Year: 1859

ILL 4bh1i IL ~


The following humorous description Of
the tail to Pixies Peal, Is from the pen of
DR.. F. McCIeIlsnd, and was written to the
editor of the Psrx Repa6liean, Ind, J
with copy Of which paper we have been
kindly furnished by Mr.. Andrew McClel
land Of this county:


Mr. PLEAsAsr, Ia, April Gath, SO,


Ma. EDlroR.-I presume you have had
some weather with you since last wrote,
but do not presume you have realized to
as great degree as some Others, the pc
culiarities and consequences of this 'speli. :"
To us it has been peculiarly interesting to
know when it was going to stop, how bad
it was going to be, and finally, if it were
possible for it to get much worse-all of
which we realized in due time; but to
some of the results of this aspel."


Having returned from depositing my
last letter to you in the P. O., three weeks
since last Sabbath, We found the member
of our party left to swatch camp" up to
his knees in a "slough" swollen by the
rain of the forenoon, catching pike; now
don't understand me to say that he was
fishing on Sunday, for he was doing no
such thing; but ike the quails sent TO the
children Of Israel, these fish seemed sent
for us. Endeavoring to pass from one
deep slough to another, they got into shall
low water, and what could we do but help
them outa This kindness has been fully
reciprocated SINCE fos we found it necessa-
ry to be helped cut of sloughs ourselves
Speaking of sloughs ourselves. Speaking
Of sloughs, have read of Cain that siew
his brother Abel-of Sampson that slew
the Philestines-of Bunyon's slough of
despond II have heard of men getting
''slewed" but / never fully realized what a
slough was until found our four horses so
badly slougaed that that they couldn't
get on their feet, and our party all up to
the middle in mud and water 10 help them
out. This was our first introduction to
sloughs, but we got through safely, and
after walking half a day in our wet clothes,
we found hill on Grand Prairie, which
from accurate observation we concluded
was at least seven inches high, which we
assembled, rejoicing to find spot SO much
elevated, where we could stop and hope at
least to keep above ground; so here we
s'camped" and made our toilet amid
breeze that cut like cat'onine tails. The
"Grand Prairie" was one grand mud hole,
with an occasional slough, just sufficiently
deep to wash our horses thoroughly all
over while passing through. The inhabit-
ants are few and far between, we having
travelled for half day without seeing a
house. They raised some corn last season,
and it was amusing 10 see them cover their
faces with their hands when they asked US
fifty cents per bushel for it having hereto
fore got only fifteen or twenty cents; they
they seemed 10 think we would suspect
them of trying to extort; but as We got
farther west this sensitiveDess passed off
very materially. We spent two nights on
the Prairie amidst gale that almost
equaled that of the sailors who said it
blew so stiff that it took eight men to hold
the Captains hair on. 1t was quite an in
teresting operation trying to boil coffee on
fire made Of such pieces Of small wood as
we could pick up, the wind blowing the
Goals away as fast as We could collect them.
We managed, however, BY holding on to
the coffee pct, to keep it from blowing
away, and by patience, perseverance, and a
willingness to take things as they We're,
took our coffee as it was and went to bed,
thankful that it didn't blow and snow, rain
and hail, all at the same time.


Having got over the Prairie, the next
place we ran against was the Iroquois river,
which presented sight to us as irnpracti-
cable for travelling purposes, as die the Red
Sea to the Isatelites. The whole country
around the crossing was overAowed-the
water level with the bridge; SO seeing a
good prospect for wood and water, we con-
cluded to stop and wait for something to
turn up.


1t being about noon we encamped,. fed
our horses and took dinner; while SO do
ing we found that by going little south
we could avoid this river and &c ahead
So we turned our course, but had scarcely
got mile back, when crossing slough
bridge gale took our wagon and came
within about three quarters of an inch of
blowing us higher than Guilderoy's kite;
however, by good management and better
fortune, got Strengthened and went our
way right side up. For several days after
this, we got along comfortably, the roads
being some better, and having more timber
the wind did not annoy US. Middleport
being the first principle town on our way,
ve commenced enquiring for it through
Ehe Grand Prsirie-some distance back
the invariable directions were, aWhy, you
will have to 60 through Bunkum." But
the lroquois river prevented our seeing
Bunkum, circumstances we sincerely re-
gret,forit seemed to be the only town known
70 the inhabitants in four days travel
There has been great mortality among the
cattle through the Grand Prairie during
the past winter; the farmers tell US il was
caused BY some disease beyond the reach
OF medicine; all the dosing they could do
proved infectual. We presume they ara
correct, for by the appearance of the few re-
naming, We should make diagnosis of
the disease to be starvation. Wereacbed
Middleport, ILL.,, safely, where we procured
the first newspaper we found since we left
Peru. This is very comfortable looking
country around does not present much ap
pesrance of recent improvement. The
country around does not seem to be very
productive. nor in very advanced state o


improvement. = -


Having having had our appetites shap
ned for fish, by our miraculous sdraught'
the previous Sunday, and meeting mar
with q string of fine looking fish in tht
neighborhood of Middlsport, concluded t.