FOUR DAYS AT DAVENPORT. 403 



its side and at its base the city of Davenport is built. 

 Over a bluff we come upon a beautiful rolling prairie, 

 and back as far as Duck Creek the land is covered 

 with fruit, vegetable and flower gardens, and presents 

 a picture of uncommon beauty. Views of the Missis- 

 sippi are obtained from the summit of the bluff; also 

 of Rock Island Arsenal and Rock Island City on the 

 opposite shore of the river. 



In 1832, General Winfield Scott made a treaty 

 with the Indians of the Sac tribe for the purchase by 

 the United States of the land occupied by them bor- 

 dering on the west side of the river. The city of 

 Davenport was named after Colonel George Daven- 

 port, the first white settler. Antoine Le Claire was 

 the first to own land in Davenport. His mother 

 was the daughter of a Pottawatomie chief and his 

 father a French Canadian. At this time the North- 

 west territory was peopled entirely by Indians, with 

 here and there one of a different race fearless enough 

 to brave the dangers of a frontier life. Le Claire pur- 

 chased the claim upon which the city of Davenport 

 was laid out for one hundred and fifty dollars. In 

 1835, he sold it to a company who commenced the 

 building of the city. The first ferry between Daven- 

 port and Rock Island dates from 1 835. It was a flat- 

 boat propelled by oars. At present a large steamboat 

 is constantly employed in transferring passengers and 

 freight between these cities. The river is about a 

 mile in width at this point. 



Davenport excels all the other cities of the State in 



the beauty and advantages of its location. The view 



from the hill-tops is scarcely to be equalled for pic- 



turesqueness by anything I saw during my journey. 

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