JBringier on the Region of the Mississippi, ^c. 41 



three months after, all the Cherokees abandoned theii 

 farms, (and some were very good ones,) their cattle, and oth- 

 er property and removed, some to White river, and the 

 greatest part to the Arkansas. Those that fixed on the White 

 river have since removed to the Arkansas, where they 

 occupy the river on both sides, from point Renou, (fom- 

 linndred miles up the river,) to the Big Mulberry, where the 

 Osage line crosses: departing from the fine prairie on the 

 Missouri river, the land they occuppy is far the best on the 

 Arkansas. 



Anthracite. 



On the north bank, a little above the pine bayou, (five 

 hundred miles from the mouth,) there is a large body of 

 bhnd coal immediately on the bank of the Arkansas. It is 

 equal in quality to the Kilkenny coal; it is by far the best I 

 have seen in the United States. 



About one hundred and twenty miles above this place, 

 there are some United States troops, who stopped there a 

 few months since, and probably they will take a station at 

 the mouth of the frog bayou, which affords a fine place for 

 a garrison, between the Osages and Cherokees. 



The Cherokees on the Arkansas, are about twelve 

 hundred and fifty. They have cleared about six thou- 

 sand acres of land with the fire which they have set in 

 the thick canes; but they do not cultivate more than two 

 thousand five hundred acres, and that very badly. They 

 raise no other staple except a few sweet potatoes and pump- 

 kins, although they might cultivate a great quantity of cot- 

 ton, which grows exceedingly well on the Arkansas, and 

 whose quality is much superior to all that is raised in Lou- 

 isiana. The Indians spin some cotton, but this hardly 

 amounts to five or six yards per annum, for each of those 

 who spin, and these are but few individuals. Indeed, the 

 whole amount is not two hundred yards. The women are 

 very licentious, and the men extremely lazy. The men 

 dress with what v/e call a morning gown, or a long hunting 

 shirt, a pair of leggings, a calico or a white shirt, and a shawl 

 tied around their heads in the manner of a turban. The 

 women dress with gowns like white women. They are 

 homely, but less so than the Osage squaws; btit thev do 



Vol. Ill No. I. 6 ' 



