380 Expedition to the 



the Oregon or Columbia river. Agreeably to the accounts of 

 Col. Dixon, and others who have traversed the country, si- 

 tuated between the Missouri and the Assiniboin, a branch 

 of Red river of Hudson's Bay, no elevated ridge is to be met 

 with, but, on the contrary, tributaries to both these streams 

 take their rise in the same champaign, and wind their way 

 in various directions to their far distant estuaries. Judging 

 from the maps that have been given of the country near the 

 sources of the Mississippi, and of the region generally, si- 

 tuated northwardly of the Great Lakes, as also from the 

 accounts of various travellers, who have peRetrated many 

 parts of those countries, the same remark appears equally 

 applicable to a large portion of the whole. The water courses 

 are represented as chains of lakes of various magnitude, 

 while lakes and stagnant pools are scattered in almost every 

 direction, without ridges or perceptible declivities, to show 

 the direction in which they are drained. But we forbear to 

 enlarge on this subject, and beg leave that reference may be 

 had to Tanner's map of North America, comprehending the 

 fegion of which we have been treating, as a document con- 

 taining ample illustrations of our opinion. Hence it will be 

 inferred that the valley of the Mississippi, is merely a por- 

 tion of an immense region of valley or flat country, extend- 

 ing from the Gulf of Mexico northeastwardly to the Atlan- 

 tic and northwestwardly to the Pacific Ocean. 



Within the valley or region drained by the Mississippi, 

 are situated no less than three distinct ranges of mountain- 

 ous country, the localities of which we will attempt to point 

 out. The first and most considerable, is a range of moun- 

 tains, commencing within the Spanish province of Texas, 

 and stretching in a northeastward direction, till it is termi- 

 nated by the high lands on the lower part of the Missouri 

 river. To this range we have- given the name of the Ozark 

 mountains, an appellation by which the Arkansa river was 

 formerly distinguished, as also the tribe of Indians since de- 

 nominated the Quawpaws, inhabiting near that river. Its 

 direction is nearly parallel to that of the Alleghanies. Its 

 peaks and ridges are less elevated, than those of the latter, and 

 do not present the same regularity in their arrangement. The 

 second is denominated the Black Hills, commencing on the 

 south, or Padouca Fork of the river Platte, at the distance 

 of about one hundred miles eastward of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and strttchirg northeastwardly towards the great 

 northerly bend of the Missouri. Of this range, very little is 



