Rocky Mountains. 305 



The separation of the water of the river into three distinct 

 branches, each confined within high and steep banks, raised 

 twenty and even thirty feet above the medium elevation of 

 the water, and their reunion after traversing severally an ex- 

 tent of sixty and thirty miles, might, at first view, appear a 

 matter of curious inquiry, but, upon the slightest investiga- 

 tion, it will be discovered, that this whole country, adjacent 

 to the river, has been jnade or raised to its present elevated 

 position by frequent inundations and deposition from the wa- 

 ter. This evidently appears from the great quantities of 

 timber frequently seen as you ascend the river, deposited as 

 low as low- water mark under steep banks of different heights, 

 from twelve to thirty feet. 



Red river takes its name from the colour of its water, 

 which is, in time of floods, of a bright red, and partakes more 

 or less of this colour throughout the year, as is also the case 

 with the sands of its bed. There can be no doubt the co- 

 louring matter, on which this tinge depends, is derived from, 

 the red sandstone of the salt formation already described, 

 although no person qualified to give a satisfactory account of 

 the country, has hitherto traced Red river to that formation. 

 We propose to add some brief notices of this important ri- 

 ver, derived from the unpublished materials of the exploring 

 party sent out by the government of the United States in 

 1806, also from the notes of Major Long, who visited the 

 upper settlements in 1817, not neglecting such additional in- 

 formation, from the works of Darby and others, who have 

 written of Louisiana, as may appear of importance. 



Red river was explored at a very early period by the 

 .French, but their examinations appear to have extended no 

 farther than to the country of the Natchitoches and the Ca- 

 does* and, although subsequent examinations have a little 



* In 1700, M. De Bienville ascended the Fed river to the country of 

 the Nalchitoches and Yatasse Indians, but oould find no Spanish esta- 



VOL. II. 39 



