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VIEWS

OF

LOUISIANA ;

CONTAINING

GEOGEAPHICAL, STATISTICAL

AND

HISTORICAL

NOTICES OF

THAT VAST AND IMPORTANT PORTION OF

AMERICA.

Br H. M. BRACKENRIDGE, ESQ,

BALTIMORE:

FEINTED BY SCHAEFPER & MAUND.

1817.

District of Pennsylvania, to wit :

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-fourth day of November, m the thirty-eighth year of the Independence of thd United States of America, A. D. 1813, Henry M. Bracken- HiDGE, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the Title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as Author — in the words following, to wit:

" Views of Louisiana; -with a Journal of a voyage v.p the Mis- sotin. By H. JM. BrackenridgCy Esq.

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, ** An act for the encouragement of Learning, by secur- ing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned." — And also the Act entitled, *• An Act supplementary to the Act entitled, " An act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Pro- prietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engrav- ing, and etching lustorical and other prints."

D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the District of Pennsylvania,

TO

HIS EXCELLENCY

THE CHEVALIER

JOSE CORREA, DE SERRA,

MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY

OP

jff. M. F. Majesty^

THE KING OF PORTUGAL AND THE BRAZILS,

A PLAIN republican, to whom high names, offi- cial dignities, or vast riches, command no awe or veneration, but who willingly acknowledges as his superior, the man of mind, whatever may be his station, humbly dedicates, his performance, un- worthy as it is, TO ONE of the most enlighten- ed FOREIGNERS THAT HAS EVER VISITED THE

United States-

The giddy world, too often assigns tlie highest " places in the temple of fame, to mighty conquerors and warriors, who are more frequently the enemies, than the friends of mankind, while its real benefac- tors, are but slowly, are never fully appreciajted. The few, on whom nature has bestowed the choice gift of a capacious mind, which they have stored with knowledge for the good of their fellow creatures, should ever be regarded as blessings to the people among whom they have been cast. They are to be received like the angel of Milton, who came down to instruct our first parents in wisdom and virtue.

As an American, I am proud that my country has been the choice of a sage, acknowledged both by Eu- n rope and America, as one of the most enlightened . of human kind ; who after having gathered from every field of science in the old world, has brought his ample store as a present to tlie new.

Sir, your amiable simplicity of manners, and com- municative temper, restore to us our Franklin ; in every part of otir country, which you have visited

s (for -you liave nearly seen it all) your society has been as acceptable to the unlettered farmer as to the learned philosopher ; the liberal and friendly man- ner, in which you are accustomed to view every thing in these States, the partiality which you feel for their welfare, the profound maxims, upon every subject, which like the disciples of Socrates, we treasure up from your lips, entitle us to claim you as one of the fatkers of our country^

To none, therefore, could I with more propriety •dedicate my " Views of Louisiana," than to you whose favourite study is the American government, manners, and soil ; and who (I say it without hesi- tation) have in the short space of five years, ac- quired a knowledge of this country, as critical and extensive, as any of its most intelligent citizens. But if any additional motive were necessary, to justify •the liberty I have presumed to take in thus address- ing you, I could allege a sense of gratitude, for the commendations you were pleased to bestow^ upou

A 2

6

this work, while yet in the shape of newspaper

essays ;

Pollio amat nostram, quamvis est rustica musam,

ami it is in a great measure owing to those commen- dations, that it has assumed its present form.

Accept, sir, the expressions of the high venera- tion of one who esteems it as among the most feli- citous circumstances of his life, to liave personally known you, and to be able to subscribe himself,

Your sincere and ardent admirer,

disciple, and friend,

a. M. BRACKENRIDGE.

TO THE READER.

3N the month of May 1810, I landed at New Madrid, on i\ve Mississippi, and thence proceeded by land to St. Genevieve, with the intention of settling in some part of the country, in the prac- tice of the law. After remaining- some time, I conceived that Lower Louisiana, which was on its transit from territorial to state government, offered a better field for industry and enterprize; Lut, as the autumn is considered the best time for removing to the southern climate, and the winter was already advanced, I de- termined to employ my time in observing such things as appeared most worthy of attention. Pleased with this employment, I was di'awn into a more extensive research than I had at first intended, and felt a degree of earnestness in studies, to which I had before been a stranger; my -studies had been chiefly professional, or im- mediately connected with my profession. During the winter, a series of essays published by me, in Mr. Charless*s paper at St. Louis, were re-printed in the newspapers of the states, and spoken of in terms of approbation. This was highly gratifying to my vanity. There is something exceedingly delightful to youth in this taste of fame ; at a season, when the mind is filled with a, thousand romantic conceits, and sees nothing but fairy prospects, this first manifestation of applause is often dangerous, and ought to be guarded against with care. With many it puts an end to all fiu'ther effort, intoxicates the brain, paralyses tlie energies, and induces a belief that every thing has already been attained ; with others, it serves to confirm in pursuits for which nature may never have intended them, and in consequence, we have bad painters, "bad musicians, and bad authors, i have known a man entirely ru- ined, by having drawn a prize in a lottery, for he covdd never af- ter reconcile liimself to a sober industrious life. I have, there* fore, been in some danger of becoming an author — probably an in- different one. A professed author hi this coimtry, is indeed to be pitied; he is considered as a mere abstract man, of no importance oi' rank, ciyil,^ecclesiastical oi* nulitary,andaxece5sarJly takes up,lfls

abode next door to starvation. The day, however, is not so dis- tant as many imagine, when literary excellence will claim its ho- nours even in this country. Many of my friends who read my essays in the newspapers, fancied that I had relinquished the pro- fession of tlie law, and was wandering about, gathering- geogi'a- phical, or statistical matter, for the purpose of making more books. But I thank my stars, that I have had sufficient resolu- tion to resist the temptation, to prove a recreant to the delightful pages of my Lord Coke, to the mellifluous sentences of Shepherd's Touchstone, to the erudite commentator Blackstone, or to my new friends, lustinian, the Partidas, La Recopilacion de las In- dias, the Ordonances of Louis XIV, and of Bilboa, the works of Febrero, Ferriere and Domat.

At St. Louis, I became acquainted with two gentlemen of learn- ing, Mr, Bradbury, fellow of the Liimean Society, and Mr. Nuttal, also a naturalist. My acquaintance with these gentlemen, served to nourish the fondness I had acquired for similar pursuits. I travelled over a great part of th« Missouri territory, and ascended the Missouri river IfOO miles. In the month of November, I embarked for New Orleans, where 1 arrived about tlie first of January. I afterwards, for two years, was continually occupied in traversing the new state, part of the time as Deputy Attorney General, and part as a district Judge. My health being some- what impaired, I resigned my office, and returned to a more northern latitude, with a view of recovering my former vigor of constitution.

In the volume which I t)ffer to tlie public, tlie reader is not to expect the scientific production of a philosopher, like Mohna, Humboldt, or Depons, but the passing observations of a young lawyer, who had neither ability nor leizure to produce such a work. I have read with care, almost every thing in French, Spa- nish, or English, which relates to Louisiana, and have been cautious not to burthen my book with common place, or what may be easily procured fi-om other sources. The French writers are very nu- merous, the principal are Charlevoix, Du Pratz, Dumont, the ma- nuscript of La Harp, the tlu'ee voyages of H^nipin, the voyage of the Chevalier DeTonti, the works of LaHontan and Lafiteau, be- sides a great number more modern. Little of this coinitry was ac- curately known, until it came into the possession of the United States; the sources of the Mississippi, Missouri, Red river, Ar- kansas, White river, have been fully explored by Lewis and Clark, by Pike, and by a number of private Individuals. The delta of the Mississippi, which was very little known, has been actually surveyed by the officers of the American government. The work of Mr. Darby, Lays open a new region. The book of

Major Stoddard, although in general well written, contains too much of what might be gathered in the closet ; Mr. Ellicott, and Hunter and Dunbar, are the most scientific that have written of Louisiana ; it is however a valuable work.

Travels through countries but recently inhabited by civilized people, must necessarily be different from those which have long been in a high state of cultivation. Instead of amusing incident, descriptions of manners and customs, characters of distinguished persons, political and moral reflections, historical reminiscences, and a variety of other topics ; the traveller has only to describe the face of nature in a state almost primitive, the monotonous character of a few wandermg savages, or the situation of settle- ments still in their infancy. To such a traveller, a knowledge of natural history is indispensable; and here I must confess my igno- rance of the most essential qualification. Lord Coke (who was no naturalist) justly observes, that the law "is a jealous mistress and will not abide a rival ;'* to become a botanist, mmeralogist, or geologist, requires long and undivided attention. No one, however, can be a greater lover than I am, of the face of nature^ and I have always dwelt with rapture on her beautious features, although but little acquainted with the analysis of the character which they conceal. The reader will find topographical sketclies or "views," some account of the soil, and of the navigation of ri- vers, descriptions of the towns and villages, and such other ob- jects as would meet the eye of a transient passenger. It is also fair to mention that the work is still iiicompleie ; there are seve- ral chapters yet wanting to fill up the third Book; the volume be- ing already swelled to a larger size than I had intended.

It has always appeared to me, that the observations of travel- lers, if made with any tolerable degree of accuracy, should rank amongst the most useful productions, and should moreover be entitled to great indulgence. What can be more pleasing and in- structive than the testimony of eye witnesses, relative to objects of the most interesting nature, which we are precluded from visit- ing ourselves, or than the remarks of intelligent persons on what chances to come imder their notice during their peregrinations through distant countries ! In the early ages of society, when there were no colleges or extensive libraries, travelling from one nation to another, was almost the only means of acquiring supe- rior knowledge.

nMultomimque hominum urbes, et mores cognovit.

A wise man and a great traveller almost signified the same thing. When in the form of narrative, this species of composi- tion has all the attractions of romance, combined with the useful-

10

ness of truth. I have always perused the book of travels with pe- culiar delight, no matter how aukward its style, or humble the adventurer. In this kind of writing, the fidelity of truth is far to be preferred to the mere artifice or elegance of direction.* It may be said to be a species of composition free alike to the illite- rate and the learned, requiring no peculiar or appropriate style ; demanding neither the dignified march of history, the brilliancy of works of the imagination, nor the precision and regularity of those which are purely scientific, yet, admitting with propriety something of them all. Men of the most common acquirements are not thought presumptuous in attempting it; for it may be the fortune of such only, to have witnessed facts of the highest inte- rest, or to have passed through countries not likely to be visited by the leta-ned. Hence the various modes adopted by travellers, from the regular and systematic essay, down to the simple diary or journal.

* The travels of Frenchmen in general, are bedizened with conceits of the fancy, and those of Englishmen loaded with slug- gish prejudice. This, at least, has been the case of nearly all which are written respecting America.

CONTENTS.

BOOK L

Pa^e CHAPTER I.— Discovery— first settlement— and political

history of Louisiana, - 13

CHArP. n. — ^War with the Chickasas — civil and political

history of Louisiana, down to the treaty of Iklephonso, 47 CHAP. in. — ^Boundaries — importance of Louisiana, - $7 CHAP. IV. — General description — face of the country be- yond the settlements — capacity for the reception of popu- lation— curious appearances, 66

CHAP. V. — The alluvial tracts on the rivers Mississippi,

Missouri, Arkansas, &c. 82

CHAP. VI.— Lakes and Rivers, 91

CHAP. Vn. — ^Natural or indig-enous productions — animal,

vegetable and mineral, 112

CHAP. Vin. — Indian nations — trade — general enumeration, 132 CHAP. IX.— View of the country on the Columbia, - 162

CHAP. X. — Antiquities in the valley of the Mississippi, 16S

BOOK IT.

CAAP. I. — General description of the territory of Missouri, settlement, rivers, &Cr 165

11

CHAP. 11. — Description of the country between NewMad- rid and St. Genevieve, - 190

CHAP. ni. — Description of the country from Cape Girar- deau to the Missouri, - 201

CHAP. IV. — Political divisions — ^inliabitants — settlements, population, 208

CHAP, v.— Towns and villages, .... 217

CHAP. VI. — Character of the ancient inhabitants, change of government, 21

CHAP. Vn.— Climate, productions, &c. - . . 252 j

CHAP, Vin. — ^Lead mines in the district of St. Genevieve, mode of working them — their produce,

CHAP. IX. — Description of the American bottom — ^Kaskas- kia — ^fort de Chartres — ^]Monks of La Trappe, - - 270

BOOK III.

CHAP. I. — State of Louisiana — boundaries — ^general de- scription, ..--.----

CHAP. II. — The Levees, or embankments of tlie Missis- sippi, 308

VIEWS or

LOUISIANA

IN THREE BOOKS.

CHAP. I.

Discovery-— first Settlement — and Political History of Louisiana.

THE history of tlie first settlement of nearly all the American colonies, presents us with nearly the same recital of extreme suffering and liardy adven- ture on the part of the early settlers, as well as of tlie most grievous defects in the systems of coloni- zation. Louisiana was not more fortunate than the T'est ; the whole series of colonial misfortune and suf- fering, were experienced hy her in their most dis- tressing shapes. — Not until after repeated failures and the lapse of more tlian a century from the first attempt, could it he said to have taken root, and it was at least a half a century more before it flourish- ed. The {listory of this province is replete with in- teresting and instructive incident; the few pages, therefore, which I sliall devote to tlie subject will scarcely enable me to do more than give an outline of the principal occurrences: even that, I hope will not be unworthy the attention of the reader. It was

B

14 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA-

not long after their settlement in Cuba, that the Spaniards became acquainted with the continent which formed the shores of the Mexican Gulph, and was visited by several of their navigators. Part w^as known b}' the name of Florida, and part was denominated New-Spain after having- been conquer- ed by that daring adventurer Hernando Cortez. — Under the name of Florida, the) claimed all the re- mainder of the North American continent, east of tlie river Panuco, and declared these parts held by France and England as unjust encroachments upon their dominions.^ Not that they had been the lirst to discover or explore those regions, but as liaving taught tlie European nations the way to the new- world, of wliich they had received a free gift from Pope Alexander the sixth; by what means his holi- ness was authorised to make it, ^n as not an enquiiy for those days.

The marvelous fortunes of Cortez gave rise to a species of romantic adventure, carried on much in the spirit of tlie fictions of ArioKto. A vast conti- nent almost unkiu)wn, alTorded am[)le room for all the cr&ations of fancy, and in consequence the country now called Louisiana, then a part of Flori- da, became the tlieatre of many extravagant adven- tures in pursuit of civilized Indians, supposed to be jx)ssessed of vast treasures; but the adventurers were wi'etchedly disappointed in tlieir Iiopes. Sti*ange as it may seem, among the idle fictions which were currently believed in that superstitious age, and constituted real incitements to their minds, was the celebi'ated fountain of Florida, which was said to

* Kerof Kerrsland's Memoirs, 1772 — History of European set- tlements, in 1775, and Postlethwaybe on commerce, published 1745 — Don A;idi-e,j Gonzales de Boreca.

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 15

possess tlic quality of restoring youth, or of render- ing it perpetual, to him who shouhl be so fortiinate as to bathe in its enchanted waters ! Nothing was fiirtlier from tlie intentions of such men, tlian to s^^^t down iii tlie midst of a wiklerness, and make per- manent establishments ; tlieironly object was to rob tlie natives of whatever article of value might be fi)U!id among them. The world received as little bsncfit from these expeditions, as those by whom they were undertaken.

Pontio dc Leon, is generally consid^'rcd as one of the first to land on the sliores of Florida. In 1512, about six years before the conquest of Mexico, he penetrated some distance in pursuit of the enchanted fountainj but he was met by the natives with great ferocity, who considered him an invader and com- pelled him to seek his safety in fliglit. Fontio was compelled to return home witli his remaining com- rades, after having suffered much from hardships and the enmity of the Indians. In 1520, Vasquos de Ayllon, landed and explored the vicinity of a ri- ver which he called t]ie Jourdan in tliat part of Florida, which is now South Carolina; his stay however, was but little longer than that of De Leon, and his success no better.

A few years after tliis, Pamphile de Narvaes, (the (same wlio had been sent by the governor of Cuba, ti put a stop to the progress of Cort z,) obtained ,t from Cbarles tlie fifth, the government of Florida. Narvaes coasted along the northern sliore of tlie gulph of ^lexico, landed several times, had fre- quent recounters witli tlie Indians, who killed many of his people, and at lengtli perished miserably him- self, witliout having even built a fort.

Hernandes de Soto, being afterwards made cap- tain general of Florida, in the year 1539, at the

16 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

head of eight or nine hundred men, landed in this country, and penetrated a considerable distance ta the interi<)r. He continued for several years wan- dering in search of gold, of civilized Indians and of miraculous fountains ; in the meantime, he was much harrassed by the natives, his party was divided, and dispersed in small bands, the greater part of which, were never afterwards heard of, and finally de Soto himself died on the banks of the Mississippi.^ The nnliappy issue of these different expeditions, entirely dissuaded adventun-is from any further attempt, until esta^blishments were formed by the French.

In the year 1523, Yerazzani, an Italian mariner, in the service of France, had discovered Florida, but like the Spanish adventurers, had attempted no settlement. This discovery W'as not followed up hy the French, owing to the almost total inatten- tion to ximerica, during the troubled reigns of Fran- cis ir. and of Charles IX. The celebrated Coligny, ahout this time, desirous of obtaining freedom of re- ligious worship, for the persecuted sect to which he belonged, conceived the idea of going in search of the country discovered by Verazzani, and of plant- ing a colony of Protestants ; a scheme rather encou- raged by the King, who was desirous of chacing off the Hugonots. He cast his eye upon tliat part of Florida, which Verazzani liad described as most suitable for the establishment of a colony ; for be- sides the miklness of the climate, and the fertilitv of.

* In the account of this expedition by llerera, it is mentioned that de Soto, in the year 1541, reached MaviHa, an Indian town, endowed with wooden walls. Here he liafl an eng-ag-ement in which 2000 of the natives were shiin, and 83 Spaniards, and 45 horses. — An Indian village named Chicaca, was burnt. See Amer. Ann. 1vol. 91. — A tradition prevailed among the Kaskaskia Indians, of having killed the first tribes they had seen.

I

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 17

the soil, he rancicd, as is observed by Chaiievoix, tlie French would find no one to dispute tlieir right, or even to trouble them. Jean dc Ribault, being chosen by the admiral to undertake the expe- dition, sat oft" the 18th of Februrry, 1562. He first landed at a place which he named Cape Francois^ about the 30 degrees of N. lat. and turning to the right, discovei-ed a short time after, a river which he called la riviere des Dauphins, but did not enter. Pursuing this course, at the distance of fifteen leagues, he discovered another river, which he en- tered on the first of May, from which circumstance he gave it the name of la riviere de Mai. Here he found a great number of the natives, by whom, from that conciliatory policy, which t]ie French have so successfully pursued, towards tliese people, he was well received : and reciprocal presents were given to the great satisfaction of the Indians. But having in view the river Jourdan, he hastened his departure from this place, but not without liaving first erected a pillar, on which were engraven the arms of France, and taking possession of the country in the name of the king and of the admiral : a vain cere- mony, but which had been sanctioned by the pre- vailing custom of nations. He afterwards gave to the rivers which he successively discovered, for six- ty leagues, the names of French rivers, and at length east anchor, in what he supposed the Jourdan, but which was called afterwards by the Spaniards Santa Cruz, and by the natives Shawano.f at present Sa- vannah. Rib ault at this place, built a fort which he called Fort Charles; the Indians manifested the greatest fiiendship. Leaving here the pei-sons who

I The Shawan(i§c Indians formerly lived on this river, B2

18 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

had accompanied him, for the purpose of establish- ing a colony, he took his departure. Unfortunate- ly, the direction and government of it, were resigned to a person altogether unqualified for the task : and who soon manifested great imprudence, and the most wanton severity. The colony in a short time suf- fered severely from famine, disease, and a complica- tion of miseries: the unfortunate settlers, driven almost to despair, came at lengtli to the resolution of endeavouring to regain their native land, in a vessel built by them under the most discouraging circum- stances.

Here we cannot refrain from expressing our sur- prise, how men c'ln be induced voluntarily to tear themselves, from the bosom of a refined and civil- ized society, to retire to a wilderness, and become the neighbours of savage men and of wild beasts ! But the sweet and cheering hope of regaining their native soil, after having acquired the compe- tent means of subsistence, has been found never to abandon the emigrants from France. Even the pow- erful incertive of religous freedom, was not suffi- cient alone. The belief that every part of the Ame- rican continent was equally rich in mines of gold and silver, and other precious metals, will account, both> for the readiness with which adventurers, em- barked in colonizing enterprises, and the ill success of the first expeditions ; instead of cultivating the soil, the greater part of their time, was spent in running about in pursuit of treasures, hidden in the bowels of the eai'th.

The admiral, not discouraged by the failure of this attempt, soon succeeded in preparing another armament, consisting of three vessels provided with every thing tliat might be required by a young co- lony, and gave the command to Rene de Laud a-

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 19

mere. Fifty thousand crowns were advanced to this expedition, by the king and several g-entlemen of fortune, and young persons of family, were desirous of making this voyage at their own expense ; also there were joined to it some detachments of soldiers, chosen from among the veteran corps. On the 26th of June, 1564, he entered the Dauphin river, but did not land, much to the apparent chagrin of the In- dians who seemed disposed to receive him in the most friendly manner. He continued his course to the May river, where he landed, ascended some dis- tance, and, being well received by the natives, com- menced an establishment. Notwithstanding all these advantages, and flattering auspices, a similar fate attended this colony as the first. The colonists were immediately carried away by the delusion of searching for the precious metals. This mania was taken advantage of by an arful cliief, who drew tliem into a war with his enemies, a powerful tribe, by the following sti'atagem ; he exhibited some pieces silver, (which it is supposed, he had pro- cured from some vessel wrecked on the coast,) and declared that his enemies from whom he had taken them, possessed abundance of the same metal. The colony now began to feel the usual calamities, from dissention, famine, the neglect of tillage, and from an Indian war, which tliey had wantonly pro- voked. In this state of things, they had come to the resolution of re-embarking, when all of a sud- den, to the general surprize, seven vessels appeared in the river. This proved to be Ribault who was returning with succour to the colony.

About this time the attempt of France to colonize Florida, became known in Spain, whose monarch claimed the country in virtue of the Pope's Bull,

20 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

and tlie particular discoveries of Poiitio de Leon, and other Spanish adventurers. Pedro de Menen- dez, was immediately dispatched by that monarchy, to estahlish a colony, and to drive away the French. The armament, might be considered lor that period, and for the occasion, a formidable one, consisting of ten vessels, and upwards of two thousand men. Before he could reach the place of his destination, a storm arose, which dispersed and scattered his ships, so that he arrived with only five. These were attacked by some English vessels, tJien at the mouth of tlie river, and compelled to fall down to the Dauphin, which they entered, giving it tlie name of St. Augustine ; here they commenced an esta- blishment. In the meanwhile Ribaut, contrary to the advice of his officers, embarked nearly all liis force, in order to attack and destroy tlie Spanish fleet, and left but sixty or seventy men in his fort. He had come in sight of the Spaniards, when a dreadful tempest drove him off the coast. The Spa- nish commander, rightly conjecturing, that the greater part of the garrison, had been embarked on this occasion, resolved to marcli over land and storm the fort. This he accomplished in five days after his discovery of the English squadron, suc- ceeded completely in his enterprise, meeting in fad with but little or no resistence. This acliievement, honourable in its commencement, was liowever, wound up by one of those acts of barbarous cruelty, which causes humanity to shudder, when related of tlie most ferocious savages, and which stamps infa- my and shame on civilized men ; the prisoners who surrendered at discretion, and tlie miserable fugi- tives who were afterwards caught, were hung upon a tree, onwiikh was suspended this sentence: not

BOOK T. mSCOA ERY AND SETTLEMENT. 21

AS Frenchmen but as iiehetics and enemies OF God; a seiitcnce, and an action whicli to use the A\orils of the great Curran, was worthy of *• that higotry, wliose hanner is stolen from the altar of God, and her [lowers congregated from the abyses of hell." Menendez giving the name of St. Matheo, to the fort he had taken, left a garrison in it, and returned to St. Augustin. Ribaut at the same time paid dearly for his impmdence ; after being ship- wrecked on the Bahama banks, he attempted with the remainder of his force to regain the fort by land. Having approached it, after incredible hardships, he learned, that it was in the possession of the Spa- niards. One of his ollicers was sent with proposals, and it was solemnly agreed on both sides, that the commander of the fort, should supply them with a vessel to return to France ; !)ut he no sooner found these unfortunate people in his power, than regard- less of humanity and justice, and in order to giving the finishing touch to the bloody tragedy so well begun, he ordered them to be barbarously butch- ered.

Such is the melancholy story of these early colo- nies : it is related by Charlevoix, in his loose and rambling way, with many details, but which are more curious than instructive. This WTiter, expresses in the strongest terms his indignation, at the atrocious and abominable conduct of the Spaniards, and abso- lutely denies that Spain ever liad any just right to the country, which was the scene of her violence and fraud.

France and Spain, were at this period in a state of profound peace, nor does this outrage, appear to have in the least, excited the indignation of the for- mer, owing to the circumstance of the unfortunate

22 VIEWS OF LOUISIAXA.

victims having been protestants and heretics. But it was left to a private gentleman, to avenge the in- jury offered to his country, and to chastise the bar- barous usurpers of Florida. This was the Che- valier de Goui'ges, a man who in those times, had distinguished himself on various occasions for that ro- mantic valour, which was then so highly esteemed ; tlie indignation which he felt at the insult ofiTeied his country, was heightened by a sense of personal wrongs, having been for many years confined in Spa- nish prisons. Under the pretence of setting on foot an expedition for tlie purpose of attempting some enterprise on the coast of Africa, he formed at his own expense, and with the assistance of his per- sonal friends, a considera!)> armament, and steer- ed for Florida. On his arrival he was joined by the Indians, who had become greatly dissatisfied with the Spaniards, stormed St. Matheo, and car- ried it with little difficulty. The greater part of the garrison, who defended themselves with despe- ration, were killed in the assault; tlie survivors were now dragged to tlie siime ti-ee, on ^^ hich tlie French had been hanged, and in the execution of a severe, but not unjust retaliation, Mere made to un- dergo the pains which they had before so cruelly in- flicted ', the former inscription being replaced by one to this effect, "not as Spaxiards, but as MURDERERS AND CUT THROATS. '^ Having de- stroyed the fort, and completed the principal ohject of his expedition, he soon after embarked ; St. Augustin was considered as too formidable for his party.

The attention of France seems to have been alto- gether withdrawn from this quarter of the conti- went, during an interval of many years : being at

BOOK I. DISCOVERT AND SETTLEMENT. 2S

this time cliiefly occupied with her settlements in Canada, wliicli had he,^iin to flourish, St. Augus- tiii and all Florida, were about the same time aban- doned by the Spaniards. The progress of these settlements however, in time led to the discovery of the Mississippi and to the settlement of Louisiana. The tliirst of gain, and tlie zeal for spreading the gospel, co-ope I'ated in attracting adventurers and missionaries, to tlie interior of this vast wilderness, along the lakes, and on the rivers, whi( h take their sources in their neighbourhood. About the year 16ri, it became known in Canada from the infor- mation of Indians, tliat there was a great river to the west of New France, which neither flowed to the east nor to tlie north. It ^^ as conjectured tliat it must either discharge itself into the gulph of Mexi- co, or into tlie south sea; it consecjuently soon be- cauie a matter of great interest and importance, tliat. tills fact should be ascertained. Witli this view, M. Frontenac, tlien go^rernor of Canada, sent the priest Marquette, and a ti-ader named Joliet, about the year 1673 or 74, to explore this river, already famous. These persons accompanied only by three or four men, ascended the river of the Foxes, and crossed to the Wisconsing, which they descended to the Mississippi. They sailed dawn this river, discovei'ing some considerable streams, of which the celebrated iSIissouri was then su])posed to be one, and which was called by the Indians Peklta- iioni, A few leagues below it they found three large villages of Illinois, which was the tcirn of their voyage.

Little was done towai'ds the further discovery of this interior region, until it was undertaken by the enterprizing La Salle. This gentleman had form-

24 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

ed a trading establishment at the lower end of lake Ontario, which at that time was thought no inconsi- derable distance to A^enture into the Indian country. La Salle urged by the ambition of being a discover- er, and by the prospects of fortune, which now seemed to be opened, resolved sbortly after the re- turn of Marquette, to attempt the discovery of tlie Mississippi. He sat off in the year 1770, in company with Fatlier Hennipin, (for it was usual to attach a missionary to these expeditions) and three or four men ; he sailed along the lakes to Micliigan, and then descended the Illinois river, but was compelled to remain liere during the win- ter, and did not reach the Mississippi until the spring follow ing. Father Hennepin witli two men, ascended the Mississippi as far as the falls of St. Anthony ; in the account which he gives of his voyage, he pretends to have also gone dow n tlie ri- ver to its morrfh. but in this he lias been detected in attempting sli auiefui impostssre. In the mean time La Salle finding that his resources WTre not adequate to liis first designs, after examining the country about the Illinois, with v.hich he was much pleased, returned to Canada, and left the Chevalici- de Tonti in command of a little fort, which he had built and named Crevecoeur. This gentleman, however, soon after followed M. La Salle. These two men by dint of gi*eat exertion succeeded in obtaining some necessary supplies, and in enlisting a number of volunteers, in tlie scheme of forming a settlement on the banks of the Mississippi, in the country of the Illinois. Tiiey reached their place of destina- tion in the year 1773, and founded the villages of Kaskaskia, Cohokia, and several others of less note, La Salle, placing M. dc Tonti at tlie head of his es-

BOOIC I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 25

tablishment,=*!' proceeded to the mouth of the Missis- sippi, and after having examined the adjacent coun- try, returned with the fixed resolution of cstablisli- ing- a colony. He returned to Quebec, and from thence sailed to France, whei-e making known his discoveries and plans, he succeeded in obtaining considerable assistance from the king, and about the latter end of the year 1684, set sail from La Ro- chellc. But according to Charlevoix, from an un- fortunate violence of temper, which often produced acts of ill timed severity, and from an overweening confidence in his own abilities and resources, which led him to treat the opinions of others with con- tempt, he rendered liimsclf the object of dislike to his companions. This was tlie cause of his ulti- mate failure. He is said to have passed by the mouth of tlie river of which he was in search, though it was seen by every person on board the ships; and persisted with such obstinacy, that jie would not even listen to proposals, of sending a boat to exam- ine : having from his own observations and cal- culations, placed it considerably further soutli. — He arrived at tiie bay of St. Bernard, and now dis- covered his error, when it w as too late, for the na- val commander, became as obstinate as himself, positively refused to return, and placed him on shore with all his men and e?juipments. La Salle built a fort at tiiis place, and shortly afterwards set out, witli tlie intention of reaching the Mississippi by land, but was unfortunately assassinated by some of his own people, before he could effect hisj object. His whole company, with the exception of

* Stoddard — some autliors state, however, that the Chevalier de Tonti, aetuaJl/ descended the Mississippi. C

26 "VIEWS OF LOUISIAXA.

a few individuals, who readied Canada, finally pe- rished, heing cither destroyed by the Indians, or taken prisoners by the Spaniards and condemned to the mines.

Notwithstandingthese discoiiragingfailures, the co- lonization of the Mississippi was not abandoned. M. D'lberville, a gentleman of considerable cele- brity as a naval commander, associated with M. Chateaumorand, was sent with two ships, to explore tlie country about the moutliof the river, and to form an establishment. He reached the bay of Pensaco- la early in 1799, wliere he found a Spanish fort, lately constructed and garrisoned by three hun- dred men, who had been detached from Vera Cruz, to take possession of Florida. They were not dis- posed to welcome their visitors, and even refused them permission to water.

D'Iberville continued his course to the southward, and entered the bay of Mobile. There was at this time a fine harbour here, but which was afterwards iilled up by the sands left on the bar after a tem- pest. The first jdace at which lie landed, was deno- minated Viste a massacre^ from the discovery of several human bodies mangled in the most shocking manner : but which was afterwards called LHsle a JJanphin, From this place he proceeded to the main land, and afterwards accompanied by a small party of his men, penetrated to the Mississippi. Having discovered this noble river, he returned to liis vessels, and coasting along until he came to its mouth, entered and ascended a considerable dis- tance, and erected a fort. He afterwards ascended in a barge as far as the Natches, with which place lie was so much pleased, that he conceived the idea of founding a city there to be named Rosalie. Tho

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. ^7

Mississippi was at this period ,i>;cncraHy known by the name of the river St. Louis, which had been given by La Salle, but the country on both sides still retained tliat of Florida ; it was not until about this time that it was generally known by the name of Louisiana.

It is related that shortly after the arrival of the French, two Englisli vessels came in search of tlie Mississi})pi, having been induced to undertake the settlement of its borders, by the glowing and fabulous description of father Hennepin. One of these vessels ascended as far as the bend of the ri- ver, which is still called from the circmnstance, tlic English turn : no attempt was made to land, proba- bly from tlieir having been anticipated, and from dis- appointment in the appearance of the country , wliicli in a state of nature is far from inviting. Florida was also claimed at this time in virtsie of the disco- veries of Sebastian Cubot, who sailed along the coast without landing, and in virtue of her own chartres, wliich extended indefinitely. There can be nothing more absurd, than the two grounds of claim set up by England and Spain to this conti- nent; the gift of his Holiness, who had no right to give, and chartres by tlie donor to herself. The custom of nations on the discovery of Ame- rica, introduced the right of discovery into the pub- lick law; by which, the adventurer who first be- holds a part of this continent, or runs over it, may set himself up as the owner. The right of settle- ment in a country waste and unappropriated, but merely infested by wild men, by bears, panthers, wolves, rattlesnakes and mosquitos, is a different matter.

This colony thus planted by DTbcrville, labour- ed with many difficulties, and for years after its

28 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

commencement, was probably one of the least pro- mising on the continent. Its establishment was regarded by those who had colonies in the vicinity with jealous eyes ; the Englisli on one side, and the Spaniards on the other, nsed every means in their power to retard its grov.i^h: but could the genius which visited Columbus in his prison have appeared to D'Iberviile, he would have shewn him Louisiana, the greatest and wealthiest of the new world ! The injudicious choice of the spot in the ilrst instance, for the principal settlement, the Kniiealthiness of a climate against whose dangers experience had not taught to provide, the complicated wants and privations of the settlers, and the jea- lousies and disputes among the great men of the co- lony, were formidable enemies to its prosperity. Instead of planting themselves at once upon the fertile banks of the Mississippi, they selected the meagre soil of the Beloxi near the mouth of the Perdido, and the Isle of Dauphin, scarcely capable of producing a few garden vegetables. The French colonists, unlike the English and Dutch settlers, who applied themselves to tlie cultivation of the earth, threw away their time in a pitiful traffic with the neighbouring Indians, for the skins of wild animals, or imitated the mode of life of these lazy children of nature.

The return of DTberville to France, in the year 1700, was felt as a serious loss to the colony. He was a man of talents, and was likely to possess tliat kind of ascendency over the minds of the colonists, so essential in the colonial state. It lingered for twelve years, at one moment on the point of ex- tinction, and again revived by some imexpected reinforcement. A good understanding was, how-

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 39

ever, maintained witli the Indians, and after some time, they were on a tolerable footing- with the Spa- niards of Pensacola : former animosities were so far forgotten, that they even rendered each other occasional assistance. During this period, it is esti- mated that two thousand five hundred persons arrived in Louisiana, few of whom ever returned to France, and upwards of half a million of livres had been ex- pended by the king; and yet at the close of this year, (1712) the whole population did not exceed four hundred souls, about twenty of whom were ne- groes. Their stock did not exceed twenty head of cattle of all kinds, and their agricultural progress was so trifling, that had they left the country, a few years would have obliterated every trace of their existence.

The king disgusted with the expences thus use- lessly incurred, and discouraged by the little suc- cess in the establishment of this colony, conceived that it would be better to resign the charge to some enterprising and intelligent individual, who would feel an interest in bestowing the pains necessary to the discovery and remedy of the evils which op- posed themselves, to the gro\^i;h of this unpro- mising section. For this purpose, M. Crosat, a gen- tleman of great wealth and credit, was selected, and a grant of the colony was made to him, for the term of ten years, giving him the entire manage- ment of it, and the exclusive right of trade for tliat period. Great expectations were formed by Crosat; his vicinity to New Spain, it was supposed would enable him to carry on a lucrative trade with that quarter, and certainly, but for the gloomy jealousy of the Spaniard^; he would not have been disap- 2c

30 llEWS OF LOUISIANA.

pointed. Many reports, at this time, had reached France, of the mines of the Illinois, it was confident- ly believed, the precious metals were to be found there, as well as in the spurs of the Cordilleras. With these objects in view, it may well be supposed, that the mere trade of the colony, was little thought of. The first Governor under this grant, M. La Motte, arrived and took possession in 1713. Tlie first act of La Motte, after establishing something like order in the colony, was to dispatch a vessel to Vera Cruz, to request permission to trade with Mexico ; this was positively denied. The expectations of discovering gold or silver mines in the Illinois, were also soon disappointed. He was not, how- ever altogether disheartened, by the refusal of the Vice-roy : he now hoped that by gradually extend- ing the establishments of Louisiana towards the Mexican provinces, he might ultimately succeed in his views. To fui'ther this design, an enterprising man of the name of St. Dennis, was sent with a small body of men, to establish a fort on the Red river, and to proceed from thence towards the Rio J3ravo, in order to ascertain the situation of the Spanish settlements. St. Dennis found the country east of the Rio Bravo, entirely unoccupied, but discovered on the west side, a party of Spaniards who had just built a fort. Here he was well re- ceived by the commanding officer, whose sister he married. About the same time, two othei* detach- ments were sent into the country by La Motte : one of which built a fort near the source of the Sabine, called Le Bout ; (which was maintained un- til Louisiana was ceded to Spain) the other pene- trated to a nation of Indians called the Assinais, situated on a small river, twenty or thii'ty miles

BOOK I. DISC0\T:RY AND SETTLEMENT. 31

west of Natchitoches, where a fort wase rected, the ruins of which, it is said, are still visible.

Some trade was now cariied on with the interior of Mexico, by the means of these posts, and La Motte began to entertain hopes that it would gra- dually increase. But the jealous Spaniards, being appi'ehensive that the French settlements would approach too near theirs, and to the mines south of the Rio Bravo, altliougli anticipated in the occu- pancy of tlie tract of country on this side of that river, resolved to set up a claim to this part of Florida ; in pursuance of which it was declared a province, under the name of Texas, though without a single inhabitant, who owned their authority. This did not interrupt the good understanding which subsisted between them and the French, who were permitted to remain unmolested and even without remonstrance. This was probably owing to the friendly disposition of all the Indian tribes towards the French, and who were at the same time enimical to the Spaniards. But it was necessary that Spain should make an establishment of some kind, in order to give greater weight to her pre- tensions; and for this purpose, an artful expedient was resorted to.

In those times, it was customary for missionaries of different nations, even when at war, to unite ami- cably for the purpose of propagating the christian religion amongst the Indians ; they were even some- times attended by the troops of either, while the es- tablishments formed with this view, were held sa- cred by all. But this pleasing trait in the inter- course of rival nations, was like every other good, lia})le to abuse, and to be perverted to the purpose of furthering designs of ambition and fraud. A Spanish priest of the name of Idalgo^ addressed a

32 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

letter to M. La Motte, setting forth the advantages to the cause of Christianity, which might be expected from the establishment of a mission at the Assinais, to instruct the poor ignorant Indians in the divine truths of the gospel, and to lead forth these benight- ed creatures to light and life ; and in order that the praise of such a commendable undertaking, might be equally shared by both nations, he proposed that the French should join in forming the esta- blishment. La Motte easily saw through the de- sign of this, but relying on his own vigilance in counteracting it, and believing that by appearing to fall in with the scheme, he might derive other advan- tages, more than sufficient to counterbalance, par- ticularly the trade to Mexico, resolved to comply. Instead of entering into a correspondence with Idalgo on the subject, it was deemed more expedient to send an agent to Mexico. The enterprising St. Dennis, then commandant at Natchitoches, was en- trusted with this mission, and invested with the ne- cessary powers, to negociate a treaty, which would remove the obstacles in the way of a friendly inter- course between the French and the Spaniards. He arrived in Mexico in June 1715, and was as favor- ably received by the Spanish Vice-roy, as he could have wished, and wlio consented to the request of a free intercourse and trade by land, to the Spanish provinces, as soon as the mission at the Assinais should be establislicd. On the return of St. Dennis, liis arrangements were approved by the Governor of Louisiana, and he was enjoined to see them car- ried into effect. He returned to the Spanish fort, on the other side of the Rio Bravo, and putting him- self at the head of a body of Spaniards, conducted them in the spring of the year 1716; to the Assinais,

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. S3

liaviiig prcA ioiisly assembled the chiefs of the dif- ferent nations, and persuaded them to permit these people to remain amoni^ them. Tliis was the first Spanisli settlement in the province of Texas.

Alter accomplishing this, St. Dennis sat off a se- cond time for Mexico, witli a quantity of merchan- dize. The real designs of the Spaniards, now ma- nifested themselves. Instead of being permitted to dispose of his merchandize, lie was arrested as a smuggler and thrown into prison. He was after- wards permitted to go at large within cei'tain limits, but despairing of being released, he effected his escape, and arrived in Louisiana in 1719. The Spaniards in the meanwhile, had so far encroached at the Assinais, and were so much strengthened, as to become the masters.

Pending these negociations, M. La Motte died, and M. Bienville, brotlier to D'Iberville, succeeded him. The abilities and experience of this gentle- man, rendered him well qualified for the station : he had been in the colony from its first settlement, and W' as distinguished for probity and prudence.

In the meanwhile, Crosat, entirely disappointed in obtaining the profits which he had expected, gave up his privilege to the king in 1717, before the term of its duration had expired. The famous company of Law, which had at this time, nearly en- grossed the whole trade of France, undei' the name of " the company of the Indies," took possession of Louisiana, and appointed M. Bienville the go- vernor. He was ^velcomed at the Isle of Dauphin, on his return from France, w hither he had gone, by the deputies of twenty-five Indian nations. Tliis place had been the seat of government, but was soon after abandoned in consequence of the port

.'54. VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

havingbeen closed by the sands thrown up during a tempest : and nearly all tJie settlers were removed to Beloxi. Tlie population at tliis period, consisted of seven hundred persons, and their whole stock, to four hundred head of cattle ; but they did not raise a su^ciency of provisions for their own sustenance. Crosat, had expended upwards of four hundred thousand livres, and the trade scarcely amounted to three.

In 1719, war broke out between France and Spain, and put an end to the friendly intercourse which had hitlierto subsisted between the two colonies. Bienville, undertook the reduction of Pensacola, wiiich he effected with a party composed principally of Canadians, with a body of four hundred Indians, and the co-operation of three vessels of war. The fort surrendered without making resistance. The Spaniards after this, mortified at their loss, made formidable preparations for retiieving it : and at the same time, for the total destruction of the French colony. They retook Pensacola, but were repulsed in their attempt on the Isle of Dauphin. A French squadron, under M. Champlain, soon after made its appearance, and the Spanisl) fort was again besieged. The river Pedido, which was con- sidered the boundary line, and at which a small post had been maintained, was appointed as the place of rendezvous for the land force : and accordingly Bienville with the soldiers and volunteers of the company, joined the Indian allies at this place. They proceeded over land, and in conjunction with the fleet, the fort was soon reduced without blood- shed. Eighteen hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the French, with public property to a iar^e amount. After which the fortific atious were de-

BOOK I. DISCOVEHY AND SETTLEMENT. 55

stroyed, and the French retired to the Perdido. In the year 1721, peace was concluded hetween the two powei-s ; one of tlie articles of the treaty, was the restoration of Pensacola.

Ahout this period, tlie settlements of the Beloxi, were ordered hy the council general to he removed to New-Orleans. During the time tlie company liad been in possession, tlie mother country, and the islands, had furnished four th(jiisand and forty- four settlers, also one hundred and fifty galley slaves, and several hundrer* females, taken from houses of correction.'^ I'his accession of ii^hahi- tants, without being properly provided for, and the greater pai^t of loose ajid v/orthless character, soon experienced every possible calamity. Such was the distress for the want of provisions, and tlie ne- cessaries of life, that many of the colonists, and even the troops, were obliged to take refuge in the neighbouring Lidian villages, where they received every mark of kindness and hospitality. How illy requited was this generosity, at a su!>se({uent pe- riod, when the French settlements had heen warmed into life and vigor ! The fate of the Natchez, can well attest the truth of this remark. Great dissen- tions at the same time prevailed amongst the mi- serable colonists, as if their inevitable misfortunes had not heen enough ; these dissentions, were in some measure fomented hy the English of Caro- lina, who were at the same time in the habit of stirring up such of the Indian nations, as were un- friendly. Fortunately for the French, the Cliac- tas, tlien, and still, the most powerful nation of Louisiana, as well as all the smaller tribes, on the

* Stoddard.

56 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

lower part of the Mississippi, and on the Mobile, were friendly.

The year following, the colony obtained some supplies, and the disagreements of the. authorities, were somewhat appeased. To prevent a recur- rence of these evils for the future, it was resolved to distribute the colony in different places, selected as tlie most eligible for the views of the com- pany, and where subsistence might be obtain- ed with greater facility. The present flourish- ing settlement of Natchitoches, was then com- menced, in the neighbourhood of the post, establish- ed by St. Dennis. A settlement was formed neai* the Natchez, at S. Catharine, and on the Missis- sippi above and below New- Orleans, and the foun- dations of that city were laid. About this time, a body of French expelled the Spanish settlers from the Adaize, where they had formed a settlement. In the same year (1722) a fort was built by Ber^ nard de la Harp, at the village of the Caddoques, in the lat. 55, 55, which was called St. Louis de Carlorette. De la Harp wrote to the Spanish com- mandant, informing him of what he had done, and expressing a wish to cultivate a good understanding with him. In answer, he was required to withdraw from this post, itbeingwitliintheterritory of Spain; in reply, de la Harpe, persisted in the right of France to tlie province called Texasj, and declared his determination to defend the possession which he then had. Nothing further passed,* the Fi'ench remained in quiet possession until tlie country was transferred to Spain, a small settlement having been formed near this. A fruitless attempt had been made shortly before, to form a settlement on the bay of St. Jovseph ; and two equally so, the first

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 37

umler tlie commaiid of Monsr. Beran.^er, the lat- ter under De la Harp, on the hay of St. Bernard.

The French, of an ardent and enterprising cast of mind, had early turned their attention to the dis- covery of the country. Shortly after the estahlish- ments at Kaskaskia by La Salle, enterprising in- dividuals ascended the Mississippi, towards its source, and explored a good deal of the country on some of the principal rivers, which discharge them- selves into it. As early as 1683, they discovered some copper mines, about six hundred miles above the mouth of the Illinois, and some clays which were supposed valuable. In 1695, an establishment was attempted near these rivers, but which so much in- censed the Indians, that it was abandoned. It has already been mentioned, that many reports had pre- vailed at tliis early period, of the mineral riclies of this country. When Iberville was sent to colo- nize the Mississippi, there were sent in company with him several persons skilled in mineralogy, for the p'';'pose of exploring the country of the Illinois, whi ^^^ ime was about that time, bestowed generally to aiVTIie upper part of Louisiana. In 1702, an establishment was attempted, in order to facilitate this object, at the mouth of Blue river, lat. 44, 13. This also gave umbrage to the Indians ; the French, to avoid hostilities, returned to a small river, one hundred miles above the Ouisconsing. Here they built a fort, opened some copper mines, and also, obtained two thousand quintals of Jine clay. They were however, compelled to abandon this place also on account of the jealousies of the Indians. This put an end to the attempt of forming any settlement near the source of the Mississippi, or of working

D

38 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

and exploring mines in that quarter. They now attempted to ascend the Missouri, whose immense vohime of water, could not but convince them, that it was no less important than the Mississippi. They ascended to the Kansas river in 1705, where they were well received hy the Indians, and formed establishments ; but finding that they could not be kept up without much trouble, and no profit resulting, they were soon abandoned. Another expedition was undertaken, by the orders of Iber- ville, by De la Harp, from the fort which he had built, to the Arkansas across the country. The particulars of this exploring expedition, are related by himself in a manuscript, still pre- served in Louisiana. He examined the sources of the Washita, passed the higli mountains, which divide its waters from tlie Arkansas, and descended Ihat river to the Mississippi. He gives a tolerable idea of the country, but seems to be credulous, and some of liis accounts border on the marvellous.

The settlements of the Illinoi;^, were fr^m the first, more flourishing than those on tiie 'ov' ^^ Mis- sissippi; having been formed principally Bf hardy Canadians, who were well acquainted with all the ne- cessary precautions against the difticulties of these establishments. Kaskaskia had become a consi- derable town, and a large fort, called Chartres, had been constructed on the bank of the Mississippi. Spain becoming jealous of this flourishing state of the Illinois, resolved to form a stronger settlement on the Missouri. A large body of troops it is re- lated, sat off from the Santa Fee, about the year 1720, for this purpose. The first object of the Spaniards was to destroy the Missouris, a pow- erful Indian nation, then in close alliance with the

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 39

French, and who resided on the river of that name, and near the Kansas. This nation heing then at war with the Panis, it wastlieir intention to engage them in the enterprise. Unfortunately the Spa- niards mistaking tlieir way, arrived at the village of the people whom they intended to destroy, but ignorant of their error, immediately made proposi- tions as to the Panis. The Indians concealing their surprise, requested time to deliberate; and liaving collected their warriors, fell on the Spa- niards in the middle of the night, and put tliem all to death, witli the exception of the Missionary, who effected his escape on horseback. To prevent similar attempts, M. de Bourgamont, was sent up the Missouri, and built a fort wliich he named fort Orleans, near the Kansas river. Tliis fort was destroyed about twenty years afterwards, and as all who were in it perished, it was never known by whom the deed was done.

The affair of the Natchez, forms an important incident in the history of Louisiana. These people, for twenty years, had been the stedfast friends of the French, and in tlieir character, were exceptions to the general ferocity of the saA ages : indeed, from tlie account of these people, it seems, that there prevailed amongst them, a degree of civilization, much superior to what was generally met with in tlie American tribes. They had admitted the French into their villages, when in distress, and contributed to support them at fort Rosalie, at the Yazoo, and other places. These favors were returned with ingratitude, as soon as the colonists ceased to stand in need of their assistance ; they were compelled to bear the insults and oppressions, of ignorant and insolent commandants and soldiers.

40 VIE\yS OF LOUISIANA.

The temper of the Natchez, thus soured by ill usage, was raised to a high pitch of indignation, by the cruel treatment of one of the principal warriors, who happened to be indebted to a sol- dier, and had promised to pay in corn. On being required to discharge the debt, he excused him- self on the score of his corn not being yet ripe. The soldier, not satisfied with this, threatened to beat him ; the a\ arrior defied him, on which, the other raised the cry of murder, which brought the guard, who fired on the warrior, and gave him a mortal wound. This abominable outrage was followed by no punishment of the perpetrators, on tiie part of the commandant, who was himself very obnoxious. The Natchez flew to arms, and but for the exertions of an influential chief, the Stung ser* pent, they would have instantly attacked the colony. Peace was restored, and the past consigned to oblivion by the Natchez. This was not the case on the part of M. Bienville, who was apprehensive that the pacifications of the Indians, was only feigned, and that they were secretly meditating some treacherous attack. He determined to an- ticipate the blow, and so weaken them, as to put it out of their power to injure him, should they be so inclined. He suddenly made his appearance at fort Rosalie, With seven hundred men, fell upon the unsuspecting Natchez, put many of them to death, and demanded the head of one of their principal warriors, whom he denominated a mutinous chief.

This step, proved as ill judged as it was wicked and cruel. The desire of revenge, seized more strongly upon their hearts, and they sat themselves to work in meditating the means of gratification. But the superiority of the French, required that

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 41

they should observe secrecy and caution. Six years elapsed before they had matured tlieir plans : but the Indian, however volatile in other things, is not inconstant in the pursuit of revenge. It was but for a moment laid aside, when there appeared to be a probability, that a just punishment would be in- flicted on those, by whom they had been ill treated. A young French officer, named Dumont, had warmly taken their part, and succeeded in arraigning the commandant of fort Rosalie, M. Chopart, before M. Perrier, who administered the government in the absence of M. Bienville. This was a joyful event to the Natchez, to whom the commandant was parti- cularly obnoxious, as the author of their calamities. Unfortunately, on this occasion, injustice prevailed, M. Chopart, was reinstated in his command, and the young officer returned to France.

On the return of the commandant, he renewed his oppressions with greater cruelty than before; his first act, was to order the Indians, to remove from the white apple village, their principal resi- dence, against which, they in vain remonstrated. Appealing to his cupidity, they prevailed upon him, to suffer them to remain for a few months, for wiiich indulgence, they agreed to pay a tribute in corn and fowls. They immediately sat about con- triving the means of revenge. The Chickasas, and other tribes, were invited to engage in ^ a general massacre of all the French in the colony : these were to rise on the same day, and attack the French settlements in their vicinity. The mode fallen upon, to insure a simultaneous assault with tribes more remote, was by leaving with each, a bundle of sticks, containing a cei^ain number, one

2D

42 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

of which was to he taken from the hundle each day, and on the day of the last rod, the massacre would begin. The plot was retarded, and in some mea- sure frustrated, hy the mother of the Sun, who was the principal chief of the Natchez ; from affection to the whites, or from displeasure, at not being at first entrusted with the secret, she withdrew a number of rods from the bundle, and thus hastened its exe- cution. The time appointed for this, was the deli- very of the tribute. While the French, entirely off their guard, were engaged in i*eceiving it, the war- riors suddenly fell upon them, put to death the commandant, and all the garrison, and the inha- bitants of the settlements ; sparing only some women and children, and the slaves. The settlements of tlie Yazoo and Washita, shared the same fate ; a few who escaped, carried the intelligence to New- Orleans, and saved the rest of the colony. The colonists w ere now on their guard, and the rising of the Indians was too late. The Chactas, came for- ward in tiieir defence, and to this tribe, the settle- ments on the Mobile, owed their preservation en- tirely.

Perier prepared to take revenge. He marched to Natchez with his whole force, and seven hun- dred Chactas, and some Chickasas, who ranged themselves on the side of the French, after quar- relling with the Natchez, on account of their having prematurely begun the attack upon the settlements. He defeated tlie Natchez in a skirmish on his ap- proach to their town, where he found them shut up in two forts, constructed after their own manner; here they defended tliemselves with great obstinacy, holding out for more than a month, although seven pieces of cannon were brought against tJiem. This

BOOK I. Discovery and settlement. 43

delay, was principally caused by apprehensions for the prisoners in the possession of the besieged ; it was justly feared, that the Natchez would murder them, if driven to despair. The forts, at length, agreed to surrender, but on favorable terms ; on delivering up their prisoners, and giving hostages for their future good conduct. Tlie greater part of the nation some time afterwards, crossed tlie Mis- sissippi, and settled on a. branch of Red river.

The Natchez were neither reconciled nor induced to relinquish their hostile designs. In 1731, it was found necessary to raise another army of whites and Indian auxiliaries, with the intention of putting an end for the future to all apprehensions from this troublesome nation. Under the command of M. Perier, this army ascended Red river, and after- wards Black river, its tributary stream, to the place where the Natchez had fortified themselves in the greatest force. The siege was commenced on the SOth of January ; the trench was opened and all the different works of the besiegers begun, and ad- vanced apace during the rest of the day, and the whole of the night. The day following, the mortars and all things necessary for tlie attack, were brought on shore. Some bombs were thrown,. which fell in the fort. The besieged made a sortie, killed a Frenchman and a negro, but were repulsed. On the 12th, bombs were thrown during the whole day but produced no great effect, and the besieged w ounded two soldiers. On the 24th, they hoisted a white flag ; M. Perier at the same time caused one to be hoisted at the head of a mast ; a shoi't time after, an Indian was seen advancing with a calumet in each hand. He brought proposals of peace, and offered on the part of his chief to return the pri-

44 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

soners and negroes in their possession. Terms of any kind would not be attended to unless the chief came in person ; this the Indian declared could not take place, but observed to M. Perier, if he would advance to the corner of his entrenchment, the great chief would come to the end of his fort. The Indian was dismissed with the message to his chief, that if the prisoners and negroes were delivered up, the general would then declare his further determi- nation. These being brought and delivered to M. Perier, he declared that unless the great chief came to him in person, he would continue the siege, and deny all quai'ter. The chiefs finally agreed to sur- render, and with them the greater part of the peo- ple; the remainder who refused to give themselves up, found means during some very heavy rains to escape and join the rest of the nation. About two hundred fortified themselves some distance up the Red river, but were attacked and destroyed by St. Dennis. Those that fell into the hands of the French were disposed of as slaves : a thing very unusual in their conduct towards the Indians, which has been marked with a greater degree of kindness than that of any of the European nations, but which on this occasion, may be ascribed to the un- conquerable ennuty of these injured people. From that day the Natchez no longer existed as a nation. In this year, (1731) Louisiana, was restored by the company of the Indies to the king. The fa- mous Mississippi bubble had burst, and involved in ruin all that had been concerned in it. Its history is similar to other instances of popular delusion, ori- ginating in accident, or in the designs of artful men. Louisiana was represented as a paradise, its surface adorned with all the beauties of nature, and

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLE^VIENT. 45

containing underneath, all the riches that could tempt human cupidity, Wliile tlie mania lasted, the colony derived considerable benefits from it; benefits whose effects continued long after to be felt. Large sums of money were expended, and men of the first respectability, came to see the fairy region; the number of books published on tlie subject of Louisiana, is truly surprising, but few of them, however, are deserving of much attention. The diappointment occasioned by the Mississippi scheme, was followed by disgust to the colony, but itliad by this time, acquired sufficient strength to stand alone. The settlements in upper Louisiana, or the Ilinois, of which we will speak in the next chapter, were by far the most flourishing in an agricultural point of view : those on the lower Mississippi, even as late as 1763, were far from being considerable. The settlements were to be found at New-Orleans, at the Natchez, on the Mobile and its branches, and at the Beloxi. The lumber trade with the West Indies, and thetrafic with the natives, togetlier with an inconsiderable export of tobacco, constituted the principal sources of wealth. The greatest draw- back on the prosperity of the colony, was the miserable practice of granting monopolies, which obliged the planters to dispose of their produce to the company, at such prices as it chose to fix. The shameful impositions practised by the monopo- lists, repressed all disposition to engage indus- triously in the cultivation of the earth, for what- ever surplus there might be, the gain would be the same.

Charlevoix, has chosen to attribute this state of the colony, to the enmity of the English and Spa- niards ; but in reality the blame rested upon the

46 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

French king;. The Spaniards, he says, <* did not act as openly as the English, against a colony at which they had taken great umbrage ; yet they had taken their measures more effectually to arrest its progress, and to prevent the formation of any new establishment. They liave in fact suc- ceeded even until now, (1736) in retaining us by the pursuit of a contemptible trade, between the stream which was neglected to be settled, (Missis- sippi) and Pensacola, on a sandy coast, (Beloxi) on an island (Daupliin) not better, and upon a river (Mobile) which although well enough to occupy, is yet not fitted for any plan of colonization. It must be confessed, that on this occasion, M. D'Iberville was not judicious, or that he had no time to carry his designs into execution."

CHAP. II.

fFar withthe Chickasas — Civil and Political history of Louisiana, down to the treaty of Ildephonso,

THE French, had given to their American pos- sessions, the name of New France, which included Canada, the hikes, and all the valley of tlie Missis- sippi. On this river, and on all its branches, they had either established posts with a few settlers, or had sent Missionaries to the Indian villages. The Oiiio, was called La Belle Riviere, from its singu- lar beauty, but lost its name at the Wabash, being at first, regarded merely as a tributary of this ri\er. On the Wabash, the settlement of Vincennes was made much about the time of those at Kaskaskia and Cohokia. Alltlieir settlements in tliis quarter, were designated under the name of the Illinois, from a powerful tribe of Indians, who were found in pos- session.

We have already seen, that shortly after the dis- covery of the Mississippi, a number of Canadian settlers were induced to take up their residence at this place, in a country and climate so much more pleasant, than that wliich they had left. A monastery of Jesuits, was established here, which succeeded in converting a number of the natives, to Christi- anity. I am credibly informed, that they had at one time, upwards of five hundred converts. It was

48 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

not long, before the Kaskaskians, began to diminisk and degenerate, as it has always been found to be the case, in the intercourse of the natives with the whites, and to the Canadians they left the name, and proprietorship of their village.

The name of the Illinois, was given to both sides of the river. It was this part of Louisiana, which furnished so many topics of glowing descriptions, to the French writers during the existence of Law's scheme. Its beautiful natural meadows, its pic- turesque scenery, its supposed wealth in minerals, served to captivate the minds of the French, and it came to be spoken of as a kind of paradise. The settlements of the Illinois, w^ere in a flourishing state, while the other parts of Louisiana were en- tirely the reverse.

Some years after the war with the Natchez, Lou- isiana again experienced an Indian war. The English traders who had established themselves among the Chickasas, in order to prevent the French from interfering with their traffic, wei^ continually engaged in exciting the animosity of the Indians against them. This produced an open rupture, and M. Bienville, led a considerable force up the Mobile, for the purpose of attacking their principal fortification, but in this, he was repulsed with disgrace. A party, which marched from the Illinois, met with no better success. Determined not to renounce his design of humbling these formi- dable neighbours, and having received considerable reinforcements from France, he ascended the Mis- sissippi, to wliat is now called the Chickasa bluffs. His force was the largest that had ever appeared in this quarter. But in consequence of unnecessary delays, his supplies gradually failed, and his incon-

w

i

BOOK r. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 49

stant allies, began to desert him before he had ta- ken up his march against the Indian villages. He was, therefore, compelled to patch up a peace, on any tei-nis, and to return with very little honour.

From the year 1740, until the commencement of the war between England and France in 1754, few events of importance occurred in Louisiana. The settlements had been gradually extending them- selves, and in some parts were already in a flour- ishing state ,• at all events, the difficulties insepara- ble from infant colonies,-'Avere all surmounted ; they were not only placed beyond the danger of want, but had already a respectable export of tobacco, cotton, indigo, peltry, hides, ship timber, 6cc.; and could purchase in return, many of the luxuries of life. The symptoms of the quarrel between Eng- land and France, which terminated so unfortu- nately for the latter, sliewed themselves about this time. As the colonies of each extended, differen- ces would naturally arise, respecting their bounda- ries, which from the first, had not been defined. Each claimed to an unlimited and extravagant ex- tent, and force alone could decide, where both were determined to stretch their pretensions as far as possible. The Indian nations were engaged in continual wars by the arts of the two rivals, while they were themselves at peace. This may be one cause of the rapid decrease of those tribes. The French, anticipating a struggle for the preserva- tion of tlicir American possessions, as early as the year 1749, strengtliened tliemsclves by fortifications on the lakes, on the Ohio, on the Wabash, in the Illinois, and other parts of tlie valley of the Missis- sippi. To this valley, they had the best right, if first discovery and earlier occupancy, could give it.

E

50 MEWS OF LOUISIANA.

The British set up in opposition tlieir charters, in other words, they had called it theirs, and set about counteracting tlie measures taken by the French, to secure their possession. The Oliio com- pany was formed, for the purpose of trading with the Indians, but under the real intention of being^ used as apolitical engine. This contest of ambition^ between the nations across the Atlantic, necessarily involved the colonies ; the British colonists, were particularly exposed, as the French, from their pos- session of Canada, had a control over the Indians, and could set tliem on like wild beasts to murder the frontier settlei's.

In the year 1753, the French had erected fortiii- cations at Erie, Niagara, and at the confluence of the Alieglieny and Monongohela, which was deemed ; a flagrant encroachment on the BritisJi territory. | It was at this period, that the great Washington, then a youth, commenced his noble career. Having discharged an arduous duty, in his mission to Erie, he soon after, performed a conspicuous part in the war wliich ensued. France at this time, pursued the same policy of instigating the Indians, tliatwas afterwards so well adopted by Great Britain, and the whole frontier from New England to South Ca- rolina, was exposed to their cruel ravages.

The contest terminated most unfortunately for France, both in Europe and in America. Canada and its dependencies, were compelled to capitulate. The French fleets were defeated at Toulon, and in the Bay of Biscay, and the army of France totally routed at Minden. She sued for peace, but was baffled for a long time, by the artful policy of Pitt. One of the difiiculties which stood in the way of >9ettling their dispute, was the establishment of the

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 51

eastern limits of Louisiana: the Englisli claimed the Ohio, and produced the capitulation ol" Canada, by the Governor M. Vandreuil, by which, it was included as a part of that province. An accommo- dation, being thus hopeless, France persuaded her cousin Spain, to enter into the celebrated family compact of 1761, by which, the two sovereigns stipulated to defend the possessions of each other, in w hatever part of the world they might be. The renewal of hostilities, was still more unfortunate for France ; and Spain, was made to bear no incon- siderable proportion; she lost Havana, the key of her American possession, and her commerce w^as greatly injured. France, w^as almost a bankrupt, without money, or credit, and consequently unable to make further resistance; she was therefore com- pelled to make peace upon any terms that might be oiFered to her.

On the 3d of November, 1762, the preliminaries of peace, were signed at Fontainbleau between England, France and Spain. By this treaty, all of Louisiana east of tlie Mississippi, together with the Mobile, and all that the king of France possessed in that quarter, was ceded to Great Britain ; while Spain, in consideration of the restoration of the Havana, ceded her possessions in Florida. France had reserved to herself the island of Orleans, and western Louisiana, which by a secret treaty made on the same day, she ceded to Spain, in considera- tion of the sacrifices she had been compelled to make by entering into the family compact. Thus was France stripped of all her possessions on the conti- nent, which at one moment promised to rival those of England or Spain. The treaty was ratified at London, on the 10th of February, 1763.

52 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA;

111 the year 1764, Britain took possession of Flo- rida, of the French settlements on the Mobile> and on the Mississippi, from the Manchac to tlie Yazoos : but extinguishing the name of Louisiana,j and substituting that of West Florida. It ha^ been stated by some late writers, that she then mad6| the 31 deg. of latitude, and afterwards the Yazoc river, the boundary between her other colonies^ but I have not seen any authority for tJiis ; and in-* deed separated already by a vast wilderness, sue] a measure was unnecessary. This boundary was ' not thought of until afterwards, when settled by treaty. It was fuitlier stipulated, that Britain should have a right to the free navigation of the Mississippi to its mouth.

The transfer of Western Louisiana, w as made known to the province in the same year, that Bri- tain took possession of Florida, and excited great discontent. The people were at first somewhat soothed by the belief, that the transfer had not been real, and would never be carried into operation, and contented themselves with sending a petition, or remonstrance, to France. But they were unde- ceived by the arrival of Don Uiloa, in 1766, with a detacliment of Spanish troops for the purpose of taking possession. Enraged by this disappoint- ment, they flew to arms, and compelled the Spa- niards to retire. Three years now passed away, before the attem])tto take possession was renewed, the province still continuing under tlie government of officers appointed by the king of France. In the mean time, they had become reconciled to the change of government, from conviction that it was inevitable and on the arrival of Oreilly, they sub- mitted peaceably. This did not satisfy^ their past

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. 53

conduct must be punislicd, so as to leave an impres- sion of terror upon their minds, which would secure their obedience in future. The step now taken by Oreillj, to whom the Louisianians have attached the name of bloody, was basely treacherous and unjust. He invited twelve of the principal inhabi- tants to an entertainment, and then barbarously mur- dered them.* Sucli detestable atrocity might in- spire terror, but could never be recollected but w ith feelings of hatred. Notwithstanding this shocking act, the subsequent conduct of the Spaniard, was favourable to the prosperity of the colony ; he sketched the form of tlie colonial government, which w as preserved with little alteration by his succes- sors, and he introduced many improvements.

Nothing of moment, occurred to disturb the tran- quility of the colony, until tlie eventful struggle of the American states for independence. Spain was at first much embarrassed, what course to pursue. She had too much at stake in America, to encourage a revolt, which might return upon herself to plague lier ; and yet, she could not easily resist the tempta- tion of seizing this opportunity of regaining her possessions. Yielding to the solicitations of France, she took part with tlie United States. Towards the close of the year 1779, Galvez, the governor, a man of superior talents, and uncommon energy of mind, organized the militia, and with the assistance of a few regulars,took possession of Baton Rouge, and other posts on the river. The next year he succeeded in taking Mobile, and having received considerable reinforcements from Havana, pro- ceeded against Pensacola. This jdace, after a

* The father of the present governor of Louisiana, was one of the number. \ J , -, r.

54 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

siege of some months, ami considerable loss on both sides, was compelled to surrender.

While the Spaniards were thus successfully pur- suing their conquests in Florida, tlie settlements of what was now called Upper Louisiana, were threa- tened with a formidable attack of British and Indian auxiliaries from Michilimackinac. They suddenly appeared before St. Louis, and massacred a num- ber of the inhabitants in its vicinity ; fortunately for those people. General Clark made his appear- ance, at this critical moment, at the head of a large force, on which the British suddenly retired, leaving their allies to shift for themselves, and who soon after dispersed.

By the treaty of peace in 1783, between Great Britain and the United States, the Mississippi was fixed upon as the western boundary, from its source to the 31st degree of latitude, and along this line to the St. Mary, &c. the remainder of the British ter- ritory, was ceded to Spain, who accepted the ses- sion according to these boundaries. She still con- tinued in possession, however, of the country as high up the river as the Yazoo, and at the same time disputed the right of the United States to the navigation of the Mississippi. To the western country, the navigation was indispensible ; without it, they could have no market for their produce, Spain was probably actuated, by the desire of pro- ducing a separation of the western states, from the eastern, and thus render them dependent on her; there is little doubt, but that she was engaged in deep intrigue to bring this about. The two powers were several times on the point of appealing to arms, when the subjects of dispute were at last ad- justed by the treaty of amity and commerce of 17^95.

BOOK I. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT. SS

By this treaty, tliree important points were gained; the Spaniards were to surrender the posts on the river, commissioners were to be appointed to run the line between the Floridas, and the United States, and the latter, were to have the right of deposit for their western produce, at the city of New Orleans.

Mr. Ellicot the American commissioner, arrived at the Natchez in 1797, but was obliged to remain upwards of a year, before the Spaniards would en- ter upon the business for which he had been sent. Great discontents, in the meantime, pervaded the in- habitants, on account of the delay on the part of Spain in evacuating the country. It was not until the close of the following year that this was done, and then apparently with great reluctance. The run- ning the line, commenced about the same time. There is sufficient proof, that the obstacles thrown in the way of this business, originated on the part of Spain, from a belief, that our union could not hold long ; at this very moment, it was known that both the English and French, were intriguing to bring about a separation of the western states: this appears to have been a favourite idea with all our enemy, and never until the purchase of Louisiana^ did we rest in safety.

This important event, as unexpected as it was glorious, at last occurred. During the presidency of Mr. Adams, it had been seriously in contempla- tion to wrest Louisiana from Spain by force of arms, but this, soon after the election of Mr. Jefferson, fortunately was rendered unnecessary. The colony was conditionally ceded to France in

1800, and afterwards, the cession confirmed in

1801. The French made preparations for taking

56 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

possession of Louisiana, with a body of twenty-fire thousand men, but were prevented by the blockade of the fleet and army, in one of the ports of Hol- land, This occurrence, together with the state of French affairs at this moment, induced the repub- lic to cede Louisiana to the United States, by treaty of the 13th April 1803. Possession was delivered by the Spanish functionaries to M. Laussat, in November, and twenty days afterwards, by him to Governor Claiborne, and General Wilkinson, on the part of the United States.

I have thus given a rapid outline of the history of Louisiana, until its transfer to the United States. It would not suit the plan of these sketches, to go more minutely into details, yet without some outline, my views of this interesting part of America, would have been very imperfect.

/3

0

CHAP. III.

Boundaries — Importance of Louisiana*

THE cursory view we have taken of the first settlement of Louisiana, will furnish some assistance in the discussion of a subject of no small difficulty and perplexity, t» wit: its boundaries. On this score it is feared, that serious contentions may one day arise between us and the two adjoining powers, Spain and England. The manner of settling the continent in the first instance, where all was vague and undefined, has given rise to these difficulties. Perhaps after all, it is of little moment; for the ac- cumulating flood of American population, which now rolls to the westward, will not be restrained by ideal lines drawn on the map of a wilderness. It will one day vspread over every plain between us and the Pacific, and will not stop before it touches the confines of the Mexican provinces.

The first settlements of Louisiana, it will be re- collected, were on the Mobile and on the bay of St. Bernard. All the French writei's are agreed in fixing the Perdido to the east as the limits and the Rio del Norte, to the west. These boundaries may be seen in many ancient maps, both French and English, and they are besides, stated to be such in express terms by several writers. The data upon which we rely is as follows :

53 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

1. The General Atlas of 1712; the English At- las of 1763; the Map of M. D'Anville of 1745; the Maps in the first edition of Postlethwaite on commerce; the Map of dii Pratz.

2. The grant to Crosat by the king of France, where the S, W. and the eastern limits are defined. The manuscript of La Harp, found at Natchitoches. The work of Du Pratz, and the history of New France by Charlevoix.

A dispute has already occurred between the United States and Spain, with respect to the eas- tern boundary, the latter denying that under the treaty of Ildephonso, any thing more was ceded than the western side of the Mississippi, together with the island of Orleans. The decision of this question, depends on the construction of the clause in the treaty by which the cession was made to France, and to which the United States are referred for a description of the limits of Louisiana. I have considered this question more at large, in another publication. The clause, and my interpretation of it, are as follows :

<* Spain retrocedes the province or colony of Lou- isiana, with the same extent that it actually has in the hands of Spain, and that it had when France pos- sessed it, and such as it ought to be, after the trea- ties subsequently entered into between Spain and other states."

1. In the same extent that it now has in the hands of Spain — for it was not in the power of Spain to re- store the province in its whole extent, inasmuch as a considerable part of it then appertained to the United States, obtained by conquest from Great Britain, and acceded to by Spain.

BOOK I. BOUNDARIES— IMPORTANCE. ^9

2. ^nd that it had when France possessed it — that is, all of Louisiana, then in the actual possession and control of Spain, hy whatsoever denomination then known ; and whether obtained by cession from France, or by conquest from Great Britain, is to- tally immaterial ; the only question is, did it belong to Louisiana when France possessed it ? Of this no doubt exists.

3. And such as it ought to be, after the treaties sub- sequently entered into^ between Spain and other states — tliat is, Spain was not to be accountable for such parts or portions of Louisiana, as she had actually ceded, and wliich were at that moment beyond her control; as by the treaty of 1795, she had re- nounced in favour of the United States, all the country north of the 31st degree of latitude. This treaty, together with that of 1783, and the one of the same year with Great Britain, are the only treaties which relate to the boundaries of the pro- vince, subsequent to the cession to Spain of 1762 : but they relate to that part of it called by tlie Eng- lish West Florida, and not to Louisiana as Spain would wish to restrict it. The line of the 31st de- gree, is a considerable distance above the Iberville, and no subsequent treaties have any relation to this boundary.

There can be very little doubt, that it was the in- tention of Napoleon, to possess this country in its most advantageous shape; and without both sides of the river from the 31st degree, together with the lakes, and the Mobile, the country would be inca- pable of defence. The clause appears to have been penned with great caution by Talleyrand. The section between East Florida and the Mississippi, had been erected into a separate government, and

60 VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

had it not been stipulated, that France was to re- possess, in the same extent as she had held previous to the year 1762, a diiference of opinion in the con struction of the treaty, would unavoidably have arisen much more difficult to reconcile. Spain might then have said with more justice, than she does at present: " true. West Florida was a part of Louisiana, but having been severed by conquest, it is no longer so ; the separation, or dismemberment was the act of France herself, and from the party thus possessing, Spain obtained it by conquest, it has therefore ceased to have the least connexion with Louisiana." All this difficulty is obviated by re- ferring to a date anterior to 1762 ; and unless done with this view, such a reference would have been an absurdity. And again, had it not been stipulated, that Louisiana -was ceded in the extent then held by Spain, it might have been argued, that Spain had undertaken to restore tlie province to France entirep and whole as when held by France.

But where the necessity of all this guarded cau- tion in the stipulations, if no more was intended to be ceded than the western side of the Mississippi, with the island of Orleans, or western Louisiana, as it had been ceded to Spain. Every otlier word were not merely useless, but totally irrevelant. It was certainly in the power of Spain to restore any part of ancient Louisiana, which might happen to be in her power, no matter by what means she came by it, and unless her words mean this, they mean no- thing.

Shortly after taking possesion of Louisiana, we had a dispute with Spain respecting the boundary between us and their internal provinces, and which was very near being settled by an appeal to arms.

BOOK r. BOUNDARIES— IMPORT ANCK. ^

General Wilkinson was encamped on one side of the Sabine, and Cordero on the others it was finally stipulated that this river, should be tlie line until a differnt one could be agreed upon by their respec- tive governments. It is said, that under the French government the Rio Hondo, on this side of the Sa- bine, had been regarded as a boundary for civil purposes between the nearest Spanish and French settlements.

With respect to the limits of Louisiana to the north west, they must be fixed by a stipulation with Great Britain, for there is nothing by which they can be determined. A continuation of the line from the head of tlie Lake of the Woods, to the Mis- souri mountains, might be a fair proposition, al- though even in tliis case, we should have to yield some of the waters which discharge themselves into the Missouri

To the westward, no limits were ever assigned by the French while they possessed Louisiana, but it was considered as including, at least, all the coun- try whose streams, either directly or indirectly dis- cliargcd themselves into the Mississippi. Our ge- ographers, have boldly claimed to the Pacific ; we are certainly the first white people who explored the western region near the sources of the Missouri and of the Columbia, and who descended tliis latter river to the sea ; we have filled up on the map from our discoveries, what was before no better known than the interior of Africa. How far this right of d is- covery may carry us, I will not take upon me to say; I am no advocate for a right which stands so badly supported by reason, in the case of other nations, and consistency forbids that I should claim it m favour of my own country. This is certain how-

v

62 VIEWS OF. LOUISIANA.

ever, that our riglit sucli as it is, is much bettei' supported than that of any other nation, by reason of our exploring expeditions, and our establish- ments for trading with the Indians.

If we adopt tlie boundaries just laid down, Louis- iana will be found to constitute two thirds of the whole territory of the United States : and furnisher ample space for an empire as great as that of Rus- sia or China, It is becoming a favorite amusement with the Americans to speculate on their future magnificent destiny ; it is difficult to say whether this ought to be encouraged or not; on the one hand, it may generate national vanity, similar to that of the descendants of an ancestry once power- ful; and the only difference is, that as they boast o what they have been, we boast of what we will be. On the other hand, there is a kind of national pride, of which we stand in need, to render tliat a natural which is yet an artificial bond. Let us however, be modest in our anticipations of events, which are in the hands of the Great Dispenser of all good and who often visits the vain glorious with better disappointments.

In estimating the importance of this division of the American empire, we should be greatly de- ceived, if we merely take into view its comparative Ideographical extent. Constituting the central, or interior part of North America, much of it is at too remote a distance from the Ocean, to have an easy and advantageous intercourse with the rest of the world. Much of the country west of the Mississip- pi, when compared to the eastern section of the valley, and to the states on the shores of the Atlan- tic, may be considered as badly watered, and devoid pf that facility of intercourse by means of navigable

BOOK I. BOUNDARIES— IMPORTANCE. 6,3

rivers, witli which they are so happily supplied. I am to be understood as speaking of Louisiana in general ; the two important sections of it, the ter- ritory of Missouri, and the state of Louisiana, are not exceeded, either in point of climate or soil, by any portions of equal magnitude on tlie conti- nent, and may be justly regarded as among tlie most interesting parts of our empire. But when we look upon the chart of Louisiana, we will disco- ver that these form but a small proportion of its extensive surface.

Were I to enumerate all the political advantages arising from the acquisition of Louisiana, I could fill a volume. To say the least of it, it may be re- garded as the most providential occurrences in our history. Had this paii; of America, continued in the hands of any other state, we should have inevi- tably been drawn into bloody and expensive wars, or what was more to be dreaded, a separation of the western states would have taken place. The free navigation of the Mississippi, to us indispensable, would ever have been liable to interruptions, while Louisiana remained in the hands of any European nation. Who would deposit the key of his house, in the hands of his enemy ? Sooner or later, it must have been ours, or we must have told the western states to shift for themselves.

Politicians have long disputed the question, whe- ther an extensive territory is an injury or an advan- tage to the stability of a republic. It will probably be decided by the experiment in which we are now en- gaged. I will venture to suggest a thought. In a na- tion circumscribed to narrow territorial limits, there is much to be apprehended from the momentary bias af opinion ; the permanent interests^ may not be

64 \^EWS OF LOUISIANA.

sufficiently diversified, and should there be found to exist two great parties, designated by local situation, who should believe their interests entirely opposed, the artificial union would soon be at an end. But over the vast surface of the United States, notwith- standing those rapid and powerful conductors of pub- tic feeling or intelligence, the newspapers, there is no danger of rousing the people to that pitch of phrenzy and madness, which might be dangerous in a state confined to narrow^er bounds. Besides, the northern and southern interests, of which so much was said during the late war, are counterbalanced by a third, whose interest is connected with both. The wes- tern states, are devoted to agriculture, but will al- ways have the most intimate relations with the com- mercial cities to the east of the mountains, and will be in a great measure dependant on them for the con- veniences and luxuries of life.

The seciu'ity obtained for our western states and territories, against the numerous tribes of savages who would be at the disposal of any nation holding Louisiana, may be ranked as no inconsiderable ad- vantage gained in the acquisition ; while our vicinity to the Mexican provinces, w ill enable us to carry on a trade, which, if permitted to be free, must in a short time become of incalculable value. It is ar- dently to be wished, that these people, during their present struggle, may accomplish their indepen- dence, and cast off the yoke of the foreign govern- ment, Avhich has hitherto ruled them as it w^ere by the spells of Circe, by using every art to brutify their minds in ignorance and debasement. Could these unfortunate men be regenerated, by the en- nobling genius of liberty, the northern continent would be exclusively possessed by two great nations, united

BOOK I. BOUNDARIES—IMPORTANCE. 65

in friendship by harmonizing interests, and sympa- thy of government; lovers of peace, and without motive for war.

r2

CHAP. IV.

General description — Face of the country beyond the settlements — capacity for the reception of popula- tion— curious appearances,

THIS extensive portion of North America, Las usually been described from the inconsiderable part which is occupied by the settlements, as though it were confined to the immediate borders of the Mis- sissippi, as Egypt is to those of tlie Nile. By some, it is I'epresented in general description, as a low, flat region, abounding in swamps and subject to inunda- tion : which is the same thing as if the Netherlands should furnish a description for all the rest of Eu- I'ope. Others speak of Louisiana as one vast forest or wilderness :

** Missouri marches through his world of woods." — Barlow.

which is far from being the case, for excepting on the banks of this river, and that not more than one half its course, the country through which it passes, is deplorably deficient in woods. If then, we are to desciibe Louisiana, not from a small district, impor- tant because already the seat of population, but from the appearance of the whole, combined in a general view, we should say, that it is an extensive region of ©pen plains and meadows, interspersed with bai'e un- tUlable hills, and with the exception of some fertile tracts ia the vicinity of the great rivers by which it xs

BOOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, &c. ^T*

traversed, resembling the grassy steppes of Tartary or the Saharas of Africa, but without the numerous morasses and dull uniformity of the one, or the dreary stenlity of the other. The fertile tracts are chiefly to be found, in the narrow vaflies of the gi*eat rivers Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Red River, and some of their principal tributaries; the two largest bodies of fertile soil are the delta of the Mississippi, which is much interspersed with lakes, marshes, and sunken lands, that will require ages to reclaim, and the territory of the Missouri, as limited by the boundaries lately agreed on with the Indians, which bears a strong resemblance to the West Tennessee in some of its features. In order to give a more clear and distinct idea of the country which I have under- taken to describe, I will consider it under three di- visions ,•

1. The regions beyond the settlements.

2. The territory of the Missouri.

3. The state of Louisiana.

The present chapter will be taken up in giving some general description of the first ; the chapter following it, M'ill detail what relates generally to all, and a more minute account will be given of the Mis- souri territory, and the state of Louisiana, in the two last books. I am convinced that nothing contributes so much to brevity, as Avell as to perspicuity, as the ©bservance of order and method. My intention is not to write a book of travels that may amuse, but to give the result of my observations in the most com- penduous form, in order that it may be useful.

Volney has denominated a valley^ the space which lies between the Alleghanies and the great western mountains, and drained by the Mississippi, and its Mbtttary streams. But it is to be observed, that the

58 VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

western section of this valley, taking the great river as the centre, is more than twice the magnitude of the eastern, that its rivers are on a larger scale, and that the mountains which give rise to them, are more considerable than the AUeghanies.

The great western chain, has not received any fix- ed and determinate appellation ; by Lewis and Clark, the term Rocky mountains has been applied, by Mr. M'Kensie, the Chippowyan, and by Mr. Darby in his excellent treaties, the Missouri mountains. The last name appears to me the best, particularly as it cor- responcls with that of the Alleghenies, which give rise to the Ohio, and the great rivers which flow from tlie opposite side of the valley. They are with- out doubt, a prolongation of the chain of the Anna- huac, or Andes of South America, their course nearly north and south. From these mountains, there is an inclined plane or slope, to the middle of the valley, with an elevation to the north, and an opposite de- pression, so as to be admirably disposed by the hand of nature, to afford a uniform direction to all the streams which pass over it, and flow to the Missis- sippi. The Missouri mountains, protrude several secondary ranges or spurs, of considerable elevation, which separates the waters of the Arkansas from the Missouri, those of the Arkansas from Red river, and of the latter river, from the Rio del Norte; the last of these spurs, called by the Spaniards the Cordille- ras, are much the most considerable of the seconda- ry ridges. The tributaries of the rivers just men- tioned, are again separated by other hills or moun- tains, of an elevation little inferior to many parts of the AUeghanies ; so that, although we have called the country drained by the Mississippi a valley, this is only to be understood with relation to the two

BOOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, &c. 69

great ranges of mountains by which it is enclosed. I have very little doubt, but that the geologist will be able to trace a perfect connexion between all tlie spurs, ridges, and dependencies which traverse this part of the continent. A remarkable feature in North America, is this regularity, which would seem to show, that it has undergone fewer changes, since the creation, than any other part of the globe ; we discover but few of those proofs of the earth having been jumbled into a second chaos by some mighty convulsion. The long chain of hills, called by hun- ters the Black mountains, and which separate the Missouri from the Arkansas, project others which divide the streams that fall into the Missouri, and even those of the Mississippi ; the hills of the white river country, and towards the heads of the Mara- mek and the St. Francis, so abundant in minerals, are evidently dependencies of those mountains. The ruggid hills, or more properly mountains, about the heads of the Washita, are doubtless branches of the Cordilleras, in which the Red river takes its rise. The Missouri mountains, although on a much lar- ger scale than the Alleghanies, are no where as much elevated as those of South America; the highest point (and which may be considered as the table land of North America) according to Pike, is in la- titude 4 1 degrees ; from these immense peaks cover- ed with perennial snoAVs, the greatest rivers of the continent take their rise, to wit, the Colorado of California, a branch of the Columbia, Rio del Norte, the Arkansas, the Platte, the Yellow Stone, and the Missouri.

A remarkable feature in this western side of the great valley, is its deficiency of wood, while the op- posite, (with the exception of some parts on the

7& VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

north side of the Ohio, where the woods have been burnt^) is a close and deep forest. The woods con- tinue for a short distance up the Mississippi before they disappear, and the grassy plains begin. The banks of the Missouri are clothed with luxuriant fo- rest trees for three or four hundred miles, after which, they gradually become bare, and the trees diminish in size; at first we find thin groves of the kind of poplar called cotton wood, but of a diminu- tive growth, intermixed with willows ; next the same tree, reduced to half its height, and resembling an orchard tree ; after this, a thin border of shrubbeiy is almost the only ornament of the margin of the river. The same thing may be said of the Arkansas and Red river.

Taking the distance to the mountains to be about nine hundred miles, of the first two hundred the lar- ger proportion on the Missouri and its waters, is well adaptecl to agricultural settlements, its soil and con- veniences are equal if not superior to those of Ten- nessee or Illinois ; this tract will include the greater part of the White and Osage rivers, the lower Mis- souri, and for at least one hundred and fifty miles north of this last river. The proportion of wood gradually lessens to the west, and still more to the north, with the addition that the lands become of an inferior quality. For the next three hundred miles, the country will scarcely admit of compact settle- ments of any great extent ; the wooded parts, form trifling exceptions to its general surface, and are never met with but on the margin of the rivers. We may safely lay it down, that after the first two hun- dred miles, no trees are found on the uplands, save stinted pines or cedars; the rest of the country con- sists of open plains of vast magnitude, stretching be-

BOOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, 8cc. 71

yond the boundary of the eye, and checqiiered by numerous waving ridges, which enable the traTeller to see his long and weaiysome Journey of several days before him. Yet, it does not seem to me, that the soil of this tract, is any wliere absolutely impro- ductive ; it is uniformly covered with herbage, though not long and luxuriant like that of the plains nearer the centre of the valley ; it is short and close, but more nutricious to the wild herds, than the coarse grass of the common prairie. This tract, has not the dreary barrenness described by Johnson in his tour to the Hebrides ; the green cai'pet which covers, and tlie beautiful shrubberies which adorn it, affoi-d iclief to the eye. But again, it is very doubtful whether trees could be cultivated ; for I observed that the trees which by accident are permitted to grow, are but dwarfs ; the oak for instance, is not larger than an orchard ti'ee, the plumb is nothing more than a shrub, in some places not exceeding a currant bush. There are, however, scattered over the immense waste, a number of spots which greatly surpass in beauty any thing I have ever seen to the east of the Mississippi. But there are others again, barren in the extreme, producing nothing in the best soil but by sop and the prickly pear. The next four hundred miles, stretching to the mountains, partake of the same character with tlie last, excepting that it is still more barren and ruggid, more deficient in wa- ter, and the spots capable of receiving settlements, so distant from each other, that great difficulties will be encountered by those who may think of living there. An exception is, however to be made in favor of the country about the sources of the principal rivers, which rise in the Missouri mountains ; for some dis- tance down these rivers it is much better suited to

T2 VTRWS OP LOinSIANV.

Hottlomonts tliau the parts which 1 have ju«t dc- ll sciihod ; ahonl Iho heads of the Missouri, the Yellow ' Stone, ll»e IMatte, the Arkansas, ^.e. setthiiients iniujht he rormed, hut imiortunateIy these are too re- mote.

1 have descrihed tlie second tract watered hy tlio Missouri, as a specimen of tliat whicli lies west of tlie Mississippi, and soutli oftlie north west chain (►!' lakes. The country south of the Arkansas, that on Hed river, and tlie greater part of the province of Texas, have similar leatures. Thus it a[)pears, ihat with the exception of a helt of one hundred and (ifty, or two humlred niiles in width, almost, stretch- in,«; iVom the Missouri, in a line |)arallel with the course of the Mississipi)i, across the Arkansas, and Red river to the Sahine, ahout tw ice the territoi-y of New-Ym-k, hut not a tenth part, of the western sec- tion of the valley, the i)ro\ ince of Louisiana is little hetier than a harren waste, and that the eastern side will always contain a uiuch ij;reater po|)ulati(m.

From what has heen said, it will he seen that the pi'rvailiui; idea, ami with whicli we have s(» nmcli ilattcred ourselves, of these western rei;;ions, heing (ike the rest of the llnited States, susceptihle of cul- tivation, and atfordiui;* endless outlets to settlements, is cert'iinly erroneous. The nations will continue to wander over those plains, and the wild animals, the elk, the hulfaloe, will Ion;;* l)e found there ; for until our country heconu's surcharged with po])ulati(m, there is scan ely any prohahility of settlers ventur- ing; fai* into these reiijions. A ditferent mode of life, ha- bits alto!i»;etlier new , would have to he atlopted. The settlements would necessarily he strunji:^ aloni; the water courses at such distances IVomeach otIuM-, that they could not protect themselves from the wander-

(iOOK I f.l.NIJLM. DESCUIPTrON, IkC. XI

ill!;; ti'il)(\s, ai IciiHt, I hoy would hv much Imrrasscd by llicni, or they would hccomc waiidcr'iii^* trihrs tliciUHcivcs. I'lio disl:iii('('< iVoni iiiarkct, :uid tlio dillicidlirs of lr;iiiHp(n't;dioii, would lender llio ;i,iiji'i- ndliirjd produce, at, IcasI some distaiiee west o\' ilio Mississip|)i, oC lillle or no value. Yef, I am con- xiriced, IIkH, were i< liol, iiireHJcd l»y huliaiiH, lliere Would be iu:uiy small p;i'oups of selllei's seall<'i'e(I ilirou;;!) it, or the iuhabitiiids like thosir td' the, iii> tei'iial proviueeH ol* m'W Spain, miijijht, betake tjieni- Helves altogether to theshephei'd life, and drive their lierds lo the best, pasturage and most, abundant, wa- ters, accordinii,- t,o the ( haniijes (d'tlie seas(ms, ^riiirt western re/.fion, il is cert nin, can never become ap;- ) icultui'al ; bu^ it is in many respeds hi?;hly favora- ble for tiie midt iplication of iloeks and herds, ^i'hoso flelij!;htii(l spots \vhe»-e the beauty and variety of the landseajK', mi.i;ht clialleni^-e the fancy of tin' poet, in- vite to the iKistorjil life. Ilow admirably adaptird, fo the iid,erestini^ little animal the sheep, are thosc clean sjnooth meadows, (da suiface so infinitely va- ried by hill and dale, c(»v<'r*ed with a shoi't sweet ii,i'ass, int,ermi.\ed with tliousands (d* the most beauti- ful lloweis, nndefoiMued by a sin,t!;le weed.

I confess, that to me, nature never wcn-e an aspect so lovely as on the lonely plains of the west. From their dry and imsiieltcred surlare, no damp and un- wholesome vapors rise to lesscMi the elasticity of the air, or dim the brilliaid; blue of the heavens. 8u Iranspar-ent is the atmosphere, tliat a sli^'ht snndic ran he disceiN.c I at t he distaru c of many mih s, vs hich curiously exercises tiie caution and Map;a( ity (d* the fearful sava,u;e, ever on the watch t(> destroy, or to avoid destruction. And then, that Hui)lime immensi- 1y which siirrounds us; the sea in motion is a sub- a

n \1EWS OF LOUISIANA.,

lime object, but not to be compared to the varied scenes which here present themselves, and over wliich, the body as well as the imagination, is free to expatiate. The beams of the sun, appeared to me, to have less fierceness, or perliaps this might be owing to the cool breezes which continually fan the air, bringing upon their wings the odoui's of millions of flowers. The mind appears to receive a proportion- fti ate elevation, when we are thus lifted up so much « higher than the centre of the valley. Tliere was to me something like the fables of fairy land, in pass- • hig over a country where for hundreds of miles I saw f | no inhabitants but the buffaloe, deer, tlie elk, and antelope : I have called it the Paradis a of IIun- TERS, for to them it is indeed a paradise. There are, however, some important drawbacks on tlie ad- vantages of this country, even considered as a pasto- ral district. To the north of the Missouri, rains ara extremely rare, but when they are set in, pour down in torrents, while to the south their place is chiefly supplied by heavy dews. In the di*y season, which is from the month of June until the latter end of Sep- tember, at a distance iVom the great livers, water is every where exceedingly scarce. The buffaloe at this time, leaves the plain and seeks the rivers, and the Indians in their excursions to any considerable fUstance, are obliged to shape their courses by some known pond, and to carry besides a quantity of wa- ter in bladders. It is possible, that v/ells might be sunk, but it is certain, that at this season one may travel for days without finding a drop of water; one may fi'equently pass the beds of laige livers which have disappeared in the sands, but after rains or on the melting of tlie snows, unpassiblc torrents are seen to fill their channels, and to I'oll down in turbid and

BOOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, kc. .2^,

frightful floods. Whether the distance of this coiu^ try from the sea, may be considered as the reason of its not being so well supplied with water, together with the great length of the courses of the rivers, I will leave to be determined by those who have leisurCe

Having trespassed thus far on the patience of the reader, I will bring these remarks to a conclusion hy noting some particulars of the climate. Spring opens about the last of April, and vegetation is in considerable forwardness by the middle of May. Such fruits as the coimtry affords, principally ber- ries, sand cheriies and currants, do not ripen be- fore the latter end of July; I found strawberries about the fourth, near the Mandan villages. Plumbs ripen about the last of August, and vegetation about this time, begins to decay. The winter sets in the beginning of October, but tlicre is frequently frost in August and September. The cold is excessive, during the winter; there are frequent north west storms, which continue for several days, and ren- der it impossible for any but Indians, to stir out without danger of freezing. These observations, apply chiefly to the country on the Missouri and its waters, above latitude ■'^1> degrees, but are, of course, to be taken w4th considerable allowance as to the . more southern latitudes of the Arkansas and Red ri- ver. To the plains between these two rivers, the vast herds of bufi'aloe and deer cliiefly retire, during winter ; it would otherwise be almost impossible for them to subsist.

A great proportion of the country watered by the Missouri and its branches, appears to have under- gone some wonderful change, the causes of wiiich are not easily ascei'tained ; tlie effects of lire, liow- ever, arc in many places discernable, I have seen

76 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

high hanks of clay, burnt almost to the consistency 4>f bricks ; near the Eoncas village, about nine hun-j dred miles up the river, I saw v>^hat is called th«| towei', a steep hill of one hundred and fifty feet in-*^ height, rising almost to a point, and five or six hun- dred in circumference, which is so hard as to be hiii little affected by the washing of the rains. Huge masses of pumice, are also found in these places, and frequently in the high bluffs of the river bank. These appearances, have been attributed to the ex- istence of volcanoes on the Missouri, but the ab- sence of every other volcanic appearance, renders it improbable : they are much more likely to be the ef- fects of coal banks continuing a long time on fire. I am well satisfied, that this fossil abounds in every part of the great valley of the Mississippi, above the recent alluvions. Between the Poncas village and the Aikansas, there is a most dreary part of the ri- ver, for at least fifty miles, where the bluffs shut in to the waters edge, and wear a black dismal appear- ance, witliout the slightest vegetation, as if the sur- face of the earth had been burnt to a crust. On close examination, this burnt earth appeared to con- tain from its weight, a portion of some metal, proba^ bly iron.

But by far the most remarkable changes in its sur- face, have been caused by a more gentle element, to wit, by water. Many of the river hills present the appearance of heaps of clay, great quantities of which, on the melting of the snows, and after heavy rains, are precipitated and carried off to the princi- pal stream. This clay, is of a gray color extremely tenacious, being mixed with a large proportion of calcarious earth; the incumbent soil having been first caiTied away, the rock on which it reposed »

BOOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, kc. 77

was laid bare to the frost and sun, and perhaps af- fected by the burning of coal banks, it gra(lually crumbled and united with the clay. In taking up a handfuU, one may pick out gypsum (sulphat of lime) in numerous small fragments. Near these places, we also find an abundance of glaubers salt, (sulphat of soda) together with common salt, oozing with the water out of the ground, and crystalized on the surface. A remarkable fact, which I had frequent occasion to witness, is the appearance on these heaps of clay, of the remains of trees, in a state of petri- faction, and some of enormous size: there are not only numerous fragments scattered about, but the stumps yet standing, to the height of five or six feet, and completely turned to stone. Near the Man- dan villages. I traced the trunk and branches of a large tree, a considerable portion of which, had undergone petrifaction where it had fallen ; what ren- ders this the more extraordinary, is that even on the richest alluvion the trees are of a very slender growth, and on the upland, the strongest vegetation that any where occurs, is nothing more than some vStinted shrubs.

From these facts it would appear, that the Mis- souri has not always brought down in its channel, that astonishing quantity of earth, which it does at the present day. Other causes, as in Tartary, might operate to prevent the growth of Avoods in the grea- ter part of the western region ; but something of a different kind, must have effected a change in tliis country, wliich apparently was once covered Avith trees. What immense quantities of the earth must have been carried off, to form the great alluvions of the Mississippi, by means of tlie Arkansas, Red ri- ver, and chiefly from the Missouri, not to mention G 2

78 VIEW OF LOUISIANA.

the vast quantities lost in the gulf of Mexico ! The result of a calculation would be curious. The proofs of the loss which this country has sustained, are very evident in the neighborhood of nearly all the rivers which discharge themselves into the Missouri, above the Platte. Some of the appearances where the earth has been thus carried away, may rank among our greatest curiosities. The traveller on entering a plain, is deceived at the first glance, by what appears to be the ruins of some great city; he sees rows ot houses stretching for several miles, along apparently regular streets. There seems to be all the symmetry and order of a town built on a magnificent plan, and the occasional deviations from this plan, in imagina- tion represent palaces, temples, or structures stand- ing detached from the rest. These appearances are raused, by the washing away of the earth and less durable substances, while the veins of stone which pervade the mass, continue undecayed, and seem to be walls constructed by human hands. The hori- zontal strata wliich mark them, form the different stories, while the detached hills of various sizes and shapes, with their evergeen, creeping junipers, on their tops represent the isolated edifices. The re- markable walls described by Lewis and Clark on the Missouri, have been produced in this way. The description I have just given, was furnished me by hunters, in whom I could place confidence; what I have seen myself, was on a much smaller scale, but was such as to satisfy me, that the account is by no means incredible.

I believe that nearly the whole of the western side of the great valley is calcareous; in tliis respect re- sembling the opposite section. There is, however, a ^'act which appears to me soincwjmt singular, a»d

BOOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, &c. 7^

for which I could not so easily account ;=^ on reach- ing the open country, ahout six or seven hundred miles up the Missouri, I observed on the river hills large blocks of granite, surrounded by a quantity of pebbles, such as we find in the mountain streams. These continue to be seen until we reach the first range of primitive mountains. I content myself with stating the fact, leaving the solution of the cause to naturalists.

Besides the drawbacks in this western region, from want of wood, of water, and from the badness of the soil every where except in the narrow vallies of the rivers, there are extensive tracts of moving sands similar to those of the African deserts. Mr. Mackey, a Scotch gentlemen, who traversed it about the year 1798, informed me, that he was several days in passing over one of these, towards the mountains, and between the Platte and the Missouri, and where there was not the slightest vegetation excepting the prickly pear.

Amongst the curiosities worthy of being mention- ed, are the remarkable salt prairies, near the Arkan- sas ; the following description is given by Mr. Sibley, United States' factor, in the Osage nation ; a gen- tleman of the most amiable character and possessing a fine understanding.

**• I hasten to give you a description of this celebra- ted curiosity. The Grand Saline is situated about 280 miles south west of Fort Osage, between tvi'^o forks of a small branch of the Ai'kansas, one of which washes its southern extremity, and the othei the principal one, runs nearly parallel within a mik

* Dr. Drake, in his excellent work, the Picture of Cincinnattj has observed the same thing- in the state of Ohio.

S9 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

of its opposite side. It is a hard level plain of a red- dish colored sand, and of an irregular or mixed figure ; its greatest length is from north west to south east, and its circumference full 30 miles — from the appearance of drift wood that is scattered over, it would seem that the whole plain is at times inundat- ed by the overflowing of the streams that pass near it. Tliis plain is entirely covered in dry hot weath- er, from two to six inches deep, with a crust of beau- tiful clean white salt, of a quality rather superior to the imported blown salt ; it bears a striking resem- blance to a field of brilliant snow after a rain, with a light crust on its top. On a bright sunny morning, the appearance of this natural curiosity is highly picturesque. It possesses the quality of looming or magnifying objects, and this in a very striking de- gree, making the small billets of wood appear as formidable as trees. Numbers of buffaloes were on the plain. The Saline is environed by a strip of marshy prairie witli a few scattering trees, mostly of cotton wood. Behind, there is a range of sand hills, some of which are perfectly naked, others thinly clothed with verdure, and dwarf plum bushes, not more than thirty inclies in height, from which we procured abundance of the most delicious plums I ever tasted. The distance to a navigable branch of the Arkansas, about 80 miles, the country tolerably level, and the water courses easily passed.

About 60 miles south west from this, I came to the Saline, tlie whole of this distance lying over a coun- try remarkably rugged and broken, affording the most romantic and picturesque views imaginable. It is a tract of about 75 miles, in which nature has displayed a great variety of the most strange and whimsical vagaries. It is an assemblage of beauti-

ROOK I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION, kc. 81

fill meadows, verdant ridges, and rude missliape^ piles of red clay thrown together in the utmost appa ' rent confusion, yet, affording the most pleasing har- monies, and presenting in every direction an end- less variety of curious and interesting objects. Af- ter winding along for a few miles on the high ridges, you suddenly descend an almost pei'pendicular de- clivity of rocks and clay, into a series of level fer tile meadows, watei'ed by some beautiful rivulets, and here and there adorned v/ith shrubby cotton trees, elms and cedars. These meadows are divided by chains formed of red clay, and huge masses of gj7)sum, with here and there a pyramid of gravel. One might imagine himself surrounded by the ruins of S( me ancient city, and that the plains had s :k by soine convulsion of nature, more than 100 feet be- low its former level ; for some of the huge columns of red clay rise to the height of 200 feet pendicular, capped with rocks of gypsum, which the hand of time is ever crumbling off, and strewing in beautiful transparent flakes along tlie declivities of the hiil_> glittering like so many mirrors in the sun."

CHAP. V.

T/ie alUivial tracts on the rivers Mississippi, Mis* souri, Arkansas^ ^c.

The most valuable portions of Louisiana consist in the tracts formed by the deposits of the great river, or what is usually called the bottom lands. These alluvions have been formed on a much larger scale, than in any other paii; of North America, and may be compared to those of the Ganges or the Nile. I propose, in this place, to give an outline of the most considerable, reserving a more minute description for a subsequent part of the work.

The alluvions of the Mississippi, are to be found chiefly on the western side of the stream, which pro- bably proceeds from the circumstance of the nume- rous and considerable rivers, which flow down the inclined plane on the western side of the valley, and deposit their sediment at their mouths, while at the same time they wear away the eastern bank. This may be nothing more than fancy, but the fact is evi- dent, that the alluvions on the left bank of the Mis- sissippi, are comparatively of small extent. Fi'om the mouth of the Ohio to Red river, the valley, or al- luvion, is on an average, thirty miles in width : and from the Red river, which may be regarded as the commencement of the delta on the Western side, it opens out at once to twice that width, Tliis valley

{BOOK 1. ALLimAL TRACTS. 80

is confined by what may be termed, as distinguished from the alhivion, the primitive ground ; which ge- nerally shews itself in abrupt acclivities, called bluffs, sometimes faced with rocks and at others presenting steep i)iecipices of clay, with little or no admixture of stones. The river in its general course, appi'oaches the upland or primitive ground on the eastern side ; it washes it in ten or twelve places, and seldom recedes more than a few miles ; while on the western side, it approaclies the upland but in one place, a few miles below the river St. Francis, and that only within a quarter of a mile : I believe in no place does it after- wards approach nearer than twenty miles.

But a small part of the water ^^ liich flows from the river, during the floods, ever returns either on the west side, or on the east. Underneath the eastern bluffs, it lies in lagoons or lakes, which appear like so many blotches on the map ; on the western side, it either spreads over a vast surface and evaporates, flows into the numerous lakes or reservoirs, ormake« itself a channel into the St. Francis, Arkansas, and other western rivers. From the Manchae on one side, and the Red river on the other, the overfloAving water is carried off to the sea, by tlie numerous out- lets into the lakes and the gulph : here the primitive ground diverges, having an open space of at least seventy -five miles, curiously checquered by tlie nu- merous lakes, natural canals and strips of dry land. The most incontestible proofs exist, that the Missis- sippi, has at different periods meandered in a thou- sand channels, still visible, in the valley between the primitive ground on either hand. There are many lakes wliich exhibit t«ie " counterfeit sinulitude," of the river, and the ridges of high ground to be met with, once constituted its banks; thcj-jc ridges, from

84 VIEWS OF LOtnSIANA.

the accumulation of vegetable matter, have become even higher than the present banks, and are very rarely inundated. The banks of what are called bayous, (outlets from the river) are generally higher than those of the river, for the same i-eason; many of them, once formed a part of the principal channel. The following fact will prove, that tlie changes in the bed of tlie Mississippi, have in some places been very rapidly made. M. DeTouti, in the account which he gives of his first voyage down the Missis- sippi, in company with La Salle, in the year 1783, says that after passing Red river, (La Subloniere) about ten leagues, they came to a place where the Mississippi was divided into three branches, that they separated into as many pai-ties, and after de- scending about ten leagues, they found themselves again united by the conlluence of the streams.* Tliis was near Point Coupee, and Bayou Tunica, which at the present time, are both closed up and im- passible but in the high waters.

To give a clear and satisfactory description, of the low lands which border on the Mississippi, below the mouth of the Ohio, is exceedingly difficult. Some have represented tlie river as running through a swamp; others tell us, that during the season of floods, it may be considered as a river thirty miles wide, the whole country being under water. It can- not be called a swamp; according to the acceptation of the word, that is, an almost iiTeclaimable morass or marsh ; there ai-e certainly very lai'gc tracts dur-

* A dix licues de la, nous remarquames qii'elle se partag-e ei\ trois cannaiix. Je pris ceiui de la droite, M de la Foret celiii de la g-auche, and M. de la Stdle ceiui du Milieu. Nous suivimes chacun notrc canal, environs dix licues, et pens de temps apres, nous nous trouvumes reunis par une espece de Gonfluent «ur Ic mcme flcuvc."

BOOK I ALLUVIAL TRACTS. «5

ing tlie floods conipletely imiiidated, particularly be- low Red river, but when they subside, the land is again left dry. If tlie reader were to suppose, that the valley or alluvion of the Mississippi, is at those times covered by a continued sheet of water, he would be deceived: but when the flood is at its height, the whole valley or alluvion land, is cut up by natural canals replenished with water, every where in motion, filling the numerous lakes, or mak- ing its way to the sea, but leaving almost an equal proportion perfectly dry. Above Red river, the ground is rising every year by the accumulation of Yegetable substances, and by the deposition of earthy matter in places subject to annual inundation. This natural operation of reclaiming, goes on more ra- pidly than one would imagine. After Louisiana was ceded to the United States, several settlements had been formed above Red river, and on the Bayou's west of the Mississippi; these for five or six years were permitted to remain undisturbed by the rising of the waters, and it was not until the higli flood of 1811, that the greater part was abandoned; but so great a quantity of sediment was deposited that year, that the ground is supposed to have generally risen six inches.

It is worthy of remark, that the alluvial banks are uniformly higliest on the western side ; there are ma- ny places where the river does not break over tliem in the higliest floods, by twelve or eighteen inches, altliough the ground is overflowed in the rear, leav- ing narrow strips of fifty or one hundred yards wide. Tlie settlements on the banks of the river, are cliiefly on the western side from the Ohio to Natchez ; on the eastern, with but one exception, the only im- provements are on the upland.

86 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

The circiimstance of the immediate borders of the viA er being the highest part of the alluvion, has given rise to many curious theories to account for its thus running on a ridge. But this is a circumstance by no means peculiar to the Missisippi, and may be ex- plained by obvious causes. If we examine attentive- ly, we shall see, that the alluvion of the most tiifiing rivulet, will be higher on the bank than at some dis- tance from it ; to account for it, it is sufficient to sug- gest, that in every inundation tlie grosser and more w eighty matter brought down by the stream, would be first deposited, and the more light at a greater dis- tance, and the last. Besides, the vegetable accumu- lations would also be greater, as on the margin of the stream vegetation is always most luxuriant.

Above the mouth of the Ohio the alluvion gradu- ally becomes more narrow, until it is contracted to the width of five or six miles at tJie American bot- tom, beginning at Kaskaskia. The highlands or bluffs, are uniformly on the western side to the mouth of the Missouri, but instead of clay banks, they are faced with limestone, rising in some places to precipi- ces tw o hundred feet high and crowned with oak or cedars. The proportion of land subject to inunda- tion is very small, and there are not many outlets ; but there still exist shallow lakes, scattered through the bottoms, some of which, much resemble the channel of the river, but the greater part are nothing more than ponds or lagoons.

It has been suggested by an ingenious French gen- tleman, M. Peyroux, that there was formerly an outlet from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi, through the Illinois. This is- supported by the well known facts, that the w^ater of nearly all the lakes which flow into the St. Lawrence, has sunk several feet.

I300K I. ALLUVIAL TRACTS. S

and the evident marks in the present channel of the Illinois, of having once contained a stream of much greater magnitude. This opinion might he strength- ened hy other facts within my own observation. The bluff which terminates tlie alluvion on the eastern side of the Mississippi, below the Illinois, at present distant several miles from the river, shews itself in a numbei' of places in bare precipices of limestone rock, with evident marks of having been worn by the waters, at least ten feet above the highest floods. The same thing may be observed on the western side. Can it be that the river was once Ave or six miles wide at this place, or has there been a lake which by some means or other, has been drained ? The last idea suggested itself to me, on examining a remarkable place on the river, eight or ten miles above Cape Girardeau, called the Grand Tower, which, although but little known, deserves the at- tention of the curious. The rocky bluffs on the wes- tern side are washed by the stream, and on the eas- tern the bottom at their base is not more than a few hundred yards wide; the hills or bluffs appear to converge in an unusual manner, and from the ap- pearance of the huge fragments of rocks, forming almost a continued chain across, there is strong rea- son for conjecture, that here was once a cataract. The tower is one of the fragments, and rises from the water about fifty feet in height, and about sixty yards from the western bank, which is a steep rock; its form is nearly circular, with a bouquet of cedars on the top. On the opposite side of the river, there is another huge detached rock, but round wliich, the water does not flow excepting in the season of floods ; it has a remarkable unexplored cavern, whicli the Aiaericaas call the DeviPs Oven. Between tlds and

88 VIEWS GP LOUISIANA.

the bluff, there are several other fragm-ents continu- ing the chain, through which the Mississippi, by the aid of time, or by some convulsion of nature, has found a passage. There are few places on the river of more dangerous and difficult navigation, both to persons ascending and descending. Between this and the mouth of the Ohio, there are to be seen in various places, detached rocks on the shore, and on the heads of islands, evidently rolled down by some mighty and unusual current.

The valley of the ^lississippi above the Missouri and the Illinois, undergoes a wonderful change, it ceases to be more subject to inundation than the bor- ders of the Ohio, and it is contracted in breadth to two or three miles. As far as the falls of St. An- thony, the soil is excellent, and nothing can exceed the variety and beauty of the landscape. But it is imfortunately deficient in wood, particularly on the upland ; the continued succession of rich meadows, and sloping hills, are delightful to the eye, although in an agricultural point of view, it is by no means to be compared to the borders of the Ohio, or of the Missouri.

The valley of this last river, is becoming every day of more importance, and is the quarter to which western emigration at this moment chiefly turns. The course of the Missouri, being nearly west for at least six hundred miles, it will have a preference to the Mississippi in point of climate. For at least two hundred miles, the alluvion valley may be esti- mated at five miles wide, thougli in some places ten, and covered with a heavy forest ; but the upland is nearly one half prairie. As on the Ohio, the bottom land appears alternately on one side or on the other ; the uplands or bluff's seldom rocky, and sloping with

BOOK I. ALLUVIAL TRACTS. 89

gentle acclivities to the water's edge. In some pla- ces, however, for a considerable distance, the river takes its course through the deep and level forests in the middle of the valley. From the Kansas river tlie forest begins to grow more thin, and we often see a grassy plain stretching from tlie brink of the river, while the upland is either entirely without trees or produces only stinted oaks. At the river Platte, the open plains may be said to begin, and generally tliei'e is not more than one half of the river border covered with woods, while the uplands have nothing but sliort grass. Still the banks of the river are sufficiently wooded to admit of settlement ; but unfortunately, from this point the river bottoms are much more subject to inundation than below. I am convinced that a compact settlement might be formed for about nine hundred miles, but that afterwards the settlements would be interrupted sometimes for fifty miles, althougli there are many extensive tracts on the river to its very source, of a rich soil and capable of being settled. Nothing can surpass the beauty of the country from the Chyenne river to the Mandans, the distance of three hundred miles, every mile almost may be inhabited, and the islands are delightful. This part of the river, was once ex- tremely populous, as may be seen by the number of Indian ruins. There arc many situations at the en- ti'ance of the large rivers of the Missouri, favorable for towns or villages; such as the Yellow Stone, the White river, the Chyeiuie, the Sioux, the Jaque, Platte, the Kansas, Osage, kc, ; the country in the vicinity is uniformly delightful.

The valley of the Arkansas, is wider than that of the Missouri, but is almost bare of wood, and is more liable to inundation. Tiiis river is in fact bor- h2

90 VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

dered by immense grassy plains nearly its whole length, wiiich will oppose a great obstacle to its set- tlement. The valley of Red river, beyond the boun- dary of the state of Louisiana, is said to afford a fine tract of land, and with much more wood than that of the Ai'kansas.

I

CHAP. VL

Lakes and Rivers.

Over the wide spread surface of Louisiana, so small a portion of which is occupied by barren sands, many navigable streams must necessarily flow; perhaps there are not less than two hundred of equal size with the Thames or the Schuylkill : and yet the western side of the great valley of the Mississippi, is far from being as well watered as the eastern. Springs are less abundant, and the rivers depend chiefly for their supply on rains, and ©n the melting of the snows. It is a remark which applies to nearly all the larger rivers on the western vside of the Mississippi, which take their rise in the great mountains, where springs are more nume- rous, and the streams clear and limpid, that while tliey flow through the mountainous country, they^ possess deep and clear channels, and are of easy navigation, but on entering the lower country, spread out, become broad and shallow, even cease to be navigable for a long distance. The Missouri and Mississippi, are perhaps the only exceptions. But tliose which rise short of the primitive moun- tains are navigable with scarcely any interruption to their sources, which are often in lakes.

In upper Louisiana there are but few lakes ex^ eept those near the heads of the Mississippi. The

92 VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

Lake of the Woods, the lesser Winipec, Leech lake, Ked Cedar lake (supposed to be the source of the Mississippi) lake De Sable, &c, are the most con- siderable of these. There are several lakes between the Missouri, and the north west chain, but the country is yet but little known. It is supposed that lake Winepec, perhaps the largest of all those in- land seas, comes within the territory of the United States. — Even if in our limits of Louisiana we should be bounded by a line due west, from that one which terminates the line of the United States, it is pro- bable that the source of the Mississippi is further north than the southern side of lake Winipec. This lake receives a number of very considerable rivers, and is discharged into Hudson's Bay by Nelson's river ; it is connected with other lakes to the north- west, and has from the rivers emptying into it, an inconsiderable portage to the waters of lake Supe- rior.

In lower Louisiana, there are a great number of lakes from the refluent waters of the Mississippi, and from the upland streams which lose themselves in the level. There will be enumerated and more particularly described, in the account of the state of Louisiana, as also the lakes Ponchartrain and Mau- repas, on the east side of the Mississippi : wliich although usually known under the name of lakes, might with more propriety be considered as bays, as they are immediately connected with the sea.

I have continued the following table in order to present to the reader at one glance, the names and comparative importance of the principal rivers. Many have been necessarily omitted, considering it better to refer those who are desirous of a very mi- Bute account of the country to the map of Mr. Mel-

BOOK I.

LAKES AND RIVERS.

9^

lish, who has combined all the latest discoveries. I also subjoin general observations on the larger ri- vers, but of the smaller I shall give an account in the second and third books.

TABLE OF NAVIGABLE RIVERS IN LOUISIANA— 'DISTANCE

OF NAVIGATION.

Principal R.	Tributaries.	J\'avi. 1 Refnarks.
MISSISSIPPI		3,000
	San^Sue. . .	80	By some considered the
	PikeR	120	source of the Missip. heads
	des Corbeaux .	300	in Leech lake, and is larger
	St. Peters . .	1,000	than the branch which rises
	Turkey R. . .		in Red Cedar lake; consi-
	Catfish R. , .		dered the source of the a- bove mentioned river.
	des Moines. .	800	About 250 miles above
	Wayaconda .		the mouth of the Missouri,
	Jaufiione . . .		not much known^
	Salt R
	Buffaloe . . .
	Cuivi-e ....	150
	Missouri . . .	3,096
	Marainek. . .	350
	St. Francis .	800
	White P.. . .	1,100
	Arkansas . . .	2,000
	Red R	2,500
LES COEBEAUX.		15,296
	Leaf R. . . .	180	Tliere is a portage of one
ST. PETERS			mile from the head of this
	Blue Earth R.		river to the Otter Tail lake.
	Red Wood R.		the principal source of Red
DES MOINES	Yellow WoodR Rackoon R. Red Cedar R.		river of Winipec.
MISSOURI	Gasconade . . Mine R. . . .	100 40	S, W. side
	id.
	G. Osage . . .	600	id.
	1 Charatans .	50	id.
	2 Charatans .	100	N. E. side

94

VlliWS OF LOUISIANA.

Principal R. j Tribut cries.

JSl'ttvi.

Hemarhs.

Grand R. . .

Kansas . . . Little R. Platte Nodawa . . , Platte .... Floyd's River Big Sioux . . White Stone . River a'Jaque

Qui Courre

Poncas . . . White River

Tylers River . CMejiTie River

Ser-war-ser-na Win-i-pen-hu Cannon-ball R. Knife River .

Little Missouri

Goose River White Earth R Yellow Stone

Poi

L'cupine R. R.

Dry

Big- Dry R. . . Muscle Shell R Big- Home . , Manoles . . . Fancy River .

200

>00

60U N. E. side 1,200 S. W. side 40 N. E. side 60 N. E. side

S. W. upwards of 2,000 miles in leng-th, but affords little or no navig-ation.

N. E. A point of rendez- vous for the traders, and the Yankton band of Sioux.

S. W. A handsome river but not navig-ableany great distimce.

S. W.

S. W. A large fine river; its branches not known, 300 yards at its mouth.

S. W. Not better known than White river ; 400 yds. wide at its mouth.

S. W. side.

S. W.

S. W. 140 yards wide.

S. W, Near the Mandaji villages.

S. W. 134 yards wide, but not navig-able.

N. E. 300 yards wide,

N. E.

S. W. 855 yards wide at its mouth ; a very large ri- ver, equal in length to the Platte ; affords much bet- ter navigation, but is asto- nishingly rapid.

N. E. 'll2 yards wide.

500

600

S. W. 100 S. W. 400 S. W. 100 S. W. 100 S. W. 100 S. W. 180

do. do. do. do. do. d(».

BOOK I.

LAKES AND RIVERS.

^5

Principal R.	Tributaries.	JWivi.	Remarks.
	>>eaiborne . .
	M.a-ia ....		N. E. At this place the Missouri is observed to take nearly all its turbid-
	Jefferson Fork	96	nese.
	Madison . , .	80
	(^.Jiatin . . .	60
YBl. STOSri	Big- Home . . Tongiie Rivor CLirk's River Lewis's River
MARAMIK	IJig- River . . Weslem Bnm.	150
ST. FHASCIS	150	This river is not per- fectly known.
	Penusco . . .	50
WHlTi: BIVER...	Aux Cashe . .	80
	Black River .	400
	James River .	150
	Riipid John .	100
	Red River . .	300
ARKANSAS	Verdigris . . Nagi-aca . . .	200
	150
	Canadian River	100
	Grand River .	200
	Grand Saline .
	Strong Saline
REB RIVBR	Black River .	50	Tliis river is fonned bv the junction of the Tensa, Washita and Little river — There are numerous navi- gable bayoux and stream.*; from Red river, and seve- ral considerable branches yet but little known.
GREAT OSAOE....	Nangira . . . Grand River . The Fork . . Cook's River Vermillion R.
KASSAS	Smokey hill F.		Tliese rivers are naviga ble fiom 150 to 300 niiies
	Grand Saline
	Solomon's F.
	Republican do.
PLATTE	Elk-horn . . .	400
	Wolf River .	600	Heads in a lake.

96

\'1EWS OF LOUISIANA.

PHndpal R .	Tributaries, j	.Yiivi. J	Remarks.
	Padoucas . .
BLACK H. (w.)	Spring- River .	50	Rises in a lake, and is
	Current . . .		navig-able from the very-
	Eleven ....		source.
BLACK R. (m.)	Washita . . .	1,000
	Riviere au Baf	400	This is along river which
	Tensa ....	150	flows between the Missis-
	Catahoula . .	50	sippi and Washita, and said
	Little River .	100	to communicate with the
IlED BITEH	Little Missouri		St. Francis, by means of a
©f Winipec.	Assineboin . .		lake, witii which the wa-
	Saskashawin		ters of that river are con- nected.
TICHE		150	Called a bayoux, but more properly a river.
SABIIVE		400
Chaffallaya.		300	A continuation of Red riv.

THE MISSISSIPPI.

To say every thing of this nohle river, which writers have deemed worthy of notice, would far exceed the bounds to which I am confined. Besides, it is so well known from the writings of many intel- ligent persons, that by entering into such detail, my task would be little more than that of compilation. The Mississippi (or Mitchasippi, the father of streams) justly ranks amongst the most magnificent rivers in the world : whether we consider its magni- tude, the astonishing number and consequence of its tributary rivers, or tlie amazing scope of fertile land which it traverses ; watering at least a fourth of the habitable part of North America. The com- parison to the Nile not unfrequently made, is far from giving just conceptions of its magnitude and importance. It is only with tlie equally noble and vast rivers of tlie New World, it can be properly as- similated. It differs from these in one particular; instead of a channel proportioned to its extent and

BOOK I. LAKES AND RIVERS. OT

magnitude, it gives its tribute to the ocean by in- numerable outlets and natural canals. The Delta oi this river is said to extend several degrees of longi- tude, the wliole formed with earth brought down by the stream. Perhaps at one period of the world, this river gave its waters to the great reservoir with as much majesty as the Amazon, or La Platta, but the Mississippi may challenge any of those rivers for the extent of its navigation and the quantity of habitable and fertile soil on his border, and on the borders of his " thousand sons."

There can be no doubt but that the Missouri is the true continuation of the Mississippi. After the confluence of these two rivers, the latter assumes the appearance and peculiarity of the former in al- most every particular. The colour of their waters can be distinguished, however, for thirty miles before that of the Missouri entirely prevails, but in the alluvia, the sand bars, islands, rafts, currents, and the ap- pearance of the woods on its borders, the Missouri still continues. The Missouri brings into the chan- nel four times as much water as the Mississippi; in point of length it is at least double, and even several of its principal branches are even longer.

Above the Missouri, the Mississippi is clear and limpid, like the Oliio, and bordered by a country extremely beautiful, with many fertile spots, but is not to be compared to that on tlie Ohio as adapted to settlements. The greater part consists of naked I plains, which promise little to the husbandman. Excepting the cataracts of St. Anthony, this river lias but one or two serious interruptions in the na- vigation for at least sixteen hundred miles above St. Louis: but its channel generally abounds with shoals, and sand bars, the current, however, gentle.

I

9.8 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

It is not an easy matter to point out exactly its source, several of the branches into which it divides near its head, might claim this honour. It does not take its rise in a mountainous country, and yet it must be of considerable height, from the number of important rivers which flow from the same neigh- bourhood. The country abounds in lakes and ex- tensive marshes, among which the Mississippi takes its rise. A narrow ridge of high land separates it from tlie waters of lake Winipec. Red Cedar lake, situated in lat. 47 deg. 38 min. is considered by Pike as its source, this is but a few miles from Red lake, in which Red river takes its rise ; here is therefore an easy communication with the waters which discharge themselves into Hudson's bay.

In descending this river but little variety is ob- served. Entering from the Missouri, we find our- selves in a more spacious river : in places where large islands divide the current, it spreads to a ^reat width, sometimes of several miles ; yet when this is not the case, the channel of the river is but little wider than at the Mandan villages, though at that place it is only filled in the season of high wa- ter. The navigation is considered dangerous from the Missouri to the mouth of the Ohio, on account of the great number of sawyers and rafts. Below this iine river, no perceptible diiference takes place in point of magnitude, and from the St. Francis to Red river, the general width scarcely exceeds that of the Missouri. At Point Coupee it assumes a more majestic appearance, and from this place continues a course, uninterrupted by islands and sand bars, with a current gradually diminishing.

Its border scenery is disagreeably uniform. The banks are covered with cotton wood trees^ of enor«»

BOOK h LAKES AND RIA^ERS. S9

moiis size, the tops apparently level as if made so by design. Scarcely any otlier tree grows on the island. Below the mouth of the Ohio, the cypress makes its appearance in the bends, where the ground is lower than on the points, and subject to be oAer- flown. The arundo gigantia, appears about the same place, on the spots of ground least subject to inundation. It grows to the heiglit of twenty feet, forming an impervious thicket. Tlie long moss, or Spanish beard begiiis to be seen below the Arkan- sas, and gives a gloomy appearance to the woods. The falling in of the banks is amongst the most re- markable features of tliis river; sometimes whole acres with tlie trees growing on them are precipi- tated into the stream, creating fiightful impedi- ments to tlie navigation, and not unfrequently over- whelming boats moored near the shore. In time, the trees thus fallen in, become sawyers and plan- ters ; the first so named from the motion made by the top when acted upon by the current, the others are the trunk of trees of sufficient size to resist it. There are also frequently seen at the heads of islands, immense collections of drift wood, piled up to a great height, thrown confusedly together and closely matted ; here are found, boats, canoes, planks, and a great variety of timber, brought down by the rivers of a hundred climates and soils, and heaped together in chaos. These are amongst the most dangerous places in the course of the navi- gation^ The current rushes towards them with amazing velocity, and it is with great difficulty and

* For a more minute account of the difficulties of the navig-a- tion, and for many interesting" details, I refer the reader to the Oliio and Mississippi Navig-ator,

ICO VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

the exertion of skill, that they are avoided. It is therefore dangerous to float after night.

The ^Mississippi is remarkahle for the muddiness of its waters, a quality altogether derived from the jSIissouri, but is less turbid than that river ; the wa- ters above the junction, being clear, the accession of the Illinois, Ohio, and other clear streams tend- ing also to render it more limpid than the Missouri. It is not from the falling in of the banks, as is sup- posed, that this muddiness proceeds ; this is scarcely sufficient to supply what is deposited by tlie river on sand bars, islands, &c. between the upper Missouri, (from whence the earth forming it is carried) ami the mouth of the river.

There is a surprising difference in the navigation of this truly noble river, in the ordinary stages of the water and during the continuance of the floods. There have been instances of persons descending from St. Louis to New-Orleans, in ten days; the distance, however, is much shortened by being able to cut off points, and to go through channels imprac- ticable in low water. The usual time in low water is from four to six weeks. In ascending, fifty days to the mouth of the Ohio is considered a good voyage, but two months is the most usual time ; oars and poles are always used for the purpose of navigating the boats, but the cordelle, and sails, are also of great importance. In the course of a voyage it is rare that there are not six or eight days of sailing, which is a great relief to the hands, as the boat is then propelled against the current without their as- sistance, sometimes, thirty miles a day. In very light winds, the sails are hoisted and although not sufiicient alone to cause the boat to descend, yet af- ford considerable help. The boats usually employ-

BOOK I. LAKES AND RIVERS. 101

ed are from ten to thirty tons burthen ; as high as Natchez, schooners of fifty tons often ascend. Tliere are, besides, between the places just men- tioned, a kind of boat of a peculiar construction, much in use, and carrying often eight or ten tons : they appear to be formed of a single tree, but in re- ality out of three of tlie largest size ; two are hol- lowed in such a manner as to form the sides, and a third for the bottom : they are then joined together so as to make a very durable and strong boat, easily managed, and the most safe against hurricane* and violent winds.

The Mississippi carries generally fifteen feet wa- ter from the mouth of tlie Missouri to the Ohio, from tlience to Red river, it seems to increase in dejjth : at this place it has as many fathoms, and at New- Orleans not less than forty. On the bar, there are usually from twelve to fourteen feet, although the Avater rises at the mouth of the Ohio fifty feet, and but little diminution is experienced before we pass Natchez ; at Baton Rouge it is not more tlmn twen- ty-five feet, at New-Orleans only fifteen, and at the mouth of the river is scarcely perceptible.

The floods of the Mississippi usually begin in April ; commencing with the first flood of the Mis- souri, which is usually in March, on the breaking up of the ice; this is followed by the Mississippi above the junction, afterwards by the Ohio, and other rivers. The great flood of the Missouri be- gins in June, shortly after which those of the Mis- sissippi, in consequence attain their greatest height. It subsides in August. A very unusual occurrence took place this winter (1812) in the month of De- cember, the river rose to within two or tliree feet of the highest water^ and continued to be high until the

12

102 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

latter end of the montli. The oldest inhabitants had never witnessed any thing* of the kind.

MISSOURI.

This magnificent river, the greatest of North America, and one of the largest on the globe, from the ignorance of the first explorers and from the in- veteracy of habit, has only been assigned the first rank among those which swell the Mississippi. I ne- ver can forget the feelings with which I beheld it for the first time ; with what astonishment I gazed upon the awful velocity of its rolling curient, with its turbid ash-colored waters ; and it was not without some involuntary hesitation I ventured to trust my- self on its mighty flood. The objects which every where met my eye, the loose and crumbling banks, the large trunks of trees covered with slime and mud, fixed in the sides of the bank like cheveaux de fri^e, and the rude and chaotic appearance of the scenery, produced sensations by no means agreea^ ble.

It enters the Mississippi nearly at right angles in latitude 38 degrees 55 minutes; the confluence is by no means comparable to that of the Ohio, principally owing to an island at the entrance. The course of the river in ascending is little north of west to the Platte. Above this, its course is nearly north west, until we reach the Mandan villages, in latitude 46, From this point the distance to the Mississippi is less than from the Platte. From the northernmost part of the great bend, above the Mandans, and in lati- tude 47 degrees, we ascend nearly west; the course of the three forks, Jefferson, Madison, and Galla- tin, is nearly south west and south.

BOOK I. LAKES AND RIVERS. 103

The current of this river is at least a fourth grea- ter than that of the Mississippi. To the Platte, it is amazingly swift, and stemmed with great difficulty, ahounding with shoals and sand bars, sawyers, rafts projecting from the shore, and islands. It is almost impracticable to descend in flat-bottomed boats, even in the highest stages of the water : in barges great care and dexterity are requisite. It is far from be- ing agreeable in appearance, unless we consider the pleasure derived fi'om contemplating its wonderful swiftness and force. Above the Platte, the Missouri, though not less swift in current, is rendered more easy of navigation hy the large sand bars, and clear banks, which admit of towing: but from the scar- city of wood of a proper kind, it is necessary to lay in a sufficient stock of oars and poles. To the falls, two thousand miles further, it preserves the same character j the navigation, however, becomes less dangerous, or difficult, excepting from the shoals, which in low w^ater are abundant. Above the falls or cataracts, there is a clear fine river five hundred miles to the tliree forks, affording better navigation than any part of the Missouri, although the channel is generally narrow and sometimes confined between lofty mountains. The three forks are all fine rivers, and receive a great number of smaller streams. In ascending the Missouri, sails are of more importance than on any of the western rivers. The openness of the country gives scope to the winds, which in the spring and summer usually blow from the south east and suit the general course of the river : I frequently ascended, notwithstanding the swiftness of the cur- rent, from thirty to forty miles per day for three or four days in succession.

104 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

The course of this mighty river is exceedingly irregular; in many places it pursues a zigzag course for forty miles, sometimes as if returning upon its steps. Some of its larger sinuosities take m an amazing sweep. It receives all its principal rivers from tiie south west side. The extent of coun- try to be drained on the north east side is to the otlier, as the east side of the Mississippi is to the western. This is owing to the vicinity of the Mississippi, and the north west chain of lakes. The distance from the Mandan villages to the British establishment on the Red river of Winipec, is but a few days journey.

The floods of this river usually begin early in March, and there is a continued succession of them until the last of July; the river subsiding and again rising as the dilferent rivers bring down their annual tributes. It so happens, that seldom more than two great rivers are high at the same period. Many of these floods are never felt in the Mississippi. But the great rise of the Missouri itself, from the melting of the snows, takes place about the tenth of June, and begins to subside about the latter end of July. In some of the northern branches, the ice does not break up until late in the season : about one thou- sand miles up the Missouri, I saw a large cake of ice floating in the river on the last of May.

There is little variation in tlie width of this river from its mouth to the cataracts. In some places it spreads considerably, and in these, sand bars im- pede the navigation in low water : at such times the river is reduced in places to less than a fourth of its usual width, between sand bars which advance into it and ahighbai^k. But when the channel is full, even at the Man dans, it appealed tome not less broad or majestic, than docs the Mississippi at New-Or- leans.

BOOK I. LAKES AND RIVERS. 105

The whole length of the navigation of the Missouri from the hig-hest point of Jefferson river, the largest of the three forks, to its entrance into the Mississippi, is three thousand and ninety-six miles. Such a na- vigation is possessed hy no other tributary stream in the world. No insurmountable obstacle occurs for two thousand five hundred miles, when we reach the great falls or cataracts, next to those of the Nia- gara the most stupendous in America. In point of variety, magnificence, and beauty they are perhaps unequalled by any in the world. It may more pro- pei'ly be called a chain of cascades and cataracts of various figures and magnitudes, composed of at least forty or fifty in number, in the distance of eighteen miles, descending from one ledge of rock to another, in the whole three hundred and sixty feet. Before they begin, the river presents a wide and calm expance of fourteen hundred yards covered with wild fowl, its waters like those of a lake preserving an uniform height and kissing the bordering grass of the romantic meadows which stretch on either side. Suddenly it is compressed to the width of three hundred yards, and after foaming and wheel- ing among the rocks, it dashes over a precipice of twenty-six feet. It then successively tumbles over ledges of rocks of four, six, ten, fourteen feet in height, and again leaps down a height of fifty feet in one unbroken street nearly a quarter of a mile in width, and forming the most regular and beautiful cascade in the world. There are after this, ten dis- tinct successive pitches from four to twenty feet, be- fore it reaches the principal cataract, when it thun- ders down from a perpendicular elevation of ninety feet. By this time, the waters thus vexed and bruis- ed, appear at the bottom of the nine successive cas-

106 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

cades over which they are next precipitated, in im» mense masses of foam, while the light spray which rises aloft emprismed by the sun produced the most brilliant appearance. The surrounding scenery is the corresponding immensity of the Missouri desert ; boundless plains stretching beyond the boundary or vision ; rugged hills piled upon them, and a distant glimpse of the snow capped mountains which separate the waters of the Atlantic from those of the Pacific ocean. This sublime spectacle, until the voyage of Lewis and Clark had lavished its magnificence on the desert unknown to civilization.

ARKANSAS.

The Arkansas, next to the Missouri, is the most considerable tributary of the Mississippi. In length it is nearly two thousand five hundred miles, and na* vigable at proper seasons nearly the whole distance. In many places its channel is broad and shallow, at least above the rapids, so as to render navigation al- most impracticable. Until eight or nine hundred miles from its mouth, it receives no considerable streams, owing to the vicinity of the waters of the Missouri, of the Kansas, &c. on the one side, and those of Red river on the other. The chief rivers which fall into it, are tlie Verdigris, the Negraca, Canadian river. Grand river, &c. Several are re- markable for being strongly impregnated with salt ; the Arkansas itself, at certain seasons is said to be brackish.

The lands on this river for six or eight hundred miles up, are described as very fine and capable of affording settlements, though principally untimber- ed. For a long distance up, the flat lands on either side are intersected with numerous bayous. — There

BOOK I, LAKES AND RIVERS. 107

is a remarkable communication between the Arkan- sas and White river, by a channel or bayou connect- ing- the two rivers with a current setting alternately into the one or the other, as the flood in either hap- pens to predominate.

RED RIVER.

Takes its source in the Cordilleras, at no great distance north of Santa Fee. In length it is about the same with the Arkansas. It is navigable four hundred miles, with no insurmountable obstruction. There is a curious raft, formed of logs and earth, which entirely covers its channel,- trees are grow- ing upon it, and one might pass over without per- ceiving the river. Red river runs in a valley on an average fifteen miles wide, for at least five hundred miles, wliich is every where intersected with bayou, and large lakes. The navigation meets with the first impediment one hundred and fifty miles. The falls or rapids are about two miles in length, the breadth of the river two hundred and fifty yards. They are occasioned by a soft rock of free stone : the greatest pitch in low water, not being more than eight or nine inches. This river might with much more justice than the Mississippi, be called the Ame- rican Nile. A country lies on its boi'ders mo]*e ex- tensive than Egypt, and of a soil the richest perhaps in the world. Its waters, which are not potable, are very red, impregnated with some mineral. The river is remarkably narrow ; it seldom spreads to the width of two hundred and fifty yards, and is more generally contracted to one hundred ; it is also ex- ceedingly crooked. The annual swell, which is early in the spring of the year, raises the water fifty or sixty feet^ when it flows with great rapidity : but

108 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

during the summer and season of low water, it is sunk within deep and ragged clay banks, of an un- sightly appearance, and has not more than eight or ten feet of water. The outlets from this river are more numerous than even from the Mississippi, and joined by streams which flow from the uplands, or pine woods. The course of the river is constantly Subject to change ; many of the bayou which at pre- sent appear inconsiderable, at no distant period con- stituted the bed of the principal river.

R, DES CORBEAUX,

The western branch of the Mississippi, and afford- ing the best communication with Red river of Wini- pec. This river is ascended one hundred and eighty miles to the Leaf river, which enters from the north w est ; the Leaf river is again ascended the same distance ; there is then a postage of one half mile to the Otter Tail lake, the principal source of Red ri- ver. The other branch of the riviere des Corbeaux, bears south west and approaches the St. Peters.

ST. PETERS,

Enters the Mississippi about forty miles below the falls of St. Anthony. It is a fine stream, and may be navigated to its source, a thousand miles ; the cur- rent is gentle, and in places scarcely perceptible ; in the spring and summer it is covered witli wild fowl, which collect here for the purpose of breeding, and find abundant nourishment in the wild rice which grows in the river and neighboring lakes. Its prin- cipal branches are, Blue Earth river, Red Wood ri- ver, and Yellow Wood river.

DES MOINES.

Next to the St. Peters, it is the largest of the ri- vers which the Mississippi receives from the west,

BOOK I, LAKES AND RIVERS. 109

above the confluence with the Missouri. If enters two hundred and fifty miles from their junction, and is navigable without a fall or scarcely an interrupt tion, to the Pelican lake, where it rises, and which is not far from the Sioux river of the Missouri, a distance of about eight hundred miles. Raccoon ri- ver, the principal branch enters on the south west side, and is navigable several hundred miles. There are several others of some magnitude, particularly the Red Cedar river.

GRAND RJVER,

Enters the Missouri on the north east side, about 250 miles up; a fine river, navigable six hundred miles ; general course not distant from the Missouri. Foi'merly, when the traders bound for the Mahas, (800 miles up the Missouri) were infested by the Kansas Indians, they ascended this river, and then crossed to the Missouri.

KANSAS,

Rises in the vast plains between the Arkansas and the Platte. It is one of the finest rivers of the Mis- souri, though inferior to several of them in length. The principal branches are the Smoky Hill fork^ Grand Saline, Solomon's Fork, and the Republicau Fork. It enters the Missouri 300 miles up. I have conversed with hunters who had ascended it, with- out meeting any considerable obstacles, more than three hundred leagues. It receives a great number of large streams, and is by no means well known. The adjacent country is generally prairie, and the cliffs on the river, arc frequently solid rocka of gypsum.

K

110 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

THE PLATTE,

Is the longest and largest of the rivers which dis- charge themselves into the Missouri, being little short of two thousand miles, and yet can hardly be reckoned a navigable stream. The channel is ex- tremely wide and abounds with ever varying quick- sands. Several fine navigable rivers, however, dis- charge themselves into it ; the Elk Horn, and the Wolf river, and the Padoucas Fork.

THE YELLOW STONE (OR ROCHE JAUNE,)

Has considerable resemblance to the Missouri in size and difficulty of navigation, and is the most considerable of those rivers which discharge them- selves into it. The Missouri undergoes a percepti- ble change after the junction. In seasons of high water it is more properly a torrent ; the descriptions of its rapidity are almost incredible. It enters the Missouri 1880 miles up. The principal branches are, Big Horn, Tongue River, and Clark's river.

WHITE R. SHAYENNE R. R. A. JAGUE — SIOUX R.

These might be ranked amongst the most consi- derable rivers any where but in the valley of the Mississippi. There are besides many others which I cannot notice without swelling this account beyond all usual limits. The Little Missouri (ninety miles above the Mandan villages) is remarkable for the quantity of earth which it carries to the river. At the Maria river ^ a large stream which enters the ri- ver two thousand miles up, the muddiness of the Missouri in a great measure ceases.

There are several considerable rivers, between the Missouri and the north west lakes. Red river is the principal ; the Msiniboin, is its largest branch.

BOOK I. LAKES AND RIVERS. Ill

The Mouse rivevy or Saskashawin, is remarkable for taking its rise from the bank of the Missouri.

The rivers of the province of Texas most worthy of note, are the Trinity , tlie Gmidaloupe^ the Brassas de Deos^ and the San Antonia. These are long and narrow rivers rising in the Cordilleras, and afford much fine land on their borders.

CHAP. VII.

»Xiatural or indigenous productions-'^animaly vegeta^ ble and mineral.

Not being a naturalist, I shall only attempt to give some idea of the extensive field which lies open to the learned. Were I to attempt, upon a slender knowledge, to give a scientific account, I might lead the reader into error.

I am informed that the western side of the Missis- sippi, to the eye of the naturalist, has a character al- together different from any part of the United States, and that except New Holland, the world does not af- ford a more interesting field.

Mr. Bradbury has made a very fine collection of specimens, and some very interesting discoveries. The indefatigable research of this gentleman, and that heart-engaged enthusiasm, which the student of the great book of nature, has ever been observed to possess, promise a valuable acquisition to pleasura- ble and useful knowledge. The discoveries of Lewis and Clark, even in this department, are said to be very important; but, from the expedition necessary in the movements of the exploring pai-ties, and the necessity of a continual watch, for tlieir own safety, they could not possess the opportunity and leisure, necessary for the examination of objects more mi- nute.

BOOK I. P^^ODUCTIONS, kc. 113

The forest trees, and plants and animals^ de- scribed by Mr Jefferson, and other writers, are found in some part or other of this territory^ but there is also a great variety, peculiar to itself. The subject of its mineralogy remains untouched. Mr. Bradbury has discovered nearly one liundred and fifty no7i-descript plants; near twenty of which, cannot be assigned to any known genera, and may "therefore be considered as forming new ones. His discoveries with respect to the animal part of the creation, and the subterraneous riches>of the coun- try, are not less important.

ANIMAlS.

Agreeably to what I have already said, I shall not attempt to give a catalogue of the animals, plants, &c. but merely notice those most remarkar ble.

The Grizzly Bear — First claims our attention. This animal, is the monarch of the country which he inhabits. The African lion, or the tyger of Ben- gal, is not more terrible or fierce. He is the ene- my of man; and literally thirsts for human blood. So far from shunning, he seldom fails to attack ; and even to hunt him. I am credibly informed that he has been known to pursue the track of a hunter an hour after his having passed. The India,ns make war upon tiiese ferocious monsters, with the same ceremonies, as they do upon a tribe of their own species : and in the recital of their victories, tiie death of one of them, gives the warrior greater renown than the scalp of a human enemy.

The Grizzly Bear, is a non-de script., and much the largest of the species. He is twice the size of a common brown bear, and four times that of the Eur-

tU VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

ropean. One, killed by Lewis and Clark, near the Porcupine river, about two thousand miles up the Missouri, measured as follows ;

Round the head 3 feet 5 inches

Round the neck 3 feet 1 1 inches

Length 8 feet Ti inches

Round the fore leg 1 foot 1 1 inches

Talons — in length 4 3-8 inches

Mr. Manuel Lisa, the first who ascended to this country for the purpose of trade, and who spent nine months in it, informed me that they sometimes ex- ceed 1 ,000. When full grown^ commonly weigh six or eiglit hundred. He possesses an amazing strength, and attacks without hesitation and tears to pieces the largest bulfaloe. The color, is usually such as tlie name indicates, thougli there are varieties, from black to silvery whiteness. The skins are highly \'alued for muffs and tippets ; and will bring from twenty to fifty dollars each.

These bears are not usually seen lower than the Mandan villages. In the vicinity of the Roche Jaunc, and of Little Missouri, they are said to be most numerous. They do not wander much in the prairies, but are usually found in points of wood, in the neighbourhood of large streams. The Indians hardly ever venture into the fringe of wood, which borders the rivers, in that vast tract of open coun- try, without first setting up a loud and continued shout, in order that the bears, if there be any, may either come forth to attack them, or retire, if they happen not to be so disposed.

In shape, he differs from the common bear in be- ing proportionably more long and lank. He does not climb trees, a circumstance which has enabled hunters with whom I am acquainted, to make their

BOOK I. PRODUCTIONS, &c. 115

escape. The Indians complain that some of their best warriors, have fallen victims to this animal. Lewis and Clark's men, on several occasions, nar- rowly escaped from their attacks. The grizzly bear is sufficient to disprove, the idle theories of Buffon or Raynal, as to the impotency of the new world in the production of animals.

dntelope, was thought to be a non-descript species of deer, it is a beautiful little animal, and is found on the Missouri above the Platte. The antelope goes in flocks of several hundreds ; the Indians fre- quently take them, by driving them into the water and attacking them with clubs.

Grosse Corne^ so called from the large size of the horns, some of them being two feet in length, and four or five inches in diameter; they are extremely shy, and climb without difficulty to the pinnacle of the highest mountain, and sport upon the giddy verge of precipices. They have been called also mountain sheep^ but have little resemblance to sheep, except in the head, horns, and feet. On the rump, tliey are white, but every where else of a dun colour. In size they exceed the deer, and have a fine soft hair : the horns of the male are larger than those of the fe- male. This animal is thought to be the Jgalia.

The Buffaloe, may be said to have retired north of the Illinois, and west of the Mississippi. The plains of Indiana and Illinois, were once his places of fa- vorite resort, and he loved to frequent the banks of the beautiful Ohio ; but encroaching settlements have driven him away. His proper country appears to be the plains of the Missouri; those of Indiana and Il- linois, are miniatures of these. Here the buffaloe is found in immense herds; frequently covering the plain as far as the eye can reach. Some of these

116 V[EWS OP LOUISIANA.

herds, have heen estimated at ten thousand head??. In the dry season, they are found in the neighbour- hood of the great rivers, but there are also regular migrations of them from north to south, when they are seen passing the Missouri, for several days in su€cession, like the maich of Xerxes' army.

The wool of the buffaloe has a peculiar fineness, even surpassing that of the Merino. I have seen gloves made of it, little inferior to silk. But for the difficulty of separating the hair, it might become a very important article of commerce. Should any means be discovered of effecting this, or should it be found, that at certain seasons, there is less of this mixture, the buffaloe wool must become of prim^ importance in manufactures.

It is curious to observe, that in the instruction to Iberville by the king of France, two things were considei-ed of the first importance, the pearl fishery^ and the buffaloe wool. Charlevoix observes, that he is not surprised that the first should not have been attended to, but he thinks it strange that the second should be neglected even to his time.

Elk and Beer, are found in great numbers in this territory. In the neiglibourhood of the settlements, deer are very abundant; the poor animals enjoy some respite from their cruel persecutors, on ac- count of the low state of the peltry trade, and for some time past have been observed to increase. Two rarieties of deer are discovered high up on the Mis- souri. The black tailed, or mule deer ; remarkable for very long ears, and tails almost without hair, except at the end where there is a small tuft of a black colour. The other kind is distinguished by very small horns, and a tail of unusual length — eighteen or twenty inches.

BOOK I. PRODUCTIONS, &c. lit

There is a species of wolf different from the wol- verin, and a curious one of the fox. The braireau or badger, is found on the Mississippi and on the Missouri. The changeable hare (lepus variabilis J a beautiful animal, gray in summer, and white in winter, is seen in this country.

The Frairie Dog^ or Squirrel, is a great curiosity. It lives in burrows, or as they are commonly called towns, and is about a third larger than the fox squirrel. The head is thick and clumsy, it has large jaws, full, large eyes, but the ear is remarkably small. The body is long, and legs short, the tail not much larger than that of a common ground squirrel, and very delicate ; the hair short and sleek ; of a light gray, excepting on the belly, where it is white. It is without doubt a species of squirrel, though it has a cloven lip like the rabbit. It makes a noise very similar to that of the ground squirrel, though much louder; and resembling in a slight de- gree, the barking of a very small dog. When at some distance from its hole, which, however, sel- dom happens, it may be easily caught, but is ex- ceedingly fierce in the first instance ; yet in a few days, it becomes perfectly domesticated, and is pleas ed with being caressed. It seldom drinks; it feeds on the grass which grows around its hole, and re- I mains torpid during the winter. These towns are i to be found in the large prairies about three hnndred 1 miles west of the Mississippi, and are frequently 1 more than a mile in lengtli. The situation chosen, i is generally dry, being on the slope of a hill, and at a distance from any water course. When a person approaches, he is assailed by the whole village, with a noise, which as I have mentioned, bears a resem- blance to the barking of small dogs. The animals

118 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

are seen behind small hillocks at the side of their holes : on approaching within a few yards of one of these, the inhabitant instantly retreats to his sub- terraneous apartments. The wolves have declared war against these curious people, and frequently commit great havoc, in their little republics.

The Gopher, (this name is also given to a species of terrapin,) is supposed to be a non-descript ; it lives under ground, in the prairies, and is also found east of the Mississippi. It bears resemblance to the mole, but is twice the size of that animal. It has at each jaw, a kind of bag, or purse, about one inch and a half in length, for the purpose of conveying food, or for carrying the dirt out of its hole. The quantity of earth thrown up, forms a number of small mounds through the prairies, of several feet in height.

The Mligator, is too well known to require any thing to be said of him. He is not considered a fe- rocious or dangerous animal by the inhabitants. The numbers of this animal have lessened of late years from the destruction made by the inhabitants, who value their skins.

The Cameleon, is very common ; and I am in- formed, that in the southern parts, both the scorpion and the tarantula exist.

Of the feathered tribes, something may also be said. There is a beautiful bird called the prairie hen, which I think is not described. In winter it is found in large flocks, comes into barn-yards, and frequently alights on the houses of the villagers. It is somewhat larger than the pheasant of the United

J^ote by Mr. JBradbnry. — If the Gopher is not the animal, des- cribed in the Systema NatuTce, as mv? bursorru^hy Linnxus, it i*y vet vindcscribcd.

BOOK I. PRODUCTIONS, &c. lip

States, ftetrao umhellus^J which it resembles some- what in colour, but in shape is much like the guinea hen : and differs from the pheasant in being easily domesticated. The flesh is dry, black, and by no means palatable. There is a bird on the Missouri, which bears a strong resemblance to the pheasant, but is nearly as large as a turkey hen; it is describ- ed as being a fine bird. I have seen a specimen of the Columbia partridge, of the most beautiful plu- mage. The magpie is found in abundance on the Missouri.

In the settlements, and for a considerable distance up the Missouri, turkies stalk through the woods, in numerous flocks, but are rarely met with where the open country commences. Quails, tetrao mari- landica, are found every where. In the fall of the year all the lakes are literally covered with wild fowl ; ducks, geese, swans, cranes, and a variety of others.

VEGETABLE PRODrCTIONS.

I have already observed that an extensive field lies open to the botanist. There are even some con^ siderable forest trees, yet undescribed: there is par- ticularly one very beautiful, hois jaune^ or yellow wood : by some called the mock orange. In size, it equals that of the largest peach tree, and the leaves, though longer, are pretty nearly similar. The trunk is short, the limbs branching out low down. The fruit has some resemblance to the orange, but more spherical, and covered witli tu- bercles ; the colour, when at maturity, is a pale yel- low. This fruit has been deemed poisonous, but perhaps without reason : in its green state, it gives forth when cut, a milky fluid, which possesses a cor-

120 VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

rosive quality, blackening the knife, with which it is cut, like the pine apple. It would certainly be in gardens a highly ornamental tree ; Mr. Choteau, of St. Louis, has planted one in his garden, which thrives well. The tree is found on the Osage, Ar- kansas, and other places west of the Mississippi ; I have seen one near Natchitoches, on the Red river, it is found, in low, moist and swampy ground. The wood is remarkably heavy, scarcely yielding to lig- num vitje, and of a beautiful yellow. It might be of use in dyes, or for inlaying. It is in great request among the Indians, for war clubs, and for bows.

There is a grape on the Missouri, found in the prairies, which ripens in the month of June, as far north as latitude 40 deg. It is very sweet and plea- sant. A hundred writers, have spoken of the vines of the Illinois, with strange exaggeration. This forms a part of the pictures of the romancing writers, who first described Louisiana. Father Hennepin, describes the sugar cane, as growing spontaneously, on the banks of the Mississippi, and tells of purple cluster of grapes, imparting their rich hues to the gliding wave. Notwithstanding the figure the vines of this country have made in description, they are very little different from those of the United States. Formerly a wretched sort of wine was made of the winter grape, but which is at present almost neglect- ed. These vintages were never considered of much importance. The wine was made by bruising the grapes in a large tub ; a heavy stone was then plac- ed on them, to press out the juice, which flowed through an opening at the bottom into a vessel pre- pared for its reception.

Amongst the forest trees of this countiy, the ce- dar, (junipcrus virginiana,) the cotton wood, (popu-

BOOK I. PRODUCTIONS, kc, 121

his aiig'uliseiis,) and the pecanne, (juglans olivse formis) deserve particular attention. The cedar grows ill gi'cat abundance and perfection. There arc fine groves on the Maramck, St. Francis, Mis- souri, and on tlie Mississippi. Some very large islands in the Missouri are covered with this tree. The houses in the villages are generally built of this wood, wiiich is also used for their enclosures. The cotton Avood (so called from a down which it casts oflf in tlie spring, with wliich the air is filled like fleeces of snow) does not appear to have attracted as much attention as it deserves. It is invariably found on the river bottoms of the Mississippi and Missouri, and after the Anllow, is the first tree which springs lip on alluvion soils. The more ancient islands of the rivers W'cst of the Mississippi, as w ell as on that river, are covei*ed with this tree ; it adds much to the beauty of the scenery, from its lofty and uniform appearance, and the deep green of its foilage con- trasted with the light colour of the river. The growth of this tree is extremely rapid ; it shoots up in the course of a few years, into a noble column, several feet in diameter, and forty or fifty in height, before it becomes lost in branches. It permits no part lately gained from the I'iver to remain long un- covered ; and will afford wood to the settlers of ad- jacent prairie, which could not otherwise be settled,

JVute by Mr. Bradhurii. — On the Ohio and on the Mississippi, there are two kinds of irrapes, not found in the United States ; vitas cesth>aUs and vitis riparia; the last is a very fine grape. There are also two species on the Missouri, the one described, and a white grape sai 1 to be very fine. Tlie chang-e which all tlie American vines, undergo from culture, is truly surprising; kind and bounteous nature, seems to have furnished vines suited to eve- ry climate arid soil; so that no part of the human race should be denied tliis genial blessing.

I.

122 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

as it answers extremely well for rails and fuel. The pecanne, is found on the low grounds, where it grows to most perfection ; it is a large tree resem- bling somewhat the hickory, but has a more delicate leaf, its branches are m.ore numerous and spreading, is in every respect a more beautiful tree, and forms a principal ornament of the plantations on the lower parts of the Mississippi. There were formerly beau- tiful groves of it on the American bottom, (Illinois) but they have been nearly destroyed in order to pro- cure the nuts. The sugar tree facer saccharinusj is found in the present limits of the settlements, but not far to the west, or to the south. The cypress, magnolia, ever green oak, and a number of other trees, common in the vState of Louisiana, have been amply described by Barton and Michaud,

Amongst the wild fruits of Louisiana, the plum lias been celebrated. They are in great abundance. Amongst the species of phims in Louisiana, and par- ticularly at some distance up the Missouri, there is none more interesting than the prairie plum, fprunus chickasaj wiiich literally covers tracts of groimd, of many acres in extent, and produces fruit so abun- dantly, as to bend down to the earth with its weight. There are others which deserve to be transplanted into our gardens ; the yellow plum is delicious. Mul- berries are very abundant, both on the Mississippi, and a considerable distance up the Missouri. The woods and prairies are every where overrun with strawberry vines ; the fruit is excellent. Le Haul Missouri^ (the upper Missouri, the name given it by the French traders) surpasses the other parts of tlic territory, in the variety of wild fruits ; plums, cher- ries, currants, and a variety of berriesc .

«00K PRODUCTIONS, &c. 123

Of flowers, and herbaceous plants, peculiar to there exists a great variety ; the natural conse- quence of the difference of habit, arising from the prairies, and flint knobs, which of course give birth to distinct tribes in the vegetable kingdom ; many of of which, could not exist in the umbrageous woods of the eastern states. But want of botanical skill, and the plan assumed for these cursory views, pre- vent me from entering into detail. White clover, grows wild in many parts of the country. In Upper Missouri, the plains are filled with hysop ; near the mountains, there is a species of flax which grows very abundantly. Hunters tell of some curious plants on the Arkansas, amongst which are the com- mon sun-flower, the bean, and the simblin, which grow there in their natural state. There is no rea- son to tliink this improbable, for these plants are known to be indigenous.

MINERALS.

If we denominate parts of the United States, by their predominating characters, and qualities; this territory may be called the country of minerals.

A small quantity of gold, is said to have been found on the St. Francis, by an inhabitant of St» Genevieve ; it is probable, that some of the precious metals may be found, and it is certain that nearly all the useful ones exist in great abundance. A story is related of a wonderful metalic mass, on the Black river; this is not sufliciently attested, to me- rit mucli attention. The weight of the mass, be- ing disproportioned to its size, causes a curious de- ception to the Indians, who, in consequence, call it a manitou or spirit. A story similar to this, was told me bv an Arikara cliief, of a mass which he has

124 VIEWS OP LOUISIANA.

frequently seen in a prairie near the Black moun- tains. Another has actually been brought down Red river, by some hunters ; it is probably native iron, — It is the prevailing opinion, that there is sil- ver, and numerous stories are related respecting it, A hundred places, where there is said to be silver ore, are indicated from the information of Indians and hunters ; on the Missouri, Arkansas, and on the waters of White river. Geographers have for a long time, agreed in placing a gold mine on the Ar- kansas; and, considering the precision with which it is marked on the map, it is surprising to me that some of our enterprising Americans do not aA ail themselves of it. Many accounts have been given of silver mines on the Red river, above the Cado na- tion. Du Pratz asserts positively, that silver ore was brought from thence in his time.

When we view the space between the Rocky moun- tains, the Cordilleras, (which pervade New Mexico) and the rivers Missouri and Mississippi, a conjec- ture may be formed not altogetlicr unworthy of at- tention. Silver mines, it is well known, have been discovered north of the Cordilleras, and between them, according to the information of lieut. (now col.) Pike, they are actually wrought by the Spa- niards. From the resemblance, in the character and appearance of this country, to that which lies between the Cordillera? and the Missouri, besides, the connection of the different ridges, it seems pro- bable that the same minerals are common to both the southern and northern side of tliose mountains ; or at least disappear gradually towards the north and north east. The volcanic tract, perhaps, is the tract of precious minerals. This conjecture, how- ever, is liable to objections, and is therefore submit- ted with diffidence.

BOOK 1, PRODUCTIONS, See. 125

With more certainty I will venture to mark the situation and extent of the mineral tracts, or at least so much of them, as traverse the territory. Nearest to the Mississippi, and heginnin^i^ south on the St. Francis and White river, with its main course and diverging dependencies, perhaps two hundred miles in width, and six huntlred in length, is the tract of lead mineral ; perhaps the most extensive body of any mineral, known in the woi'ld. On all the great rivers which traverse this tract, the ore shews it- self, in their channels, in a variety of places ; as also in ravines where the soil has been carried off. TJiis is the case on the Maramek, the Gasconade, the Osage, on the Mine river of the Missouri, on the Missouri itself, on la rivere des Moines, and at length on the Mississippi, below tlie Ouisconsing. At this place it crosses the river, and is seen, though in small quantities, in places round the Michigan. There is very little doubt but that all this extent abounds in lead ore, and may afford thousands of the richest mines.

The lead mines, at present wi'ought and produc- tive, are tiiose between the St. Francis, and the Maramek: extending over a tract of about sixty miles in length, and twenty in breadth : and those at the Ouisconsing, on the Mississippi, above the prairie du Chien. I reserve the description of the lii'st for a separate chapter. The mines of the prairie du Chien, are still in the lands of the Sacs and Foxes, and wrought by themselves exclusively ; jut in a very imperfect manner. Last year (1811) they made about five hundi'cd thousand weight, I vv'hicli they disposed of to traders. By some, these nines have been considered the richest yet opened. The Indians arc badly provided with tools for miii- 1*2

126 VIEWS OF LOUISIANA.

iiig ; a common hoe is almost the only instrument which they use. They merely scratch away the soil a few feet, and the ore may he said without ex aggeration, to he prized up, in the manner of stones in a quarry. The mode of smelting is equally rude. The ore is thrown on piles of wood, and the lead is afterwards gathered up in cakes, in the sliapes and forms, assumed hy melted lead, when carelessly thrown out on a hearth. It is afterwards melted by the traders, and made into pigs by the use of moulds. West of the tract of lead mineral, is that of the sa- lines : It runs parallel with the other, but goes fur- ther south, and not so far north. The extent is not well known. This tract affords the most numerous and best salines, of any part of North America. The number, on the Arkansas, and on the Osage, is sur prisingly great. At the salines on the last river there is a greater number of the enormous bones of the mammoth, and of other animals, now extinct, than at the Big Bone Lick, or in any other part of America. =^ I have already touched upon the extra- ordinary body of salt, near the Arkansas. This ap- pears to be the principal seat of the salines. The water of the Arkansas, itself, is brackish, and per- sons ascending, are obliged to provide themselves, from such streams and springs of fresli water, as

* I am informed about two hundred miles from St. Louis. No collection has yet been made from this place. The bones are foimd in some places on the surface of the earth, and generally a few feet under gi-ound. The traditions said to prevail among-st the Indians on this subject, ai'C easily accounted for by those, who are acquainted with the custom amongst those people of invent- ing and relating amusing tales, like the Arabs. The big bones would naturally furnish a hint. I have heard several on this very subject more curious than those, which have been recited, as af- fording" evidence of Uie existence of the animal.

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