Rocky Mountains, 349 



description, about two hundred miles, which comprehends 

 the distance by the meanders of the river, from the Missis- 

 sippi to the commencement of the high lands. Above the 

 mouth of the Neosho, it spreads to a much greater width 

 than below, and the water is more extensively diffused over 

 its bed, which renders the shoals more numerous and the na- 

 vigation more precarious. This part of the Arkansa, cannot 

 indeed be considered navigable, even for perogues of a large 

 size, except during the short period of a freshet, which is 

 seldom long enough to complete a voyage of one hundred 

 miles ascending and descending. 



The Red river is navigable during most of the year, to 

 the Great Raft, about five hundred miles fi-om its mouth. 

 At this place its navigation is effectually obstructed, except 

 in a high stage of water, when keel-boats of ten or fifteen 

 tons burden, may pass it through devious channels, or bay- 

 oux, and ascend several hundred miles above. That part of 

 the river situated above the Raft, however, like the upper 

 part of the Arkansa, is rendered impassable for boats of bur- 

 den, by shoals and sandbars in a moderate stage of water. 



The Washita, tributary to Red river, is navigable many 

 miles. That part of it particularly, situated within the valley 

 of the Mississippi, and denominated Black river, admits of 

 constant navigation for boats of burden. The Little river, 

 which is also tributary to Red river, together with its Forks 

 heretofore enumerated, are navigable in high water. White 

 river is navigable, in a moderate stage of water, between three 

 and four hundred miles; — also the Big Black, its principal 

 tributary, and several branches of the river last mentioned, 

 viz, the Strawberry, Currant, Eleven Point, and Spring rivers. 

 The St. Francis is blocked up near its mouth, and rendered 

 impassable for boats of every description, by rafts of logs 

 and drift wood, completely choakingthe channel of the river, 

 and in many places occupying the whole of its bed, for the 

 distance of several miles together. The Merameg, is also na- 

 vigable many miles, in a modeiate stage of water. 



The Gasconade, Osage, and Konzas rivers, are navigable in 

 the spring season, but their navigation seldom extends far in- 

 land from their mouths, being obstructed by shoals or rapids. 

 Of the rivers tributary to the Missouri, it is remarkable, 

 that their mouths are generally blocked up with mud, con- 

 sequent to the subsidence of the summer freshet of that river, 

 which usually takes place in the month of July. The reason 

 is obvious. The freshets of the more southerly tributaries 



