On the Geography y Natural History^ ^c. 43 



VII. Observations relative to the Geography, Natural 

 History, ^c, of the Country along the Red- River, i7i 

 Louisiana. In a letter to the Editor, Jrom Mr, 

 Peter Custis, of Accotnac- County y in Virginia. 



Dear Sir, 



THE boats not being in readiness on our arrival 

 at Natchez, we had to proceed to New-Orleans, for the 

 purpose of fitting them out, and from thence to return 

 to Natchez, for the final equipment of all ivhich, much 

 time was necessarily required. 



On the 1st of May, we entered the mouth of the Red- 

 River, which is sixty miles below Natchez, and arrived 

 here on the 19th. This river, at its mouth, is about 

 half a mile wide, and preserves that width for oi^ly one 

 mile, after which it is contracted to about the fourth d 

 a mile, and continues of that breadth to near the mouth 

 of Black- River, a distance of thirty miles from the Mis- 

 sisippi. At the mouth of Black-River, it is 350 yards 

 wide, and contracts, almost suddenly, to 250 yards, 

 and then continues gradually to become narrower as we 

 approach the Avoyelles- Settlement, 35 miles higher, 

 where it is only 115 yards. 



The whole country to this place, is annually inun- 

 dated, and after passing Black-River is covered with a 

 reddish- brown argillaceous marl, which is capable of 

 suspension in water, and imparts its colour to the waters 

 of this river (the Red-River), from which circumstance 

 it has taken its name. In some places, this marl ex- 



