TOPOGRAPHY. 137 



Missouri. St. Francisville is the principal town, situated on 

 the Des Moines River. 



Warren, Montgomery, Callaway, Boone, Howard, Chari- 

 ton, Carroll, Ray, Clay, Platte, Buchanan, Andrew, 



Holt, Allen. 



This range of counties on the Missouri contain generally 

 a richer soil than those on the Missisippi. Howard county 

 is populous, well timbered, abounding in coal, not of the 

 best quality so far as worked, and watered by several small 

 creeks. The large streams called Chariton and Grand River 

 flow into the Missouri in Chariton and Carroll counties. 

 Boone is the second county in the State in population, next 

 to St. Louis ; Howard is the third. Boone contains about, 

 or exceeding, 25,000. Howard over 20,000, estimating from 

 former rate of increase. Accurate information on this point, 

 at this time, however, is wanting. Callaway, Clay and Ray 

 are also populous counties. The tract comprising Howard, 

 Boone and Callaway must be considered the best in the 

 State, as it is the most populous. It is inhabited by farmers, 

 whose industrious and skilful cultivation of the excellent 

 land upon which they have settled, has made them easy in 

 circumstances, and developed the resources of a rich coun- 

 try. Columbia is the county seat of Boone, centrally 

 located. Fayette is the capital of Howard. Glasgow, on 

 the river, in the same county, is a flourishing town. The 

 southern portion of the country, which is the subject of these 

 notes, is passed with less observation than that comprised 

 within the territories, as being both better known, and also 

 the less interesting to many, because more populated, and 

 therefore oflering less inducements to settlers. The soil also 

 below the Des Moines is inferior to that north of that river, 

 and the country by no means so inviting. Portland, Frank- 



