UNITED STATES. 503 



The season from the first of August to the last of September, is 

 considered the most unhealthy. 



Political divisions, inhabitants, settlements, population.... 

 Shortly after the taking possession of this territory by the United 

 States, it was divided into six districts : 



1. St. Charles, 4. Cape Girardeau, 



2. St. Louis, 5. New Madrid, 



3. St. Genevieve, 6. Arkansas. 



The territorial legislature has again subdivided these districts into 

 townships. The term "district" corresponds with the county of the 

 states. 



The inhabitants are composed of whites, Indians, metiffs, a few 

 civilized Indians, and negro slaves. 



The whites consist of the ancient inhabitants, and of those who 

 have settled since the change of government. The former are chiefly 

 of French origin ; there were scarcely more than three or four Spa- 

 nish families in this province, and the citizens of the United States, 

 although advantageous offers were held out to them, rarely settled on 

 this side of the river. The French inhabitants resided in villages, 

 and cultivated common fields adjacent to them, in the manner of many 

 parts of Europe : it was here, also, rendered in some degree neces- 

 sary from their situation. There were always good reasons to appre- 

 hend the attacks of Indians ; of which, on some occasions, they had 

 a fatal experience. For the five last years, the settlements have been 

 increasing rapidly. The American mode of living on detached farms, 

 has been adopted by a number of the French inhabitants of villages, 

 and the settlements, in larger or smaller groups. 



The frontier, at least below the Missouri, may be said to have 

 retired, sixty miles west of the Mississippi, and the settlements on 

 the rivers, are perfectly safe from the attacks of a savage enemy, 

 should any be apprehended. Farms have been opened, from the 

 Missouri to the Arkansas, on the Mississippi ; and on this river, 

 above the Missouri, they extend, at distant intervals, to the Prairie 

 du Chien. On the Missouri, they extend upwards of two hundred 

 miles from the mouth of the river. Near Fort Clark, there are a few 

 farms, which have lately been opened. 



The emigrants to this territory are chiefly from North Carolina 

 and Kentucky; of late, the western part of Pennsylvania contributes 

 considerably to its population. The excellence and cheapness of the 

 lands, besides the permission of holding slaves, will cause this ter- 

 ritory to be preferred by emigrants from the southern states, to any 

 part of the western country, unless it be on the lower parts of the 

 Mississippi, whose unhealthy climate, independent of the high price 

 of lands, will counterbalance many other advantages. 



The following is an abstract of the population of the territory, ac- 

 cording to the last census : 



St. Charles, 

 St. Louis, 

 St. Genevieve, 

 Cape Girardeau, 

 New Madrid, 



3,505 

 5,667 

 4,620 

 3,888 

 3,103 



