107 



from the Spanish lake, so called. This lake is 

 about fifty miles in circumference, and rises and 

 Falls with the river;, in the same manner as the 

 lakes near Natchitoches. Two miles above this 

 bayau the river is divided into two streams. The 

 ;ourse of the west branch is westerly for nearly 

 lighty miles, where it turns to the eastward, and 

 communicates with the right branch, forming an 

 island one hundred miles long, and in some parts 

 of it thirty miles wide. The upper end of this 

 •ranch is so choaked up with drift wood that 

 joats cannot pass. Settlements, of entirely French 

 people, extend nearly the whole length of this 

 branch, called bayau Peir settlements. The land 

 is fertile, and the scattered inhabitants possess 

 large herds of cattle, and appear to live very well. 

 The face of this tract of country is moderately 

 hilly, and the water very good. Some miles west- 

 ward, towards the Sabine river, is a saline, where 

 they procure their salt. 



On the main, or eastern branch of the river, 

 there are a few scattered settlements, including 

 one called Camti. The land on this branch is 

 similar to that on the other, excepting that near 

 Camti, it is much intersected and broken by 

 bayaus. The land at the upper part of these set- 

 tlements is considered not inferior to any on the 

 Red river. The computed distance from the 

 mouth of Red river is one hundred and forty 

 miles, and between thirty and forty from Natchi- 

 toches. At the upper houses the great jam of 



