﻿82S 



JltSSISSIfPI. 



MISSISSIPPI. 



626 



I 



wooded, but devoid of undergrowth, terminating on the Miasinippi 

 Eiver with what is called the Fourth Chickasaw Bluflj which extends 

 10 miles along the river, ia from 60 to 100 feet above its bank, and is 

 stated to be fertile to a considerable distance from the river. Between 

 these hills and the Walnut Hills, with which the southern bluffe 

 terminate in about 32° 20' N. lat., a distance of more than 170 miles, 

 the country is occupied by an immense swamp, produced and fed by 

 the inundations of the Mississippi Some parts of this low region 

 become dry towards the end of the year, but the others are a per- 

 petual swamp. This tract extends to the banks of the Yazoo River, 

 and is in the widest part (near 34° N. lat) above 50 miles wide. 

 Much of this swampy tract has been within the last 16 years taken 

 into cultivation with remarkable success. 



Hydrography and Communicatiom. — Nearly every part of Mississippi 

 is amply provided with running streams. The Mississippi forms its 

 western boundary for 530 miles, following the windings of the river. 

 [Mbsissippi River.] For more than three-fourths of this distance, 

 from the northern boundary of the state to Vicksburg, the con6gura- 

 tion of its banks admits of no port along this river, and below that 

 the only one of much value is Natchez. 



Several of the secondary and smaller affluents of the Mississippi 

 rise and terminate in this state. The most important are the Uomo- 

 chitto, the Big Black, and the Yazoo rivers. The Homochitto runs 

 about 70 miles, and is navigable to some distance from its mouth for 

 small craft. The Big Black River rises near the north-eastern end of 

 the state, flows about 200 miles, mostly in a south-western direction, 

 and is navigable by steam-boata for 50 miles from its mouth. The 

 Yazoo River rises in three branches in the range of hills which traverses 

 the northern part of the state, flows mostly with a south-south- 

 western course for more than 200 miles, of which 50 miles are navi- 

 gable by large steam-boata, and falls into the Mississippi 12 miles 

 above Vicksburg. Not far from its mouth it unites with Falte River, 

 that branch of the Mississippi which leaves the great river south of 

 the Fourth Chickasaw Blu£^ and traverses the swampy region. The 

 Bayou Pierre is another of the affluents of the Mississippi which 

 belong to this state. The Pearl River rises near the centre of the 

 state, and runs first south-west, and afterwards south-south-east for 

 about 250 miles. It falls by several branches into the Rigolets, or 

 ■traits which unite Lake Pontchartrain with Lake Borgne. It is 

 navigable for boats for nearly 150 miles, but its entrance docs not 

 admit vessels which draw more than 6 feet: below 31° N. lat., the 

 Pearl River divides this state from Louisiana. The Pateagoula, 

 which waters the south-eastern part of the state, is formed by the 

 junction of the Chickasawha and the Leaf rivers, and flows south by 

 east for 60 miles into Paacagoula Sound, opposite Cuemo or Horn 

 Island. Near its outlet it is joined by a considerable tributary, the 

 Dog River, which runs parallel to it. The Pascagoula is navigable 

 by vessels drawing 6 feet of water to a distance of 50 miles from its 

 month, but the scstuary into which it falls only admits vessels drawing 

 4 feet of water. In the north-eastern districts are a part of the 

 Tombigbee [Alabama] and the Tennessee rivers. [Tennessee.] 



Mississippi is tolerably well provided with carriage roads ; but is 

 behind most of the vtates in respect to railways. At the present time 

 the completed lines in the state do not amount to 100 miles in length. 

 The chief completed line is one from Vicksburg past the capital to 

 Brandon, 60 miles, with a short branch to Raymond. There are other 

 lines projected and in progress, which will ultimately traverse the 

 state north, south, east, and west, and place it in connection with the 

 railways and ports of the neighbouring states ; but the only portion 

 in actual operation is the West Feliciana, which unites the south- 

 western angle of Mississippi with Louisiana. 



Geology, Jec. — With the exception of a small space in its north- 

 eastern comer, the state belongs entirely to the Cretaceous and Ter- 

 tiary systems. The banks of the &Iississippi are throughout formed 

 of the more recent tertiary deposits, consisting of sandy and clayey 

 strata, containing enormous quantities of various fresh-water shells, 

 and rising at times into cliffs, or bluffs, 1 00 and 200 feet high. These 

 strata are celebrated also for the numerous bones of the mastodon, 

 megatherium, elephant, and other gigantic fossil animals, which are 

 found in them. Un the east these later deposits are throughout the 

 state bounded by a bond of earlier tertiary strata, chiefly greensands and 

 marls of the eocene period, which enlarges as it proceeds southward, 

 the southern portion of the state being wholly occupied by it. This 

 again is bounded on the north-east by the greensands and chalky 

 marls of the Cretoceoos system, which occupy almost the whole of 

 the remainder of the state, except, as above-mentioned, on the north- 

 eastern boundary, where occur small portions of the Devonian and 

 Carboniferous basins of Tennessee. 



Climate, Soil, Productiotu. — Along the southern coast the winters 

 are mild, frost being of rare occurrence, and owing to the prevalence 

 of the sea breeze from the Oulf of Mexico, the heat of the summer is 

 laa oppressive than in many of the states farther north. The Blufi" 

 ragion along the Mississippi River differs considerably in climate. 

 The summer is in general very hot and the heat oppressive, whilst 

 the winters are colder than might be expected. Every year the ther- 

 mometer sinks to about 25°, and occasionally so low as 18° ; and 

 rises to 94° Fabr., and occasionally much higher. North of 31 • N. lat 

 the climate ia leas mild, and the sugar-cane is no longer cultivable. 



As will be readily understood from our notice of the surface and 

 geology of the state, there ia an extensive prevalence of sandy and 

 dry marly soil in the upper parts of the state. The valleys or bottoms 

 however, even in these parts, have generally a deep rich soil, though 

 they sufler from the vast quantities of sand brought down from the 

 uplands during floods. The banks of the Mississippi and the south- 

 em bottoms are very rich, and the extensive swamps are remarkably 

 fertile. Cotton is the staple product ; the quantity annually raised 

 being about equal to that of Georgia, and only exceeded by that of 

 Alabama. Maize is also grown iu very large quantities : oats, rye, 

 and wheat are cultivated, but to a much less extent, especially the 

 two last Rice is cultivated somewhat largely in some of the swampy 

 districts. Tobacco is grown, but now only to a comparatively small 

 extent. The culture of the sugarcane has been revived within the 

 last ten or twelve years, and sugar again figures among the more 

 important products of the state. The principal vegetable is the 

 sweet-potato ; but the common potato, peas, and beans, and most 

 of the vegetables of Europe are also grown. The fruit of both the 

 south and north of Europe ripen here. Plums, peaches, and figs are 

 abundant ; oranges ripen only in the southern districts. 



The prairies, especially in the Tombigbee district, form an excellent 

 pastoral country. Cattle are very numerous, though generally of a 

 small siza The horses are also of a small breed. Sheep are much 

 more numerous than formerly, and wool is becoming an important 

 article of commerce. Swine are raised in great numbers. Wild 

 animals, such as pumas, wolves, bears, and wild cats still abound. 

 Alligatora occur in the Mississippi as far north as the mouth of the 

 Arkansas River, and in some of the smaller rivers. Most of the 

 rivera abound in edible fish. Parroquets are seen as far north as 

 Natchez ; wild turkeys and pigeons abound. 



Mississippi is essentially an agricultural state, and the manufactures 

 are confined to the requirements of an agricultural state. Orist- and 

 saw-mills, tanneries, Slc, are numerous. The state has no direct 

 foreign commerce. Its products are carried by river to New Orleans 

 and Mobile for exportation to foreign countries, and its imports are 

 received through the same channels. The shipping employed in this 

 river-trade mostly belongs to Alabama and Louisiana, the entire tonnage 

 belonging to Mississippi not exceeding 2000 tons. 



Divitiom, Towns, ic. — Mississippi is divided into 59 counties — 36 

 in Southern and 23 iu Northern MississippL Jackson is the capital, 

 but Natchez is much the largest and most populous town in the state : 

 indeed all the othen are comparatively small places. 



Jackton, the capital, on the right bank of the Pearl River, 32° 23' 

 N. lat, 90° 8' W. long., 1035 miles S.W. from Washington : population, 

 1881. The town is regularly laid out, contains a handsome state- 

 house, governor's house, and other state buildings, churches, &c. ; but 

 is a place of little trade. 



Natchez, on the Mississippi, 87 miles S.W. from Jackson, popula- 

 tion 6239, is the chief port and trading depAt in the state. The 

 commercial part of the city is built on the margin of the river, but 

 the remaining and larger portion occupies the summits of the bluSs, 

 about half a mile from its bank. The upper part of the city has 

 broad streets, and some well-built houses. It contains a court-house, 

 jail, churches, &c. The manufacture of oil from cotton seeds is 

 carried on. Cotton is forwarded from this port iu very largo 

 quantities. 



Yiclciburg, on the Mississippi, 41 miles W. by N. from Jackson, 

 population 3678, is the next most important port in the state. Like 

 Natchez the commercial part of the city is built close to the river, and 

 the other part on the bluffs above it. There is an excellent harbour 

 for steam-boats with a good pier ; and the Vicksburg, Jackson, and 

 Brandon railway affords considerable facilities for the transit of goods 

 from the interior. Very large quantities of cotton are sent from Vicks- 

 burg to New Orleans. Grand Galf, 55 miles W.S.W. from Jackson, 

 population 613, is the only other port-town on the Mississippi belonging 

 to this state. 



The only other places which call for mention are — Columbus, on the 

 left bank and at the head of steam-boat navigation on the Tombigbee, 

 population 2611, the largest town in Northern Mississippi, and the 

 centre of a good cotton di»trict; Port Gibton, population 1037, a place 

 of some trade on the Bayou Pierre, 52 miles W.S.W. from Jackson ; 

 and Woodville, the capital of Wilkinson county, 105 miles S.W. by S. 

 from Jackson : population, about 900. 



Hittory and Conttitulion. — Mississippi was discovered in 1542 by 

 De Soto ; but the first settlements were formed in the neighbourhood 

 of Natchez by some Frenchmen about 1700, but they did not thrive. 

 When the country was ceded to the British in 1763, some respectable 

 settlements were founded. In 1800 all that is now comprised in 

 Mississippi and Alabama was formed into a territory by the name of 

 Mississippi Territory. In 1817 this territory was divided into two 

 portions : — the western was admitted as a member of the Union, and 

 the present constitution was formed. The legislative body consists 

 of a Senate consisting of 32 members, elected for four years ; and a 

 House of Representatives, consisting of not less than 36 nor more than 

 1 00 (at present 92) members, elected for two years. The right of 

 voting is vested in every free white male citizen of the United 

 States 21 yeare of age. The revenue for 1851 was 221,200 doUara; 

 the expenditure for the same period 223,637 dollars. The acknowledged 



