338 Expedition to the 



land, called the Mississippi bottom, commences a few miles 

 below the mouth of the river Kaskaskias, and extends down- 

 ward along the Mississippi between fifty and sixty miles, 

 having an average width of about three miles. This tract, 

 in regard to soil and aspect, is of a character similar to that 

 of the American bottom, except that the former is more plen- 

 tifully stocked with timber. 



Besides these, there are numerous other bottoms on the 

 Mississippi, within the limits prescribed for this report, all 

 of which are composed of a rich alluvion. Those in particu- 

 lar, situated below the confluence of the Mississippi and 

 Missouri, are possessed of a soil exceedingly luxuriant, be- 

 ing composed, as before observed, of the rich and fertilizing 

 mud deposited from the water of the Missouri. Most of 

 them are covered with deep and heavy forests of timber, ac- 

 companied with a luxuriant under growth of vines, shrubs, 

 grass and other herbage. 



The bottoms of the Wabash, Kaskaskias, Illinois, and 

 Hock rivers, are also made up of a rich alluvion of sand and 

 loam, containing a large proportion of vegetable mould. 

 Their surfaces, like those of the Mississippi bottoms, are ge- 

 nerally flat, exhibiting tabular elevations or benches, formed 

 by the washing of the rivers at different periods. Large 

 tracts of prairie land are to be met with upon them, but for 

 the most part, the proportion of woodland is amply sufiicient 

 to supply the adjacent country with timber and fuel. 



The vallies of these rivers diflfer from that of the Ohio, 

 not only in having a greater width, but also, in being limited 

 on both sides by bluffs stretching along their whole length, 

 and maintaining nearly a parallel direction; whereas the val- 

 ley of the Ohio is bounded by aprupt hills, irregularly dis- 

 posed, in some instances, protruding far into the valley, like 

 promontories, and in others, retiring from the river and af- 

 fording room for bottoms of pretty large extent. 



The Ohio bottoms are uniformly clad in deep forests, ex- 

 cept where these have been removed by settlers — no prairies 

 worthy of notice making their appearance. 



The valley country, from the circumstances already de- 

 tailed in allusion to the country constituting the second va- 

 riety, is almost without exception unhealthy. But, at the 

 same time, it appears evident that this evil gradually de- 

 creases in proportion to the increase of population, and the 

 consequent advancement of agriculture; for the products of 

 the soil, which the bottoms yield in the greatest profusion. 



