VIEWS OF LOUISIANA. 
ry body of salt, near the Arkansas. This appears to be the prin¬ 
cipal seat of the salines. The water of the Arkansas, itself, is 
brackish, and persons ascending, are obliged to provide them- 
selves, fr6m such streams and springs of fresh water, as put into 
it. Near the place, where this tract crosses the Arkansas, sever¬ 
al streams enter it, which are strongly impregnated with salt; 
among others, the Big Saline, and the Strong Saline, both nearly 
one hundred yards in width. It is here that the salt rock is said to 
be found, and that salt prairies are known to exist. The salt rock 
(if there be such a thing) has not been described by any person, 
who has examined it. The notion of its existence was probably 
suggested by the solid masses of salt, found in low places, which 
have formed drains, or reservoirs for the higher surrounding 
ground ; after the evaporation of the water, a crust of good salt 
is left in the bottom, congealed like ice. And of this, there ap¬ 
pear to be accumulations. The color is of the purest white ; 
there is usually a mixture of gypsum, and I have seen some pie¬ 
ces penetrated with sparry matter. Considerable quantities are 
also scattered over the prairies, in a pulverised state, resembling 
sand; the Indians gather it with the wing of a turkey 
I do not mean by marking off these tracts, to convey the idea, 
that it is only in such parts, that certain minerals exist, but mere¬ 
ly as the predominating character, and where these minerals 
most abound Throughout every part of the territory, there are 
salines, but far below the great scale of those, in the tract which 
crosses the Arkansas and Osage rivers. 
The volcanic tract, may be placed west of the last, in the 
slope, and spurs of the Rocky Ridge. It was formerly conjectur¬ 
ed from the pumice found floating on the Missouri, that some 
or five distinct species of the mammoth are perceived; the bones found 
at the Big Bone Lick prove tile existence of a variety of animals, no 
longer on the earth, or not supposed to have existed in these climates. 
The traditions said to prevail amongst the Indians on this subject, 
are easily accounted for by those, who are acquainted with the custom 
amongst those people of indenting and relating amusing tales, like the 
Arabs. The big bones would naturally furnish a hint. I have heard 
several on this very subject more curious than those, which have been 
recited, as affording evidence of the existence of the animal. 
