FACE OF THE COUNTRY, &c.—BOOK II. 
109 
are fine, but the quantity of adjoining prairie is usually too great. 
There are large tracts however admirably suited for settlements s 
a thousand acres or more of wood land, surrounded by as much 
of prairie. It is generally well Watered with fine streams, and 
also interspersed with lakes. There is an extensive strip of land 
along this side of the Missouri, of nearly thirty miles in width 
and about one hundred and fifty in length, altogether woods, and 
of excellent soil. An old gentleman who has seen Kentucky a 
wilderness, informed me, that the appearance of this tract is si¬ 
milar, with the exception of its not being covered with cane, and 
a forest so dark and heavy. The “ Forks of the Missouri,” (such 
is the name given to the northern angle, formed by the two great 
rivers,) daily increases in reputation, and is settling faster than 
any part of the territory. 
The Missouri bottoms, alternately appearing on one side or 
Other of the river, are of the finest kind for three hundred miles 
up, generally covered with heavy timber* the greatest part of 
Which is cotton wood of enormous size. The bottoms are usually 
about two miles in width, and entirely free from inundation. A- 
bove this, in many places, after a small border of wood on the 
hank, the rest, to the hills or bluffs, is entirely bare. The bottoms 
of the Mississippi are equally extensive and rich, but not so well 
wooded. They are in fact a continued succession of the most 
beautiful prairies or meadows. The tract called Les Mamelles , 
from the circumstance of several mounds, bearing tire appear¬ 
ance of art, projecting from the bluff some distance into the plain, 
may be worth describing as a specimen. It is about three miles 
from St. Charles; I visited it last summer, and ascended the 
mounds to have a better view. To those who have never seen 
any of these prairies, it is very difficult to convey any just idea 
the progress of the fire -can he 'traced; the first burning would only 
scorch the outer bark of the tree ; this Would render it more suscep¬ 
tible to the next, and the third would completely kill. I have seen in 
places, at present completely prairie, pieces of burnt trees, proving 
that the prairie had been caused by fire. The grass is usually very luxu¬ 
riant, which is not the case in the plains of the Missouri There may 
doubtless be spots where the proportion of salts, or other bodies, may 
be such, as to favor the growth of grass only. 
