawyer; s''his soul longed. fol
revenge" At about 10 =. n. he procured
q revolver, went to, the old stewards room
and as the old fellow went to come out he
let him have it. The ball entered
the arm just below the shoulder, breaking
the bone and making q sever wound. Til,
half breed ran like q deer after he had shot
The old steward took the matter ceolly. II,
is about 60 years Of age.
July 6th-sunday again. Nothing Q
to-day. We passed some Indiaz
graves this forenoon, also old Grand Rive