44 On the Geography and Xatural History 



tends to the depth of four or five feet. At the Avoy- 

 elles- Settlement, the banks are about 30 or 35 feet above 

 the level of the river, and are, alternately, higher and 

 lower, to the Rapide- Settlement, 50 miles above. 



Every spot on the river, not subject to overflow, is 

 inhabited. Twenty-three miles above the Rapide, or 

 Falls, is an Indian village, called the Appalaches, on the 

 right side of die river, on a beautiful and high bluff. 

 This bluff is 50 feet in height. Eight miles above 

 this, are the Pasquegoulas-Indians, inhabiting both 

 banks. They appear to be a peaceable, industrious, and 

 friendly people. Seven miles above the Pasquegoulas, 

 the river divides into two branches ; that to the right is 

 very narrow, and rendered impassable by rafts, and 

 retains the name of Red-River, but is better known 

 to the inhabitants by the name of La Riviere de Petit 

 Bon Dieu, from the circumstance of a priest having 

 been upset here, and losing his Images : that to the 

 left is about 80 yards wide, and is called the Cane-River, 

 because of the Cane (Arundo Donax) being in greater 

 abinxlance on its banks than on those of the other River. 



There is on the Cane-River a great abundance of ex- 

 cellent sand-stone, for building. This river runs twenty 

 miles, and divides. The branch to the right is 50 yards 

 wide at its mouth, and is called Little-River. The left 

 branch retains the name of Cane-River, and is the more 

 direct way to Nachitoches, but, like the Bon Dieu, is 

 impassable. The Cane and Little- Rivers unite at the 

 distance of half a mile below Nacliitoches. 



