Rocky Mountains. 347 



a place called the Little Rock, about two hundred miles from 

 the mouth of the river, selected as the seat of government 

 for the territory. Besides these, there are a few other incon- 

 siderable villages on the Arkansa river, as also several of 

 small size situated in the country between the river just 

 mentioned and Red river; the most considerable of which are 

 at Pecan Point, Mount Prairie, Prairie D'Inde, &c. These 

 villages contain but very few houses, and those generally of 

 a rude structure, a circumstance attributable only to the in- 

 fancy of the territory. The settlements of the territory are 

 scattered along the Arkansa, from the White river Cut-off, 

 (a channel uniting these two rivers at the distance of thirty 

 miles above the mouth of the former, and three miles above 

 that of the latter,) to Belle Point, a distance of about four 

 hundred miles. On Little Red, White, and Strawberry ri- 

 vers, are many scattering settlements, as also on the Wash- 

 ita, Cadeau, Little Missouri, and the several forks of Little 

 river. The settlements upon Red river extend upward to the 

 Kiamisha, a distance of about one thousand miles from its 

 mouth, following the meanders of the river. 



The settlements of the section under consideration, are 

 most numerous in those parts represented in the foregoing 

 description as being variegated with prairies and woodlands 

 alternating with each other. In the valley of the Arkansa, 

 however, which is generally clad in rich forests and luxuri- 

 ant cane brakes^ prairies are seldom to be met with, and set- 

 tlers have had recourse to clearing the land necessary for 

 their plantations. 



In addition to the white settlements above pointed out, 

 there are numerous villages and settlements of the Cherokee 

 Indians, extending along the Arkansa, from the mouth of 

 Point Remove creek, upward, to Mulberry river a distance 

 of about one hundred miles. These settlements, in respect 

 to the comforts and conveniences of life they afford, appear 

 to vie with, and in many instances even surpass those of the 

 Americans, in that part of the country. 



There are a few villages of the Quawpaws, or Arkansaws, 

 and Chocktaws, situated on the south side of the Arkansa 

 river, below the high lands. They are not numerous, sub- 

 sist principally upon game and Indian corn of their own 

 raising, and have ever been friendly to the whites. Upon 

 the river St. Francis are a few settlements of the Delawares 

 and Shawnees, dispersed remnants of those unfortunate na- 

 tions. The several bands of the Osage nation resident upon 



