The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-23


that man possessed, and wealth could en-
ploy had not been used to fit the place for
some gentleman's country seat and every
moment as we passed along we expected
| 10 see some princely mansion erected on
| this rising ground Vain illusion! nature
| had done all to adorn and beautify the
scenery before our eyes.
| Setting down pair of com passes large
enough 10 extend thirty five miles around
/ the
LOWER END OF ROCK ISLAND,
and taking a sweep around it, you would
have within the circle the handsomest and
most delightful spot on the whole globe,
so far as nature can produce anythi. g
beautiful.
The island is in latitude Al degrees 80
minutes, is two miles in length, containing
about 9, 900 acres of land. The extreme
lower end is occupied by Fort Armstrong
and the village of Rock Island After
passing through several feet of rich ailu
vial soil in perforating the earth, you come
to limestone rock which forms the founda-
ton of this island. Passing around this
island, which is long and narrow, you
everywhere see the rock on which the fort
and village stand The lower end Of the
island Is high and dry above the river,
whereof the upper end is overlooked in
nigh water. and all the upper end Of the
island is covered with 8 forest of excellent
timber trees. The main channel of the
river is on the western side of the island
and that part of the Mississippi is half
mile in width; whereas, as when we saw it,
the eastern branch of the river "a not more
than twenty rods wide perhaps, though SO
deep that it is forried constantly from the
main land
When we were there, the ground where
the fort stood was twenty feet or more
above the surface Of the river; ten or more
feet of it was limestone rock, from the river
upwards
THE OFFICERS
have, adjoining the fort, a most beautiful
garden, regularly laid out with graveled
walks, IN which they cultivated beets, car
rots. onions, potstoes, corn, aud every veg
etable grown in this Climate, Nothing
could exceed this garden in fruitfulness,
and every leaf appeared TO shine in lux
uriance. The goard head corn was fit to
roast. the beets had attained good size, SO
had the potatoes beans and carrots.
The village adjoins the fort on the north,
and few families live here
MIR DAVENPORT
who keeps 4 store for the American fur
company being a principal man among
them The suffer has store here IN addi-
ton to the company's store. Dir Dayen
port is an Englishman, and formerly lived
in Cincinnati, where / became acquainted
with him. His son-in law aud a lew others
live on the island. With such persons |
was happy to meet in the far vest. and
they were Of use TO us.
Gen. Mcneil went to the fort us soon as
we landed. and Col. Menard and myself
went to the Indian agent, Mr.. Forsythe, |
where we were met by the Winnebago |
prophet and about two hundred Indians of |
that nation. Seating ourselves in the front |
of the agency house, we We're addressed by |
FIVE orators in succession, who complained |
bitterly Of neglect, as they had been here |
some time awaiting our arrival, without |
having been fed as they expected by US. !
They wanted -four, hay, meat and whisky. |
We Immediately purchased eleven bar |
rels OF flour, and gave them with suitable |
number OF barrels of pork; and gave them |
also 200 pipes. and plenty Of tobacco, |
which we procured of Dir. Davenport, our |
stores not having yet reached Us here.
Giving orders to Mr.. Forsytbe, the |
agent. to follow US in four or five days, |
with the prophet, and certaiC chiefs and |
warriors, whom we named, we went TO |
rest, not very late in the night In the |
morning we moved.
UP TIE RAPIDS,
which begin at the lower end of this isl
and and extend upward Is miles. We had
lightened our frail vessel, so that by travel
ing on foot ourselves. along the shore in
the sands and over the pebbles, slipping
back at every step, we made our way up
the river very slowly Every man who
could wax and was not needed
to navigate the vessel, went on foot
General Mcneil remaining on board with
the ladies Sometimes we turned out into
prairie. bur The high grass, weeds, marsh
and mud. soon compelled our return to the
sandy beach Sometimes the woods APP
preached quite to the river on the east
side, whege We travelled. especially toward
the upper end Of the rapids.
Before sunset the vessel had passed
the rapids ana we eueamped for The night.
The next day ve moved on again, en-
camped at night, and next day reached Fee
yer river, assembled seven miles and landed
atGalena, 500 miles above st. Louis. The
river is crooked as any serpent's path need
be. and it rises aud falls with the BEissis-
sippi.