340 Expedition to the 



III. — Of the country situated between the Mississippi and 

 Missouri rivers. 



We next proceed to a consideration of the country west of 

 the Mississippi, and shall begin with that situated between 

 this river and the Missouri. This section contains no moun- 

 tains, or indeed hills of any considerable magnitude. The 

 term rolling appears to be peculiarly applicable in conveying 

 an idea of the surface of this region, although it is not en- 

 tirely destitute of abrupt hills and precipices. The aspect of 

 the whole is variegated with the broad vallies of rivers and 

 creeks, and intervening tracts of undulating up-land, united 

 to the vallies by gentle slopes. Its surface is chequered with 

 stripes of wood land situated upon the margins of the water 

 courses, and dividing the whole into extensive parterres. If 

 we except those parts of the section that are contiguous to 

 the Mississippi and MissDuri, at least nineteen-twentieths of 

 the country are completely destitute of a timber growth. 



Within the vallies of these two rivers are extensive tracts 

 of alluvial bottom, possessed of a rich soil. The bottoms of 

 the Missouri, in particular, are probably inferior to none 

 within the limits of the United States, in point of fertility. 

 Those of the Mississippi are very rich, but do not exhibit 

 symptoms of so great fecundity as the former. The bottoms 

 of both, on ascending the rivers, become more sandy, and 

 apparently less productive. 



The bottoms of the Missouri are, for the most part, clad 

 in a deep and heavy growth of timber and under-brush, to 

 the distance of about three hundred and fifty miles above its 

 mouth There are, however, prairies of considerable extent 

 occasionally to be met with on this part of the river. Higher 

 up the prairies within the river valley, become more numer- 

 ous and extensive, till at length no woodlands appear, except 

 tracts of small size, situated at the points formed by the 

 meanders of the river. 



The bottoms on the Upper Mississippi, (that part of the 

 Mississippi situated above its confluence with the Missouri 

 being distinguished by this appellation) contain less wood 

 land in proportion to their extent, than those of the Missou- 

 ri. The prairies upon this river also become more numerous 

 and extensive as we proceed upward. 



The interior of the country situated between the vallies of 

 these rivers, presents, as before remarked, a rolling aspect, 

 inclining to hilly and broken, in some parts, but generally 



