The town of America is almost entirely exempt from any of these objections;—although it has not a rocky foundation, (which may be said of most of the towns on the Ohio,) the current of the river is so gentle, that no such guard against the undermining and wasting away of the banks is required. In case of an excessive flood, or an unusual quantity of floating ice (which may possibly be apprehended in remarkably cold seasons), the mouth of Cash river, five miles below the town, is a harbour in which boats may lie in perfect security.[053]

We would not encourage the idea, that the site {37} now fixed upon as a town is exclusively the point where business[pg088] is to be done; but that the town will eventually extend along on that side of the river about four miles, to the Big Chain above described.

This beautiful river has a course of one thousand and thirty-three miles, through a country surpassed in fertility of soil by none in the United States. Except in high floods, its water is transparent, its current gentle, and nearly uniform. For more than half of its course its banks are high, and its bed gravelly. With the exception of about two miles at the rapids, at Louisville, it has sufficient depth of water, for a part of the year, to float vessels of 300 tons burthen to Cincinnati. The country which it washes may, with propriety, be considered under two divisions. The first, extending from its head at Pittsburgh to the little town of Rockport,[054] about 150 miles below the falls or rapids at Louisville, is hilly. This district forms a portion of one of the sides of that great formation of secondary rocks, which occupies the basin of the Mississippi and its tributaries. This formation, like others of the same period, is rough, with small elevations, which are most[pg089] considerable on its borders, and diminish in proportion as we approach nearer its central parts.

Compact limestone, and sandstone of several varieties, are the rocks which invariably occur along that portion of the Ohio we are now considering. Sandstone of a light gray or ashen colour, of a compact {38} texture, an argillaceous cement, and a slaty or lamellated structure, is the most abundant, and occupies the lowest points which we have hitherto been able to examine. This rock frequently contains alternating beds of coal, bituminous shale, and its accompanying minerals. The beds of compact limestone, which occur in this region, usually rest upon the sandstone just mentioned. Considered as a stratum, its distribution is the reverse of that of the sandstone. It occupies the central and least elevated portions of the formation; and on the borders where the sandstone is most abundant, the limestone is of less extent and of more uncommon occurrence. These remarks are applicable to the hilly district on the upper portion of the Ohio river. From Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, the prospect from the river is that of hills of moderate elevation, sometimes rocky and abrupt, but often sufficiently gradual in their ascent to admit of cultivation to their summits. Their character, as to extent, direction, &c. seems to be determined by the number, direction, and magnitude of the streams which traverse them. They are the remains of what was formerly a continuous and nearly horizontal stratum, with a large deposit of superincumbent soil, which the flowing of water, during the lapse of ages, has channelled and excavated to its present form. These hills diminish in altitude as you approach the falls from above; there they again rise to a height nearly equal to what they attain at the head[pg090] of the river, and from thence gradually diminish, until they disappear, a little above the confluence of the Ohio and Green[055] rivers. Here commences the low country, which extends west to the Mississippi. It is characterized by the great extent of the river alluvion, the increased width and diminished velocity of the stream. The river banks are low, but thickly wooded with sycamore, cotton-wood, river maple, the planera aquatica, cypress, &c. The river hills, which terminate the alluvial district, {39} are distant and low; and it often happens that the surface descends on both sides, from the immediate banks of the river to these hills. Hence, when the waters of the river are sufficiently swollen to flow over its banks, they inundate extensive tracts; from which they cannot return to the channel of the river, and are left stagnant during the summer months, poisoning the atmosphere with noxious exhalations. Many of these inundated tracts have a soil of uncommon fertility, which it is probable will hereafter be recovered from the dominion of the river by dikes or levees.

The beach or sloping part of the immediate bank of the Ohio, throughout its whole extent, is of rather gradual ascent, and covered with timber a considerable distance below high-water mark. The average rapidity of the current of the Ohio is about two and a half miles per hour, and the descent of its surface nine inches per mile, as estimated by Dr. Drake of Cincinnati. The annual inundations happen in the spring. The range between extreme high and low water, in the upper part of the river, is more than 60 feet; but below, where it is not confined by high banks, it is much less. [pg091]

An extensive tract of land between the Tennessee and[pg092] Mississippi rivers, included in the recent purchase from the Cherokees,[056] is rocky and broken, abounding in ores of iron and lead, and probably some other minerals. We have seen a specimen of sulphuret of antimony, in possession of an inhabitant, who being a sort of alchymist, greatly delighting in mystery, thought it imprudent to reveal the secret of its particular locality. It is to be hoped, future and more minute examinations than we had the opportunity of making, may hereafter detect valuable mineral depositions in this tract.

The confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi, is in latitude 37° 22′ 9″ north, according to the observations of Mr. Ellicott, and in longitude 88° 50′ 42″ west, from Greenwich.[057] The lands about the junction of these two great rivers are low, consisting of recent alluvion, and covered with dense forests. At the time of our journey, the spring floods having subsided in the Ohio, this quiet and gentle river {41} seemed to be at once swallowed up, and lost in the rapid and turbulent current of the Mississippi. Floods of the Mississippi, happening when the Ohio is low, occasion a reflux of the waters of the latter, perceptible at Fort Massac, more than thirty miles above. It is also asserted, that the floods in the Ohio occasion a retardation in the current of the Mississippi, as far up as the Little Chain, ten miles below Cape Girardeau.[058] The navigation of the Mississippi above the mouth of the Ohio, also that of the Ohio, is usually obstructed for a part of the winter by large masses of floating ice. The boatmen[pg093] observe that soon after the ice from the Ohio enters the Mississippi, it becomes so much heavier by arresting the sands, always mixed with the waters of that river, that it soon sinks to the bottom. After ascending the Mississippi about two miles, we came to an anchor, and went on shore on the eastern side. The forests here are deep and gloomy, swarming with innumerable mosquitoes, and the ground overgrown with enormous nettles. There is no point near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi, from which a distant prospect can be had. Standing in view of the junction of these magnificent rivers, meeting almost from opposite extremities of the continent, and each impressed with the peculiar character of the regions from which it descends, we seem to imagine ourselves capable of comprehending at one view all that vast region between the summits of the Alleghanies and of the Rocky Mountains, and feel a degree of impatience at finding all our prospects limited by an inconsiderable extent of low muddy bottom lands, and the unrelieved, unvaried, gloom of the forest.

We were gratified to observe many interesting plants, and among them several of the beautiful family of the[pg094] orchidæ,[059] particularly the orchis spectabile, so common in the mountainous parts of New England.

The progress of our boat against the heavy current of the Mississippi, was of necessity somewhat slow. Steam-boats in ascending are kept as near the shore as the depth of water will admit; and ours often approached so closely as to give such of the party as wished, an opportunity to jump on shore. On the first of June, several gentlemen of the party went on shore, six miles below the settlement of Tyawapatia bottom, and walked up to that place through the woods. They passed several Indian encampments, which appeared to have been recently tenanted. Under one of the wigwams they saw pieces of honey-comb, and several sharpened sticks, that had been used to roast meat upon: on a small tree near by was suspended the lower jaw-bone of a bear. Soon after leaving these they came to another similar camp, where they found a Shawanee Indian and his squaw, with four children, the youngest lashed to a piece of board, and leaned against a tree.

The Indian had recently killed a deer, which they purchased of him for one dollar and fifty cents—one-third more than is usually paid to white hunters. They afterwards met with another encampment, where were several families. These Indians have very little acquaintance with the English language, and appeared reluctant to use the few words they {43} knew. The squaws wore great numbers[pg095] of trinkets, such as silver arm-bands and large earrings. Some of the boys had pieces of lead tied in various parts of the hair. They were encamped near the Mississippi, for the purpose of hunting on the islands. Their village is on Apple Creek, ten miles from Cape Girardeau.

Above the settlement of Tyawapatia, and near Cape à la Bruche,[060] is a ledge of rocks, stretching across the Mississippi, in a direct line, and in low water forming a serious obstacle to the navigation. These rocks are of limestone, and mark the commencement of the hilly country on the Mississippi. Here the landscape begins to have something of the charm of distant perspective. We seem released from the imprisonment of the deep monotonous forest, and can occasionally overlook the broad hills of Apple Creek, and the Au Vaise,[061] or Muddy river of Illinois, diversified with a few scattered plantations, and some small natural meadows. [pg096]

About five miles above Cape Girardeau we found the steam-boat Jefferson, destined for the Missouri. She had been detained some time waiting for castings which were on board the Western Engineer. Several other steam-boats, with stores for the troops about to ascend the Missouri, had entered that river, and were waiting to be overtaken by the Jefferson and the Calhoun, which last we had left at the rapids of the Ohio. On the 3d of June we passed that insular rock in the middle of the Mississippi, called the Grand Tower.[062] It is about one hundred and fifty feet high, and two hundred and fifty in diameter. Between it and the right shore is a {44} channel of about one hundred and fifty yards in width, with a deep and rapid current.

In the summer of 1673, Father Marquette and M. Joliet descended the Mississippi, probably as far as the mouth of the Arkansa. Their narrative contains sufficient evidence that they passed the mouth of the Missouri, the Grand Tower, the mouth of the Ohio, &c. As their work may not be easily accessible to many of our readers, we subjoin, in a note, an interesting passage, in which these objects are mentioned. [063]

[pg097]

The strata of sandstone containing the extensive beds of coal which have been explored, about the Muddy river of Illinois, are here divided transversely by the bed of the Mississippi. The Grand Tower, the precipice opposite the mouth of the Obrazo,[064] containing the singular cavity called the Devil's Oven, the Cornice Rock, and other remarkable cliffs, are monuments indicating the great extent to which the Mississippi has channelled its bed in these strata of horizontal sandstone.

The Grand Tower, from its form and situation, strongly suggests the idea of a work of art. It is not impossible[pg098] that a bridge may be constructed here, for which this rock shall serve as a pier. The shores, on both sides, are of substantial and permanent rocks, which undoubtedly extend across, forming the bed of the river. It is probable, however, that the ledge of rocks called the Two Chains, extending down to Cape à la Bruche, presents greater facilities for the construction of a bridge than this point, as the high lands there approach nearer the river, and are less broken than in the neighbourhood of the Grand Tower. The Ohio would also admit of a bridge at the chains, which appear to be a continuation of the range of rocks here mentioned, crossing that river fifteen miles above its confluence with the Mississippi. We look forward to the time when these great works will be completed.

{45} Compact and sparry limestones are frequent in this region; but all the rocks seem to be acted upon with great rapidity by currents of water. The country on the east side of the Mississippi, back of Fort Chartres, and about the river St. Mary, is much broken by sink holes, having the form of a funnel, and occasioned, probably, by the action of subterraneous streams of water finding their way through the friable sandstones, which underlay the deep and fertile soils in those places. We passed in succession the mouths of the river St. Mary, opposite to which is the fine settlement of the Bois Broule bottoms; the Ocoa, or Kaskaskia river; the St. Lora, a handsome stream, from the west; and the Gabaree Creek, on which stands the old French town of St. Genevieve.[065] The navigation of the[pg099] Mississippi, above the mouth of the Ohio, is at all times difficult. The current is considerably accelerated by the descent of the river over the rocky traverses which cross its bed. At times of low water, innumerable sand-bars occur in various parts of the channel, rendering the navigation extremely precarious.

A little below the mouth of the Kaskaskia, is a creek called the Saline, entering on the west side. A grant of a tract of land, one league square, was here made by the Spanish government, in favour of a Frenchman named Pegreau, the founder of the deserted town called New Bourbon.[066] The tract included a valuable brine spring, near the mouth of the creek. The proprietor built a house near the bank of the Mississippi, where he resided for some time, and carried on a manufacture of salt; but having occasion to go to France, he rented his works to a man, who for want of funds, or for some other reason, failed to keep them in operation. After the transfer of Louisiana to the United States' Government, this grant, among others, became an object of speculation; and advantage being taken of Pegreau's absence, the worthless tenant was instigated {46} to prosecute his landlord for breach of contract, and by a legal process recovered damages to the amount of nine thousand dollars, for the disbursement of which the property was sold, and fell into the hands of the present proprietors.

At the mouth of the Kaskaskia river, on the east bank[pg100] of the Mississippi, a town has been recently commenced, called Portland. The high lands approach here to the brink of the river, affording an elevated and advantageous site. The landing is said to be good; and there is reason to expect that Portland will soon rival the old town of Kaskaskia, the present seat of a great portion of the mercantile business in this part of Illinois.[067]

On the 5th the wind blew from the south-east, and with the aid of sails, we were enabled to ascend the river with considerable rapidity. As we were proceeding briskly forward, our boat struck upon one of those concealed trunks of trees so frequent in the Mississippi, and soon afterwards we discovered that a leak had occurred, which made it necessary for us to lie by. By the constant use of the pumps during the remainder of the day, and the following night, we were able to prevent the water from gaining further upon us; and the next day, having discovered the leak, we raised the stern of the boat, by means of a pair of shears, and succeeded in repairing the injury.

On the beach, opposite the place where we lay by for these repairs, was a large flock of pelicans, which remained in sight for several hours. We had met with some wild geese; and a swan, which we saw was unable to fly, having at that time cast its feathers. The yellow-breasted chat, chuck-wills-widow, the falco haliatus, the kingfisher,[pg101] bank swallow, and numerous other birds, occurred.

The town of Kaskaskia, the villages of Prairie de Roches, Kahokia, Prairie du Pont, Harrisonville, and Fort Chartres, are situate in this tract. Some of them are in a flourishing condition. Fort Chartres, which was built by the French government, at the expense of one million and a half of dollars, stood near the bank of the river, about twenty miles from Kaskaskia. Not long after they were erected, a part of the works were undermined by the washing of the river; since which time the whole has[pg102] been suffered to remain in ruins, which are now one-fourth of a mile distant from the river.[068]

The country west of the Mississippi, opposite the American Bottom, is of a very different character. The high lands approach the river, presenting abrupt declivities, prominent points, and in many places perpendicular precipices from one to two hundred {48} feet high, frowning over the brink of the river. One of the most remarkable of these is known by the name of the Cornice Rock. It bounds a narrow arm of the river, which has generally sufficient water to admit the passage of boats. The rock extends nearly in a straight line, having a front of about four hundred yards, the brow of the precipice at some points impending over the channel through which boats pass. The rock rises above, to the height of fifty or sixty feet, smoothly rounded by the attrition of the water, which never rising to the upper part of the precipice, leaves that to project in the form of a cornice. Though the lands on the west side of the Mississippi are less fertile than those of the American Bottom, they are of great value, and have long been objects of scandalous speculation.

Among a variety of stratagems, practised in this part of the country to obtain titles to lands, was one which will be[pg103] best explained by the following anecdote, related to us by a respectable citizen of St. Genevieve. Preparatory to taking possession of Louisiana in 1805, the legislature passed a law, authorising a claim to one section of land, in favour of any person who should have actually made improvements, in any part of the same, previous to the year 1804. Commissioners were appointed to settle all claims of this description; more commonly known by the name of improvement rights. A person, somewhere in the county of Cape Girardeau, being desirous of establishing a claim of this kind to a tract of land, adopted the following method:—The time having expired for the establishment of a right, agreeably to the spirit of the law, he took with him two witnesses to the favourite spot, on which he wished to establish his claim, and in their presence marked two trees, standing on opposite sides of a spring; one with the figures 1803, the other 1804, and placed a stalk of growing corn in the spring. He then brought the witnesses before the commissioners, who upon their {49} declaration, that they had seen corn growing at the place specified, in the spring between 1803 and 1804, admitted the claim of the applicant, and gave him a title to the land. In the old district of Cape Girardeau, as in other parts of Louisiana, the difficulty of establishing indisputable titles to the lands, arising out of the great number of Spanish grants, pre-emption, and improvement claims, has greatly retarded the settlement of the country.[069] Establishments were made here more than one hundred and fifty years since; yet the features of the country are little changed, retaining[pg104] the rudeness and gloominess of the original forest.[070]

At five o'clock, on the afternoon of the sixth, we passed the Platteen rock, a perpendicular precipice, not unlike the Cornice rock, near the mouth of a creek of the same name. Along the base of this cliff, we found the water three and sometimes four fathoms deep. In the evening we arrived at Herculaneum, a small village on the west side of the Mississippi, depending principally upon the lead mines for its business.[071]

Here are three shot manufactories, all of them built at the summits of perpendicular precipices; by which means, the expense of erecting high towers has been avoided. Thirty or forty miles to the south-west of Herculaneum, commences the region of the lead mines, which, though not yet satisfactorily explored, is known to extend for many miles through the hilly country, at the sources of the Merameg, the St. Francis, and the other small rivers, rising in the angle between the Mississippi and Missouri, below the mouth of the latter river.

Soon after the cession of Louisiana to the United States, particular care was taken to have all claims to land investigated and registered. Some few {50} may have been omitted, which may be hereafter revived, but these cannot be numerous. In all the recent sales of public lands in the[pg105] western states and territories, liberal reservations have been made for the encouragement of learning. We subjoin some particulars, extracted from a communication of the commissioner of public lands. From this statement, it will be easy to form an idea of the liberal provision made by government, for the future support of schools and colleges. It is probable, similar grants will be made to the Eastern States. [072]

[pg106]

On the 7th, after taking in wood at Herculaneum, we moved up the river; but had scarcely passed the mouth of the Merameg,[073] when we found ourselves unable to stem the heavy current of the Mississippi, on account of the great quantities of mud that had accumulated in the boilers, and prevented our raising the requisite pressure of steam. While we were lying at anchor, to afford the steam engineer an opportunity to clean the boilers, some gentlemen of the party returned along shore to the Merameg, a beautiful river, whose limpid and transparent waters present a striking contrast to the yellow and turbid Mississippi. They were fortunate in meeting with many interesting objects, and, among others, an undescribed mus, which has received, from Mr. Ord, the name of floridanus.[074] [pg107]Upon the specimen, which was a male, was a dilated, glabrous, ventral line, 2¼ inches long. This species is well known in some districts, under the name of large hairy-tailed rat, and is by no means rare in Florida. It is as large as the ordinary stature of the Norway rat, and is equally troublesome. The contents of its stomach were entirely vegetable, consisting of the green bark of trees, and the young shoots of plants. Their nests are large, and are composed of a great quantity of brush. Dr. Baldwin had rarely been able to join in the excursions on shore. Plants were, however, collected and brought to him on board the boat, {51} where he spent much of his time in the examination of such as were interesting or new.[075]

A few rods above our anchoring ground, were two graves, supposed to be those of Indians. One of them was quite recent, and both were covered with heaps of loose stones, probably designed as monuments, and to protect the graves from the ravages of wolves or other animals. The eighth of June brought us to the small village[pg108] of Vide Poche,[076] and the following day to St. Louis, where our arrival was noticed by a salute from a six-pounder on the bank of the river, and the discharge of ordnance on board several of the steam-boats lying in front of the town.

{52} CHAPTER III

toc

Saint Louis, formerly called Pain Court,[077] was founded by Pierre La Clade [Laclède] and his associates in 1764, eighty-four years after the establishment of Fort Creve-cœur, on the Illinois river. Until a recent period, it was occupied almost exclusively by people of French extraction, who maintained a lucrative traffic with the Indians. The history, and present condition of this important town, are too well known to be dwelt upon in this place. Its population has been rapidly augmented within a few years, by the immigration of numerous families, and its wealth and business extended by the accession of enterprising merchants and mechanics from the Eastern States. As the town advances in importance and magnitude, the manners[pg109] and customs of the people of the United States, are taking the place of those of the French and Spaniards, whose numbers are proportionably diminishing. As this place seems destined to be the depôt for such articles of merchandize, as are to be sent from New Orleans to the upper rivers, it is unfortunate, that no good harbour offers for the protection of boats against the impetuosity of the current, and from the danger occasioned by floating ice. In this respect, the site of a projected town, a few miles below, has a decided advantage over Saint Louis, as it possesses a good harbour. It was selected many years since, by some Canadian Frenchmen, who formed a settlement there.[078]

The horizontal strata of limestone which underlay the town of Saint Louis and the surrounding country, {53} have strongly attracted the attention of the curious, on account of having been found, in one or two instances, to contain distinct impressions of the human foot. There is now in the possession of Mr. Rapp,[079] of the Society of the Harmonites, a stone, which has upon its surface marks that appear to have been formed by the naked feet of some human being, who was standing upon it while in a plastic state; also an irregular line, apparently traced by a stick or[pg110] wand, held in the hand of the same person. This stone was taken from the slope of the immediate bank of the Mississippi below the range of the periodical floods. To us there seems nothing inexplicable or difficult to understand in its appearance.

The country about St. Louis, like that in the rear {54} of Fort Chartres, and indeed like the horizontal limestone country generally, abounds in sink holes sometimes of great depth. These are very numerous, from five to seven[pg111] miles back of the town. They are in the form of vast funnels, having at the surface a diameter of from twenty to fifty yards. Mr. Say descended into one of these, for the purpose of ascertaining the medium temperature below the surface of the earth. This sink opens at the bottom of a deep ravine. It has two apertures near each other, through which water is admitted, and each large enough to afford passage to the body of a man. Within are two chambers from six to twelve feet in breadth, and thirty-five feet long. At the bottom of the second chamber is a pool of water rather difficult of access. In this apartment the mercury stood at 60° fah.: in a shady part of the ravine about twenty-five feet below the general surface at 75°. The grassy plains to the west of St. Louis are ornamented with many beautifully flowering herbaceous plants. Among those collected there, Dr. Baldwin observed the aristolochia Sipho, cypripedium spectabile,[080] lilium catesbeiana, bartsia coccinea, triosteum perfoliatum, cistus canadensis, clematis viorna, and the tradescantia virginica. The borders of this plain begin to be overrun with a humble growth of black jack and the witch hazel,[081] it abounds in rivulets, and some excellent springs of water, near one of which was found a new and beautiful species of viburnum. On the western borders of this prairie are some fine farms. It is here that Mr. John Bradbury,[082] so long and so advantageously known as a botanist, and by his travels into the interior of America, is preparing to erect his habitation.[pg112] This amiable gentleman lost no opportunity during our stay at St. Louis to make our residence there agreeable to us. Near the site selected for his house is a mineral spring, whose {55} waters are strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen gas. Cattle and horses, which range here throughout the season, prefer the waters of this spring to those of the creek in whose bed it rises, and may be seen daily coming in great numbers, from distant parts of the prairie, to drink of it.

It seems probable these piles of earth were raised as cemeteries, or they may have supported altars for religious ceremonies. We cannot conceive any useful purpose to which they can have been applicable in war, unless as elevated stations from which to observe the motions of an approaching enemy; but for this purpose a single mound would have been sufficient, and the place chosen would probably have been different. [pg113]

Nothing like a ditch, or an embankment, is to be seen about any part of these works.[083]

Indian graves are extremely numerous about St. Louis, though none are found in the immediate vicinity of the town: they are most frequent on the hills about the Merameg and on the north side of the Missouri. On the 12th June, Mr. Say and Mr. Peale, accompanied by one man, descended the Mississippi,{56} in a small boat to the mouth of the Merameg, and ascended the latter river about fifteen miles, to a place where great numbers of graves have been explored, and have been represented to contain the bones of a diminutive race of men. Most of these graves are found near the bank of the Merameg. They do not rise above the general surface, but their presence is ascertained by the vertical stones which enclose them, and project a little at either end of the grave. When the included earth, and the numerous horizontal flat stones are removed, we find the sides neatly constructed of long flat stones, vertically implanted and adapted to each other, edge to edge, so as to form a continuous wall. The graves are usually three or four feet, though sometimes six feet in length. The bones they contained appeared to have been deposited after having been separated from the flesh, and from each other, according to the custom of some tribes of Indians at the present day.

In the first grave opened by Mr. Say were found the fragments of an earthen pot, and the bones of an infantine skull; the second contained what appeared to be the remains of a middle aged man, of the ordinary stature, laid[pg117] at full length; the bones much confused and broken. An inhabitant residing here informed them, that many similar graves had been found along the summits of most of the neighbouring hills. In one of these he had found two pieces of earthenware, one having nearly the form of a porter-bottle; the other with a wide mouth; but this grave contained no bones. After spending a night at this place, they crossed the river to the town of Lilliput, (one of the projected towns here has received this name,) the place so often mentioned as the locality of the graves of a pigmy race. Appearances here are in general similar to those already described. One head that had been dug up was that of an old person, in whom the teeth had been lost, and the alveolæ {57} obliterated, leaving the sharp edge of the jaw-bone. From this the neighbouring settlers had inferred the existence of a race of men without teeth, having their jaws like those of the turtle. Having satisfied themselves that all the bones found here were those of men of the common size, Mr. Say and Mr. Peale "sold their skiff, shouldered their guns, bones, spade, &c. and bent their weary steps towards St. Louis, (distant sixteen miles,) where they arrived at eleven o'clock P. M., having had ample time, by the way, to indulge sundry reflections on that quality of the mind, either imbibed in the nursery or generated by evil communications, which incites to the love of the marvellous, and, by hyperbole, casts the veil of falsehood over the charming features of simple nature."

On the summit of one of the large hillocks, near St. Louis, (No. 27. described in note 83) are several of these graves: we opened five of them, but in one only were we[pg118] fortunate in finding any thing interesting, and all that this contained was a solitary tooth of a species of rat, together with the vertebræ and ribs of a serpent of moderate size, and in good preservation; but whether the animal had been buried by the natives, or had perished there, after having found admittance through some hole, we could not determine. If they were buried by the Indians, they are probably the bones of a species of crotalus, as it is known that many Indians of the present day have a sort of veneration for animals of that genus. The circumstance of the discovery of these bones renders it somewhat probable, that rattlesnakes were formerly worshipped by the natives of America, and their remains, like those of the Ibis of Egypt, religiously entombed after death.

One of these specimens seems to be a Cassis cornutus, of authors, or great conch shell, though it is proper to observe, that of the three revolving bands of tubercles, characteristic of that species, the inferior one in this specimen is double. In length it is about nine inches and a quarter, and in breadth seven inches. [pg119]

The circumstance then of this shell being discovered in one of the ancient Indian tumuli, affords, at least, an evidence that an intercourse formerly existed between the Indians of North America and those of Asia; and leads us to believe that even a limited commerce was carried on[pg120] between them, as it undoubtedly was with the Atlantic coast, from which the Fulgur was obtained.

But although this isolated fact does not yield a positive proof of the long asserted migration of the ancestors of the present race of American Indians from Asia to this country, yet, when taken in combination with other evidence, which has been collected by various authors, with so much industry, it will be regarded as highly corroborative of that popular belief.[084]

In the prairies of Illinois, opposite St. Louis, are numbers of large mounds. We counted seventy-five in the course of a walk of about five miles, which brought us to the hill a few years since occupied by the monks of La Trappe.[085] This enormous mound lies nearly from north to south, but it is so overgrown with bushes and weeds, interlaced with briers and vines, that we were unable to obtain an accurate account of its dimensions.

The survey of these productions of human industry, these monuments without inscription, commemorating the existence of a people once numerous and powerful, but no longer known or remembered, never fails, though often repeated, to produce an impression of sadness. As we stand upon these {60} mouldering piles, many of them now nearly obliterated, we cannot but compare their aspect of decay with the freshness of the wide field of nature, which[pg121] we see reviving around us; their insignificance, with the majestic and imperishable features of the landscape. We feel the insignificance and the want of permanence in every thing human; we are reminded of what has been so often said of the pyramids of Egypt, and may with equal propriety be applied to all the works of men, "these monuments must perish, but the grass that grows between their disjointed fragments shall be renewed from year to year."[086]

June 21st. After completing our arrangements at St. Louis, we left that place at noon, and at 10 o'clock on the following day, entered the mouth of the Missouri. From St. Louis upward to the Missouri, the water of the Mississippi, for a part of the year, is observed to be clear and of a greenish colour on the Illinois side, while it is turbid and yellow along the western bank. But at the time of our ascent every part of the Mississippi appeared equally turbid, its waters soon becoming blended with the heavy flood of the Missouri.

The Missouri being now swollen by the spring floods, which had subsided in the Mississippi, entered that river with such impetuosity, as apparently to displace almost the whole body of the waters in its channel. We had occasion to observe that the water of the Missouri passes under that of the Mississippi, rising and becoming mingled with it on the opposite shore, so that a portion of the clear, green waters of the latter river run for some distance in the[pg122] middle of the channel, and along the surface of the Missouri waters, rendered perhaps specifically heavier by the great quantities of earthy matter mingled with them. The waters of the Missouri are so charged with mud and sand as to be absolutely opake, and of a clay {61} colour; while those of the Mississippi being comparatively clear, and having a somewhat olivaceous tint, afford an opportunity of tracing their respective courses, after their junction in the same channel. At some stages of water they run side by side, and in a great measure unmingled as far as Herculaneum, forty-eight miles below their confluence.

We had the pleasure to find, notwithstanding the furnace was supplied with wood of an indifferent quality, that the force of our steam-engine was sufficient to propel the boat against the current of the Missouri, without recourse to the aid of the cordelle,[087] which we had expected to find necessary.

We were somewhat surprised to see here a flock of black-headed terns. It is remarkable that these birds, whose ordinary range is in the immediate vicinity of the sea-coast, should ascend this river to so great a distance. They are not seen on the Delaware as high as Philadelphia, unless driven up by storms.

In ascending from the mouth of the Missouri to Bellefontain, a distance of four miles, our boat grounded twice on the point of the same sand-bar, and considerable time was consumed in efforts to get her afloat. A military post was established at Bellefontain, under the direction of the government of the United States, by General Wilkinson, in 1803; but the soil on which his works were erected has[pg123] disappeared, the place being now occupied by the bed of the river. A few fruit trees only, which stood in the end of his garden, are yet standing, but are now on the brink of the river. The first bank is here ten or twelve feet high, rising perpendicularly from the water. Near its base are the trunks of several trees with one end imbedded, and the other projecting horizontally over the surface of the water, affording an evidence of the recent deposition of the soil of the low plains, and an admonition of the uncertainty of tenure, on the first bank of the river. One of these projecting trunks is still in good preservation. It is {62} about three feet in diameter, and from its direction, must pass immediately under the roots of two large trees, now occupying the surface of the soil.[088] Similar appearances are frequent along the Mississippi and Missouri, and furnish abundant evidence that these rivers are constantly changing their bed, and, from the great rapidity of the stream, as well as from the appearances presented, we must suppose these changes are not very slowly produced; but their range is confined to the valley within the second banks, which are here raised about seventy feet. On this second bank, in the rear of the site of the former works, the buildings belonging to the present military establishment have been erected. They were commenced in 1810. The houses are of one story, constructed of logs, based upon masonry, and united in the form of a hollow square. At[pg124] the foot of the second bank rises a fine spring of water, which has given name to the place. Cold Water creek, a very small stream not navigable, discharges itself a few hundred yards above; in times of high water its mouth might afford harbour to small boats. Before the recent change in the bed of the Missouri, this creek entered higher up than at present, and then afforded a good harbour for boats of all sizes. The sixth regiment were encamped here at the time of our arrival, waiting for the contractor's steam-boats, three of which we had passed at the mouth of the river.[089]

Here we found it necessary to adjust a tube to the boilers of our steam-engine, in order to form a passage, through which the mud might be blown out: the method heretofore adopted, of taking off one end for the purpose of admitting a man to clean them, proving too tedious when it was found necessary to repeat the operation daily. The expedient of the tube succeeded to our entire satisfaction.

Dr. Baldwin found here a plant, which he considered as forming a new genus, approaching astragalus; {63} also the new species of rose, pointed out by Mr. Bradbury, and by him called Rosa mutabilis. This last is a very beautiful species, rising sometimes to the height of eight or ten feet. The linden tree[090] attains great magnitude in the low[pg125] grounds of the Missouri; its flowers were now fully expanded.

{64} Charboniere[091] is on the right bank of the Missouri.[pg126] This name was given it by the boatmen and the earliest settlers, on account of several narrow beds of coal, which appear a few feet from the water's edge, at the base of a high cliff of soft sandstone. The smell of sulphur is very perceptible along the bank of the river, occasioned doubtless by the decomposition of pyrites, in the exposed parts of the coal beds. Some small masses of sulphate of lime also occur, and have probably derived their origin from the same source.

At St. Charles we were joined by Maj. O'Fallon, agent for Indian affairs in Missouri, and his interpreter, Mr. John Dougherty, who had travelled by land from St. Louis.[092] When Lewis and Clark ascended the Missouri, the town of St. Charles was said to contain one hundred houses, the inhabitants deriving their support principally from the Indian trade. This source having in a great measure failed, on account of the disappearance of the aborigines, before the rapid advances of the white population, the town remained in a somewhat declining condition for several years; but as the surrounding country was soon occupied by an agricultural population, a more permanent though less lucrative exchange is taking the place of the Indian trade. Accordingly within two or three years, many substantial brick buildings had been added, and several were now in progress: we could enumerate, however,[pg127] only about one hundred houses. There are two brick kilns, a tanyard, and several stores.[093]

A mile or two below St. Charles, are many trunks of trees projecting from the bank, like those mentioned at Bellefontain. In the face of the banks are usually great numbers of the holes made by the bank-swallow for its nest, and the birds themselves are frequently seen.

At St. Charles, arrangements were made for the purpose of transporting baggage for such of the gentlemen {65} of the party as should choose to ascend the Missouri by land, that they might have the better opportunities for investigating the natural history of the country. Messrs. Say, Jessup, Peale, and Seymour, having provided themselves with a horse and pack-saddle, on which they fastened their blankets, a tent, and some provisions, accompanied by one man, left St. Charles at 7 o'clock on the morning of the 26th, intending to keep nearly an equal pace with the steam-boat, in order to rejoin it as occasion might require. Dr. Baldwin, still confined by debility and lameness, was compelled to forego the pleasure of accompanying them.

The Western Engineer proceeded on her voyage, soon after the departure of Mr. Say and his detachment. Having grounded several times in the course of the day, and contending all the way against a heavy current, she proceeded but a few miles. We passed some rocky cliffs; but in general the immediate banks of the river presented the same appearance as below, consisting of a recent alluvium. After we had anchored at evening, Dr. Baldwin[pg128] was able to walk a short distance on shore, but returned much fatigued by his exertions.[094]

On the morning of the 27th, after having taken in a small supply of indifferent fuel, we crossed over to the right-hand side of the river, and took on board one of the party, who had left the boat at an early hour, to visit a friend residing a short distance from the river. At evening we came to anchor half a mile below Point Labidee,[095] a high bluff, where observations for latitude were taken. Here we were detained a day making some necessary repairs.

A fine field of wheat, which appeared to be ripe, extended down to the brink of the river opposite the spot where we lay. This belonged to the plantation of a farmer, recently from Virginia. From him we obtained a plentiful supply of milk, and some bacon hams. A portion of the bank had lately fallen into {66} the river, and with it a part of the wheat field, and the dwelling house and other buildings seemed destined soon to follow.

The shore here was lined with the common elder, (sambucus canadensis) in full bloom, and the cleared fields[pg129] were yellow with the flowers of the common mullein. This plant, supposed to have been originally introduced from Europe, follows closely the footsteps of the whites. The liatris pycnostachia, here called "pine of the prairies," which was now in full bloom, has a roundish tuberous root, of a warm somewhat balsamic taste, and is used by the Indians and others for the cure of gonnorrhœa.

The Indian interpreter, Mr. Dougherty, also showed us some branches of a shrub, which he said was much used among the natives in the cure of lues venerea. They make a decoction of the root, which they continue to drink for some time. It is called "blue wood" by the French, and is the symphoria racemosa of Pursh, common to the maritime states, the banks of the St. Lawrence, and the Missouri. It is here rather taller, and the branches less flexuous than in the eastern states.[096]

Without meeting any remarkable occurrences, we moved on from day to day, encountering numerous obstacles in the navigation of the river, and being occasionally delayed by the failure of some part of the steam-engine, till on the 2d of July, we arrived at Loutre Island, where we found Mr. Say and his companions.

After leaving the steam-boat at St. Charles, on the 25th of June, this party had travelled over a somewhat hilly country, covered with open oak woods for about ten miles, to a small creek, called the Darden,[097] entering the Mississippi a few miles above the Illinois. This stream they crossed three miles from the Missouri, having in their[pg130] walk suffered greatly {67} from thirst. At evening they tied their pack-horse to a bush; and as they returned, after being absent a few minutes for water, the animal took fright, and breaking loose, disencumbered himself of his pack, and set off on a gallop to return to St. Charles; and it was not without great exertion that he was overtaken and brought back. They then pitched their tent, and were so fortunate as to find a house at the distance of half a mile. This belonged to a family from Carolina, and exhibited great appearance of neatness and comfort, but the owner was found particularly deficient in hospitality. He refused to sell or to give any refreshments for the use of the party, and even granted them some water with apparent reluctance, marching haughtily about his piazza, while some person was annoying his family by playing wretchedly on a flute. Mr. Say and the gentlemen of his party had on the fatigue dress of common soldiers, to which they probably owed the coldness of their reception. We are, however, glad to be able, from much experience, to say that there are few houses in the lately settled parts of the United States, where common soldiers would have met such a reception as was accorded by this Mr. N. to the gentlemen of the party. Want of hospitality is rarely the fault of the inhabitants of the remote settlements. Being refused refreshments, they returned to their camp, and with the addition of a hawk which they had killed, made a supper from the contents of their pack.

On the 27th they crossed the Perogue,[098] about nineteen miles from St. Charles; and after a fatiguing march of[pg131] several miles, were entertained at the house of a very worthy man, who supplied them with whatever his place afforded. From too long fasting, and from the effect of exposure and fatigue, Mr. Say and others became somewhat unwell; and on their account, the party remained at the house of their friendly host till evening, when they walked four {68} miles to a place called Fort Kennedy. They purchased a ham, and a loaf of corn bread of Mr. Kennedy, paying ten cents per pound for the ham, and twenty-five cents for all the bread, milk, and corn, consumed during their stay.[099]

The next morning, having travelled about seven miles, they halted for breakfast; and having fettered their horse, dismissed him to feed; but when sought for the purpose of continuing their journey, he could not be found. Two travellers at length arrived, and informed them that the horse had been seen at about six miles' distance, on the way towards St. Charles: a horse was therefore hired, and a person returned in pursuit; but he was not to be found, having proceeded on his journey previously to the arrival of the messenger.

The prairie flies (a species of tabanus,) are exceedingly troublesome to horses and cattle, insomuch that people who cross these grassy plains usually travel very early in the morning, and again at evening, resting greater part of the day; some, indeed, journey only by night. If they travel at all in the day, they have the precaution to defend the horse, by a covering thrown loosely over him. The tabani appear about the 10th of June, and are seen in[pg132] immense numbers, until about the 10th of August, when they disappear. Near the farm houses we observed, that cattle, when attacked by them, ran violently among the bushes, to rid themselves of their persecutors.—Mosquitoes were not numerous.

As they were fearful of being unable to overtake the steam-boat on the Missouri, if they made a longer delay to prosecute the search for their horse, it was determined to abandon him altogether, rather than return to St. Charles, whither he had doubtless gone; accordingly, on the 29th of June, they made a division of their baggage, and each one shouldering his respective portion, proceeded towards the margin of Loutre Prairie. When they arrived here, they determined {69} to take the most direct route towards the Missouri, as it seemed folly for them to attempt, in the drought and heat, which then prevailed, to cross the extensive plains of Loutre and the Grand Prairie with their heavy burthens. They therefore followed a path leading nearly south, along a naked ridge; where they travelled twelve miles, without finding water, and arrived at Loutre Island in the evening. They were all the day tormented with excessive thirst; and being unaccustomed to travelling on foot, they were much fatigued, and several became lame. The soil of the extensive prairies which they passed was not very good; but mixed at the surface with so much vegetable matter, accumulated by the successive growth and decomposition of the yearly products, as to give it the aspect of fertility.[100]

On the south side of Loutre Prairie a well has been sunk[pg133] sixty-five feet, without obtaining water; on the north water is readily found, by digging to a moderate depth. Loutre Prairie is twenty-three, and Grand Prairie is twenty-five miles in length: on the borders of each are some scattering settlements.

It was within a few miles of this place, that a company of mounted rangers, commanded by Captain Calloway, were attacked by the Indians. The assault commenced as the rangers were entering a narrow defile, near the confluence of the Prairie Forks of Loutre Creek. Several men were killed at the first fire, and Captain Calloway received in his body a ball that had passed through his watch. So furious was the onset, that there was no time for reloading their pieces after they had discharged them. {70} Captain Calloway threw his gun into the creek, that it might not add to the booty of the Indians; and though mortally wounded, drew his knife, and killed two of the assailants; but seeing no prospect of success he ordered a retreat, hoping thereby to save the lives of some of his men. He was the last to leave the ground; when springing into the creek he received a shot in his head, and expired immediately. [101]

[pg134]

Loutre Island is something more than nine miles long, and about one mile wide, and is the residence of several families. Between it and the main land is an isthmus, which is left naked at times of low water. Loutre Creek enters at the lower end of the island. It is not navigable. Mr. Talbot, formerly from Kentucky, has been resident here for nine years. His farm is in a high state of cultivation, and furnishes abundant supplies of poultry, eggs, potatoes, and the numerous products of the kitchen garden, of which he sent a handsome present on board our boat. He informed us that peach-trees succeed well in the most fertile parts of the island.[102]

The first dwellings constructed by the white settlers are nearly similar in every part of the United States. Superior wealth and industry are indicated by the number and magnitude of corn-cribs, smoke-houses, and similar appurtenances; but on the Missouri, we rarely meet with any thing occupying the place of the barn in the northern states. The dwellings of people who have emigrated from Virginia, or any of the more southern states, have usually the form of double cabins, or two distinct houses, each containing a single room, and connected to each other by a roof; the intermediate space, which is often equal in area to one of the cabins, being left open at the sides, and having the naked earth for a floor, affords a cool and airy retreat, where the family will usually be found in the heat of the day. The roof is composed of from three to five[pg135] logs, laid longitudinally, {71} and extending from end to end of the building; on these are laid the shingles, four or five feet in length; over these are three or four heavy logs, called weight poles, secured at their ends by withes, and by their weight supplying the place of nails.

A large species of lampyris is common on the lower part of the Missouri. It is readily distinguished from the smaller species, the common fire-fly, by its mode of coruscating. It emits from three to seven or eight flashes, in rapid succession, then ceases; but shortly after renews its brilliancy. This species appears early in May. We saw many of them in returning by night from the Merameg to St. Louis; but before our arrival at Loutre Island they had disappeared, and were succeeded by great numbers of the[pg136] lampyris pyralis, whose coruscations are inferior in quantity of light, and appear singly.