42“ 
VIEWS OF LOUISIANA, 
into which it divides near its head, might claim this honor. It 
does not take its rise in a mountainous country, and yet it must 
be of considerable height, from the number of important rivers 
■which flow from the same neighbourhood. The country abounds 
in lakes and extensive marshes, among which the Mississip¬ 
pi takes its rise. A narrow ridge of high land separates it from 
the waters of lake Winipec. Red Cedar lake, in lat. 47° 38' is 
considered by Pike as its source, this is but a few miles from Red 
lake in which Red river takes its rise; here is therefore an easy 
communication with the waters which discharge themselves into 
Hudson’s bay. 
The appearance of the Mississippi in descending, varies but 
little. On entering from the Missouri we And ourselves in a 
more spacious river: in places where large islands divide the 
current, it spreads to a great width, sometimes of several miles ; 
yet when this is not the case the channel of the river is but lit¬ 
tle wider than at the Man dan villages, though at that place it is 
only filled in the season ©f high water. The navigation is con¬ 
sidered dangerous from the Missouri to the mouth of the Ohio, 
on account of the great number of sawyers and rafts. Relow this 
fine river, no perceptible difference takes place in point of mag¬ 
nitude, and from the St. Francis to Red river, the general width 
scarcely exceeds that of the Missouri. At Point Coupee it as¬ 
sumes a more -majestic appearance, and from this place con¬ 
tinues a course, uninterrupted by islands and sand bars, with a 
current gradually diminishing. 
Theadjacent scenery is as little varied. The banks are cover¬ 
ed with cotton wood trees, of enormous size, the tops apparently 
as level as if made so by design. Scarcely any other tree grows 
on the island. Relow the mouth of the Ohio, the cypress makes 
its appearance in the bends, where the ground is lower than on 
the points and subject to be overflown. . The arunda gigantic a 7 
appears about the same place, on the spots of ground least sub¬ 
ject to inundation. It grows to the height of twenty feet, forming 
an impervious thicket. The long moss, or Spanish beard begins 
to be seen below the Arkansas, and gives a gloomy appearance 
to the woods. The falling in of the banks is amongst the most 
remarkable features of this river \ sometimes whole acres with 
