S!94 Expedition to the 



having as they are dug from the quarry, nearly the requisite 

 shape and size. They are then carried by hand, or thrown 

 to the foot of the precipice, whence is an easy transportation 

 of ten or twelve miles to the Washita. By this river they 

 descend to New Orleans, and some have been carried thence 

 to New York, where they are known as the Missouri oil' 

 stones. These stones are said not to be inferior in quality 

 to the oilstones from Turkey. 



In the immediate neighbourhood of the Hot Springs, we 

 observed a number of interesting plants. The American 

 holly, [Ilex opaca^ is frequent in the narrow vallies within 

 the naountains. The leaves of another species of Ilex, [I. 

 cassine^ the celebrated Cassine Tatipon,'] which grows about 

 the Springs, are there used as a substitute for tea. 



The Angelica tree, [[Aralia spinosa^ Ph.] is common along 

 the banks of the cr^ek, rising to the height of twelve to fif- 

 teen feet, and bending beneath its heavy clusters of purple 

 fruit. The Pteris atropurpurea, Asplenium melanocaulon, 

 A. ebenum, and other ferns are found adhering to the rocks. 

 In the open pine woods the Gerrardia j&e'c^iwa^a, considered 

 as a variety of G. pedicularia, is one of the most conspicuous 

 objects. 



The sources of the Washita, are in a high and broken 

 part of the Ozark Mountains in north latitude 34° 15', 

 and between 93 and 94° west longitude, and sixty or an 

 hundred miles southwest of the settlement of Cadron on the 

 Arkansa. From the same mountainous district, descend to- 

 wards the northeast the Petit Jean, and Le Feve, tributa- 

 ries to the Arkansa; on the northwest the upper branches of 

 the Poteau, on the southwest the Kiamesha, and on the 

 southeast the Mountain, Cossetot, Rolling, and other streams 

 discharging into the Little river of Red river. The principal 

 source of the Washata is said to lie very near that of the 

 Fourche Le Feve, and to descend towards the west from 

 the same hill, out of which flow the upper branches of the 



