66 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



lands are generally gently rounded off, and infinitely varied. It 

 is doubtful whether the mind could imagine a section better sup- 

 plied with rivers and creeks and rivulets giving an abundance 

 of water privileges of the best character. There is such an abun- 

 dance of water in these rivers and their tributaries, and the fall 

 adequate, that the motive power is ready to propel a vast amount 

 of machinery for manufacturing industries. With superior water 

 privileges and the choicest lands a dense population must here 

 rapidly accumulate. 



There is still another Blue River that rises in Adams County 

 and flows in a southwesterly direction through Clay, Nuckolls, 

 Thayer, and in the southeast corner of Jefferson County, enters 

 Kansas where it finally unites with the " Big Blue." About no 

 miles of this river are in Nebraska. In its most important features, 

 it resembles the " Big Blue." Like the last, it is a magnificent 

 stream. It also has numerous tributaries, which are in miniature, 

 what the parent stream is. 



The Loups, next to the Niobrara, are the most unique rivers in 

 Nebraska. Even these streams, however, have many things in 

 common with the other rivers of Nebraska. The whole length 

 of the middle or main Loup approximates to 250 miles. It rises 

 a little east of the 102 parallel and fifty miles from the north line 

 of the State. My barometer indicated 3,230 feet above the sea 

 level for this point. There are a great number of small lakes and 

 lakelets. I counted nine within a radius of ten miles. Some 

 of them drain into the Loup. It flows in a southeastern direction 

 until the southeast corner of Howard County is reached, when it 

 turns first a little north of east, and then a little south of east, and 

 unites with the Platte, near Columbus, commencing at its lower 

 end on the north side. Its first important tributary is the Beaver, 

 and then Cedar Creek, which originally took its name from the 

 Cedar Groves along its banks. The North Loup also rises among 

 a cluster of small lakes, a little east of the 101 meridian and forty- 

 five miles from the north line of the State. Here I found a dozen 

 of small lakes within a radius of eight miles, and many of them 

 of great beauty, with pebbly and sandy bottoms, and with water 

 clear as crystal. Calamus Creek is its most important tributary. 

 I regret that I failed to reach its source. The entire length of this 

 Loup, until its junction with the Middle Loup is 150 miles. Its 

 general direction is southeast. Perhaps there is no more interest- 



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