2?8 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 



It discharges into Appalachee bay by several mouths. Its course is 

 generally through an unsettled country, and little attention has been 

 paid to its navigation. 



The Mobile is formed of two branches ; the Tombecbee and the 

 Alabama. The Tombecbee rises in the northern part of Mississippi 

 territory? in about lat. 34° 30' north. The general direction of this 

 river is south. Its course is very serpentine, and its length near 400 

 miles. It is navigable for sloops to fort Stephens, 60 miles from its 

 union with the Alabama. The latter has its source in a number of 

 small streams, flowing from the mountains in the northern part of 

 Georgia. The Estenaullee and High rivers, uniting in lat. 34° form 

 the Coosa. The latter runs south-west 200 miles, when it is joined 

 by the Tallipoosee. The two streams united form the Alabama. 

 This river flows south-west 150 miles, to its union with the Tom- 

 becbee. The length of the Mobile is 40 miles south. It enters Mobile 

 bay, at the town of Mobile in lat. 'SO 30' 



The Pascacoola enters the gulf of Mexico, 40 miles west of the 

 Mobile. It is a small river formed of two streams, which rise neax', 

 and run 150 miles parallel to each other, at the distance of from two 

 to fifteen miles. The length of the Pascacoola, from the forks, is 

 about 110 miles. 



The Pearl is about the same size with the Pascacoola. It empties 

 into the gulf of Mexico, near lake Pontchartrain. 



Red River rises in Missouri Territory, in about lat. 35* 45' north. 

 It runs nearly south 200 miles, when in lat. 33° it enters the state of 

 Louisiana. Hence its general course is south-east to the Mississippi, 

 which it enters nearly opposite, and about nine miles west of the 

 ■southern boundary of the Mississippi Territory, and, following the 

 windings of the river, 243 miles above New-Orleans. The distance 

 from its mouth, to the point at which it enters Louisiana, in a direct 

 line, is 150 miles, but owing to its continued windings, the length of 

 the river, in that distance, cannot be less than 300. This stream is 

 used to communicate with New Mexico. On its banks are the set- 

 tlements of Rapide, Avoyelles and Natchitoches. The latter is up- 

 wards of 200 miles from the mouth of the river. The name Red 

 river, is derived from the reddish appearance of the water, caused 

 by some earthy impregnation, tinged probably with iron. About 300 

 miles above Nachitoches the navigation is opposed by a very serious 

 obstacle. This is a covering which conceals the whole river for about 

 seventeen leagues, and which was originally formed, and is continu- 

 ally augmented by drift wood. It is covered with soil and overgrown 

 with trees and underwood. 



The Ouachitta, or Black river, rises south-east of Red river. Its 

 general course is a little east of south, and its length about 650 miles. 

 It falls into Red river, 23 miles from the Mississippi. Two hundred 

 miles from its mouth, in lat. SO 9 30' stands fort Miro, the outpost of 

 the United States in that quarter, although there are settlements still 

 higher. It is navigable for boats a distance of 600 miles, to where it 

 forks. 



The Buffaloe, is a branch of Black river. It rises near the latter, 

 and discharges into it, 100 miles above its mouth. A considerable 

 Indian trade is carried on, by means of this, Red and Black rivers. 



The Illinois rises 30 miles south-east of lake Michigan in Indiana 

 territory. It interlocks by a portage of four miles with the St. Joseph 

 or Chicagow, a small river which empties into lake Michigan. The 

 Illinois winds a distance of near 600 miles, through a fine country, 



