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one part might be employed in pafturage, and 

 the other fown with rice, pulie, and, in a 

 word, with every thing which thrives on fat 

 and moift lands. So, that in time, nothing 

 might be feen on both the banks of the Miffii- 

 fippi, but gardens, orchards, and meadows, which 

 would fupply the inhabitants with food, and 

 even furnifh commodities for carrying on a 

 trade with our iflands and the neighbouring co- 

 lonies. In a word, I believe, I may affirm that, 

 having landed twice or thrice every day, when I 

 was going down the river, there are almoft every 

 where, at a very fmall diftance from the banks, 

 high grounds, where houfes might be built 

 on a lblid foundation ; and corn would grow 

 extremely well, after the air had got free 

 accefs to it, by means of clearing away the 

 woods. 



The navigation of the river upwards will always 

 be extremely difficult, on account of the ftrength. 

 of the current which even obliges thofe who 

 are going down to take great care, for it fre- 

 quently drives them upon points of land and 

 upon ffioals; fo that, in order to proceed with 

 fafety, veffels muft be made ufe of which can both 

 fail and row. Befides, as it is not poffible to ad- 

 vance in the night-time, thefe voyages will always 

 be very tedious and expenfive at lean: till the 

 banks of the river mall be well peopled, through 

 the whole extent of country, from the Illinois to 

 the fea. 



Such, Madam, is the country which has been 

 fo much talked of for fome years pair, and of 

 which fo few entertain a juft idea. We are not 

 the firft Europeans who have been fenfible of its 



goodnefs, 



