UNITED STATES. 505 



the principal deposit of the lead, of Mine la Motte, the Mine a Bur- 

 ton, New Diggings, the mines on Big river, with several others ; 

 and is the store-house, from whence those engaged in working the 

 mines are supplied with a variety of articles. This town was com- 

 menced about the year 1774. It is situated about one mile from the 

 Mississippi, between the two branches of a stream called Gabourie, 

 on a flat of about one hundred acres, and something higher than the 

 river bottom. The population of St. Genevieve, including New 

 Bourbon, amounts to 1400. There is about the same proportion of 

 slaves as at St. Louis ; the number of Americans is also about the 

 same. 



St. Charles, as well as the two places before described, is the seat 

 of justice of the district bearing its name. It contains three hundred 

 inhabitants, a considerable proportion of them Americans. It is situ- 

 ated on the north side of the Missouri, twenty miles from the junc- 

 tion. It is built on a very narrow space, between the river and the 

 bluff, admitting but one street a mile in length. 



New Madrid is the seat of justice of the district, and was formerly 

 called CAnse a! lagresse. It is situated in 36° 34 north, longitude 89® 

 20 west. It was laid out twenty-four years ago, on an extensive scale, 

 and an elegant plan. It was chosen as one of the best situations on 

 the river. In 1812 it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake, but it 

 is beginning to be re-established. In 1811 it contained four hundred 

 inhabitants, one third Americans, living in a scattered way, over a 

 great space of ground. 



Arkaiisas is situated sixty miles up the river of the same name, 

 and contains four hundred and fifty inhabitants; it has a few stores, 

 and seems to be improving. There is a considerable trade with the 

 Osages up the Arkansas, and with the Indians, who live in the White 

 river country. This is also a French establishment, and with about 

 the same proportion of Americans as in the other towns. 



Cafie Girardeau, the seat of justice for the district of that name, is 

 situated thirty-five miles above the mouth of the Ohio. This town is 

 entirely American, and built in their fashion. It is thriving fast : there 

 are a number of good houses, several of them of brick. It contains 

 about thirty dwellings, and three hundred inhabitants. 



Herculaneum is situated on the Mississippi, half way between St. 

 Louis and St. Genevieve. The site of this place is extremely ro- 

 mantic ; at the mouth of the Joachin, and on a flat of no great width, 

 between the river hill and second bank, while at each end, perpendi- 

 cular precipices, two hundred feet high, rise almost from the water's 

 edge. It appears to be an opening for the admission of the Joachin 

 to the Mississippi. On the top of each of these cliffs, shot towers 

 have been established. The town contains twenty houses, and two 

 hundred inhabitants. Several fine mills have been erected in the 

 neighbourhood of this place, and boat building is carried on here. 

 Carondelet, or Vuidepoche, is situated six miles below St. Louis — 

 218 inhabitants. Florissant on the Missouri, 270. Mine La Motte, 

 250 — and a number of other small villages. A village has lately 

 been commenced at the mouth of the St. Francis. 



Mines, produce, &c....The different lead mines, or diggings, as they 

 are commonly called, are scattered over the greater part of this dis- 

 trict. It is not known with certainty, to what distance the mineral 

 extends west and south, or towards the Mississippi. The Mine i. 



