barren, like the central steppes of Asia. On
the east of the Mississippi, are extensive regions of the densest
forests, which form a striking contrast with the prairies which stretch
on the west of that great river.

"_The Valley of the Missouri_ extends 1200 miles in length, and 700 in
width, and embraces 253,000 square miles. The Missouri river rises in
the Chippewan mountains, through eight degrees, or nearly 600 miles. The
Yellow Stone is its longest branch. The course of the Missouri, after
leaving the Rocky mountains, is generally southeast, until it unites
with the Mississippi. The principal branches flow from the southwest.
They are the Osage, Kansas, Platte, &c. The three most striking features
of this Valley are, 1st. The turbid character of its waters. 2d. The
very unequal volumes of the right and left confluences. 3d. The immense
predominance of the open prairies, over the forests which line the
rivers. The western part of this Valley rises to an elevation towards
the Chippewan mountains, equal to ten degrees of temperature. Ascending
from the lower verge of this widely extended plain, wood becomes more
and more scarce, until one naked surface spreads on all sides. Even the
ridges and chains of the Chippewan, partake of these traits of
desolation. The traveller, who has read the descriptions of central
Asia, by Tooke or Pallas, will feel on the higher branches of the
Missouri, a resemblance, at once striking and appalling; and he will
acknowledge, if near to the Chippewan mountains in winter, that the
utmost intensity of frost over Siberia and Mongolia, has its full
counterpart in North America, on similar, if not on lower latitudes.
There is much fertile land in the Valley of the Missouri, though much of
it must be forever the abode of the buffalo and the elk, the wolf and
the deer.[2]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Why the names Huron, Mandan, Sioux, Osage, and _Ozark_ have been
applied by Darby and other authors, to the extensive regions on the
Upper Mississippi, the Upper Missouri, and the Arkansas rivers, I am not
able to solve. _Osage_ is a French corruption of _Wos-sosh-ee_, and
_Ozark_ is an awkward, illiterate corruption of Osage. _Sioux_ is
another French corruption, the origin of which is not now easily
ascertained. Carver and other travellers, call this nation of Indiana
Nau-do-wes-sees. Chiefs of this nation have repeatedly disclaimed the
name of Sioux, (pronounced Soos.) They sometimes call themselves
Da