OCR Text |
Show 6 FROM FORT LEAVENWORTH to the scene, and not informed as to its true nature, the optical delusion is complete. Objects near the horizon with the sky as a back- ground appear of immense size cows eight or ten miles distant look like elephants, and a David would seem to be more than a Goliath in stature. This vast uncultivated region is not only pleasing to the eye in viewing its topography, but possesses a fertility of soil unsurpassed, I should suppose, by any farming lands in the country. The slightest cultivation would cause it to yield to the husbandman the most luxurient crops of every product of the richest valleys of New York or Ohio, and we predict for Kansas, when the great highway the Pa cific Railroad shall have been completed, and emigration poured into the State, an agricultural wealth equal to that of any other part of the Union. The country as I stated before, is not without water, but many clear and rapidly flowing streams are found in its fer tile, and in some instances, cultivated valleys. The names of these streams are not very classic or poetic. We crossed the " Big Sandy," the " Little Sandy," the " Big Blue," " Bull Creek," and the " Big Muddy." But the latter should not be mentioned in the same connection with the prairie streams of this country. It is not a stream at all, ex cept after a rain, but a series of disgusting standing pools which are kept constantly stirred up to almost the consistency of butter- milk, for a mile on either side of the road, by thousands of animals, belonging to the passing trains, being driven into them to drink. Along this part of the route, only, is water scarce ; but here for 35 or 40 miles the " Big Muddy" affords the only water, except the small wells at the Stations. I must tell the reader something of the incidents of our journey, and not confine myself to a description of the country only. Such a trip as ours was certainly an enjoyable one and I enjoyed it in other ways than admiring the scenery. How incomparably more pleasant to travel, as we did, to being rushed over the road, night and day at break- neck speed, in one of Ben Holladay's coaches, be the comforts |