502 TERRITORIES OF THE 



able crossing it. The horse sinks at every step to the belly in water 

 and loose soil ; and in places entirely covered, the traveller, but for 

 the marks on the trees, would be in danger of losing the road alto- 

 gether. This swamp is sixty miles in length, and four broad, widen- 

 ing as it approaches the St. Francis. In the season of high water, the 

 Mississippi and the river just mentioned, have a complete connection 

 by means of this low land. After crossing the swamp, there com- 

 mences a ridge of high land, running in the same course, and on 

 the Mississippi, bounding what is called Tywapety bottom : this 

 ridge, in approaching the St. Francis westward, subsides. In passing 

 over it, we appear to be in a hilly country, possessing springs and 

 rivulets ; the soil, though generally poor and sandy, is tolerably well 

 timbered, and not altogether unfit for tillage. 



The soil of the prairie is more light and loose than in the woods, 

 and has a greater mixture of sand: but, when wet, it assumes every 

 where a deep black colour, and an oily appearance. After digging 

 through a stratum of sand, there appears a kind of clay, of a dirty 

 yellow, and of a saponaceous appearance ; this is the substratum of 

 the whole country, and is perhaps a kind of marie, the deposit of 

 very ancient alluvia. No stones are met with. 



The greatest objection to this country is the want of fountains and 

 running streams. Water is procured in wells of the depth of tweniy- 

 five or thirty feet. 



From Cape Girardeau to the Missouri, the country may be called 

 hilly and broken, but with excellent flats, or bottoms, on the creeks 

 and rivulets, of a width usually proportioned to the size of the 

 stream. 



The tract of country north of the Missouri, is less hilly than that 

 on the south, but there is a much greater proportion of prairie. It 

 has a waving surface, varied by those dividing ridges of streams, 

 which in Kentucky are called knobs. The Missouri bottoms, alter- 

 nately appearing on one side or other of the river, are of the finest 

 kind for three hundred miles up, generally covered with heavy tim- 

 ber ; the greatest part of which is cotton wood of enormous size. 

 The bottoms are usually about two miles in width, and entirely free 

 from inundation. Above this, in many places, after a small border 

 of wood on the bank, the rest, to the hills or bluffs, is entirely bare. 

 The bottoms of the Mississippi are equally extensive and rich, but 

 not so well wooded. They are in fact a continued succession of the 

 most beautiful prairies or meadows. 



Climate. ...That variableness generally remarked respecting the 

 climate of the United States, is particularly applicable to this territory. 

 " In the spring and wiirter, during the continuance of south-west winds, 

 it is agreeably warm; but by the change of the wind to north-west, 

 the most sudden alteration of weather is produced. The winters of 

 St. Louis are usually more mild than in the same latitudes east of 

 the Allegany mountains, but there are frequently several days in 

 succession of greater cold than is known even in Canada. In January 

 1811, after several weeks of delightful weather, when the heat was 

 even disagreeable, the thermometer standing at 78°, a change took 

 place, and so sudden, that in 4 clays it fell to 10° below 0°. This 

 winter was also remarkable for a circumstance, which the oldest in- 

 habitants do not recollect to have ever witnessed ; the Mississippi 

 closed over twice, whereas it most usually remains open during 

 winter. 



